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This thesis investigates gender and performance in the GCE A level examination. It attempts to acquire deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to differential performance at 18+. It identifies a 'cross-over' in gender related patterns of performance in examinations between 16+ and 18+, uses a multi-method approach and a number of sources of data to explain the complex patterns observed. This thesis aims to identify the various factors that contribute to differential performance in examinations and to assess the extent of their influence. The impetus for the research stemmed from a concern that the A level examination has been relatively under-researched in relation to gender-equity issues in examination attainment. Previously, the focus of gender-related differences in examination performance had tended to concentrate on the compulsory stage of schooling. Little is known, therefore, about gender-related performance issues at 18+. In this questions specifically focus on the A level examination and are asked in relation to: how we account for gender-related differences in performance; the contribution of the assessment techniques used to these differences and whether there are content, contexts and tasks types used in these examinations that benefit one gender more than another. Data has been collected, analysed and interpreted from over 3,000 examination scripts, 200 questionnaire responses from secondary school teachers and nine school case studies. Teachers' and students' attitudes to, and perceptions of, gender-related attainment at 18+ are explored for their contribution to differential performance. Three subjects - English literature, mathematics and physics - are used to illustrate the issues that are being considered. This thesis contributes knowledge to the gender-equity debate at one of the most significant stages of examining in the UK. The debate is a complex one and the findings of this thesis reflect this. In this thesis, evidence from the data suggests that any future consideration of equity in relation to examination performance must concern itself not only with the assessment techniques used in the examination system, but also with the expectations, experiences and perceptions of teachers and students who are involved in these examinations.

Within teaching and learning in Higher Education, the development of students' evaluative judgement has recently garnered noticeable attention. Exemplar analysis and peer review are among key pedagogical activities that have been identified, by researchers, as being important for developing both students' evaluative judgement and their feedback literacy. The aim of this study was to explore what supported undergraduate students' experiences of developing their judgements of quality and what supported students when implementing those judgements. The study was carried out in a third level institution in the Republic of Ireland during a first year Bachelor of Arts social care module. The thirty-three participating students peer reviewed assessment work through a process which aimed to cultivate their experiences to judge not only their peers' work, but ultimately their own. Qualitative data generated from students included exit slip reflections, recorded classroom discussions; two focus group discussions; and thirteen semi-structured interviews. A reflexive thematic analysis of the data generated three main themes of importance for the students' experiences: guidance, engagement, and judgement. Subthemes coming under each of these themes related to what contributed to students' development of their judgements of quality and the implementation of their judgements of quality. The findings indicate that the formative nature of this process, along with students' involvement in the feedback process, were significant for their learning and developing their evaluative judgment. This study confirms those which have demonstrated that students benefit from being afforded opportunities to engage in judging academic work because it can not only help students to think more about their own work, but also how to amend it, if needed. Overall, it shows that involving students in judgement processes over time is important when it comes to developing their judgement.

This study examined children's views and experiences of learning Irish in English-medium primary schools in Ireland. To date, children's voices have largely been absent from these discussions, and this study set out to address this gap in the research by documenting primary school children's experiences, in first class (7-year-olds) and fifth class (11-year-olds). The implementation of the communicative approach, where language use is both the aim and the means of language learning, was also explored. The conceptual framework, informed by Biesta's domains of education, was used to provide coherence to second language learning theories. This was complemented by the work of Friedrich Fröebel, adding a child-centred, social constructivist perspective. The participants were first-class (7-year-olds) and fifth-class (11-year-olds) children in three English-medium primary schools in Ireland. Informed by the conceptual framework, a child-centred methodology was employed to support children in sharing their experiences. Data from draw-and-talk, circle time and a post-it survey were analysed qualitatively, using a thematic approach guided by the conceptual framework. The study highlighted that older children were more negative towards the language. In addition, limited opportunities for authentic communication in Irish were reported by the children. Findings also indicated that children viewed their role in Irish lessons as passive, with much learning confined to the accumulation of language units through imitation and repetition. Strategic development of language skills, language awareness, cultural awareness and language learner autonomy were largely absent from their descriptions. This study suggests a need for additional supports in developing pre-service and in-service teachers' knowledge and application of a communicative approach in Irish lessons in English-medium primary schools. In addition, giving children ownership of their learning by incorporating a child-centred approach would provide a more holistic experience. This could support children learning Irish and also when learning additional languages in the future.

Research dedicated to examining the factors that contribute to educational inequalities is extensive, yet the factor of urban-rural location is rarely focused on. Using an intersectional perspective (Crenshaw, 1989; 1991) this thesis investigated the impact of urban-rural location on primary and post-primary pupils' educational attainment outcomes in the context of Northern Ireland (NI). Given the lack of robust examinations of this issue, this study used a quantitative approach to address the absence of knowledge, incorporating secondary analysis of novel administrative data. Multilevel (ML) analyses were conducted on data from primary and post-primary school stages to identify the impact of rural-urban location and to uncover where this factor fits within the complex web of factors already known to impact on educational outcomes. Post-primary data was derived from a record linkage exercise undertaken by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) in which the 2011 NI Census was linked to the School Leavers Survey (SLS) and the School Census (n = 61,373). Primary data was provided by Granada Learning (GL) assessment and represents the first data relating to primary pupils made available for research of this kind. These data afforded the opportunity to conduct a higher-level analysis than what has been done before by educational research in the NI context. Pupils in rural locations are found to achieve higher attainment outcomes in maths and English subjects at both educational stages. While the results initially point to a universal rural educational advantage, interaction results provide evidence that this advantage does not extend to all primary pupils by suggesting that rural boys from lower socioeconomic positions are the most 'at risk' group of lower English attainment. Until now, this group of pupils had not been identified as in need of additional support. Results also indicate that the GCSE attainment of some groups of post-primary pupils is more strongly impacted on by location than others, for example, pupils from lower socioeconomic positions and those who attend non-grammar schools. The identification of these effects provides the first step in shaping educational policies and practices to promote equality in education by considering the role of urban-rural location.

This study explored widening participation [WP] in higher education [HE] by investigating the views and experiences of students, their parents, teachers and University staff, in a pre-entry to HE programme. The research focussed on researching the influence of a Pathway Opportunity Programme [POP] on students' aspirations, preparedness and learning for university, with consideration of the most valuable aspects of the POP, alongside how it could be improved. Other ways to widen participation and help to overcome barriers to HE were also explored. In order to discover participants' views to obtain a better understanding of their experiences, the research study used the Capabilities Approach as a conceptual framework. A mixed methods design was utilised, with data collection through semi-structured interviews and online surveys. The challenges of 'insider' research was discussed, and the Capabilities Approach employed to thematically analyse and interpret the data. The study found that their experiences of the pre-entry programme impacted positively on participants' aspirations for HE with increased confidence, motivation, and decision-making. The study also observed that participants improved their preparedness for university, with the residential and online learning components particularly aiding the transition to HE. Regarding the effect on student learning, the study reports an increase in participants' non-cognitive, affective skills. In addition, the study found the most valuable aspects of the POP are the insight it provides into the university experience, the incentives offered, and the positive impact on communication skills and motivation. Improvements to structural aspects of the programme are also presented. Furthermore, the study reports four areas which could advance WP in HE: earlier intervention, tutoring, financial incentives, and partnerships. The thematic analysis and resultant sub-themes make an original contribution to the field by expanding Walker's application of the capabilities approach to WP in HE.

The aim of this research is to come to a better understanding of how certain factors and conditions can work together to contribute to the washback of the IELTS test from students' perspectives. I investigated, within a consequential validity framework, how the high-stakes and high predictability aspects of the IELTS test in my research context can shape the washback of the test on students' learning activities and their affective factors. This research contributes to the field of washback studies by using a mixed methods design to investigate students' views and experiences of the IELTS test in an English as the medium of instruction (EMI) context in higher education in China. The data collection was organised in two concurrent strands: in Strand 1, an online survey was issued to students to gain their general views and opinions; in Strand 2, group interviews were conducted to get much richer data through interaction with students. The research results contribute further to our understanding of the consequential validity of IELTS tests and suggest that the IELTS test can generate positive results for students, as it can motivate them and can lead to an improvement in their understanding of English in an academic context. Conversely, their IELTS test scores can also be improved after attending the EMI courses. The IELTS test can also impact students negatively by narrowing their English learning, driving them into a self-isolating way of study, causing them pressure, test anxiety and a loss of confidence. In addition, it can also lead students to repeated test-taking, buying predicted answers and increasing the financial burden on them.

This thesis presents research into the processes, practices and experiences of transition to secondary education in Northern Ireland from a children's rights perspective. Three aspects of the contemporary landscape of transition are considered: availability of school places and children's school choice aspirations; privately operated unregulated tests used for selection; and school level admissions arrangements which mediate transfer. The overarching aim of the thesis was to understand how inequities in each of these areas are potential barriers to children's enjoyment of their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (United Nations, 1989). The mixed-methods study was conducted in three strands: a documentary analysis of school admissions policies for 205 academically selective and non-selective secondary schools offering admission in September 2014; a collaboration with children as research advisors to inform the purposes, processes and outcomes of the research which reflects a rights based approach; and a questionnaire of a broad sample of transition age children (10-12 years, n=1327) which extensively investigated their views and experiences of the policy and practice of transfer. The rights based, mixed methods approach was intentional, so as to place the voices of those directly affected by the transfer arrangements at the heart of the research. The findings illustrate serious inequities which represent a system-level failure to safeguard the child's right to education (article 28) under the CRC and according to Tomaševski's 4-As conceptual framework; that education should be available, accessible, acceptable and adaptable (2001). Aspects of transition procedures, such as the differential availability of school places and inconsistencies in school admissions requirements, limit school choice and contribute to inequitable access to secondary education. The assessment arrangements are shown to create additional complexities in admissions practices, resulting in differential experiences of access to academically selective schools. This thesis, by offering insight into children's experiences of admissions decisions across the full range of school types, demonstrates that the power of choice lies with schools. An analytical tool, developed as an outcome of this research, is proposed as a means to assess the extent to which transition arrangements are underpinned by respect for children's rights.

The right of children to participate in all matters affecting them is enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1989) and most specifically in article 12, which relates to the child’s right to express his or her views freely and to have such views given due weight. As school inspection is a matter affecting children, it is, therefore, a matter about which they are entitled to have their views sought, listened to and taken into account. This study, by a practising inspector, considers the implementation of the principle enshrined in article 12 in respect of whole-school evaluation (WSE), a model of school inspection, in Irish primary schools. It explores, from the perspectives of children and their teachers, how inspectors could better engage with children’s views during WSE. The research was undertaken in one primary school in the west of Ireland and involved senior-grade students (aged 10-12 years) and their teachers. The data set, from focus- group interviews and draw-and-write activities, was analysed qualitatively. A children’s rights-based approach was employed: two distinctive elements of this approach include the deliberate steps taken to build the participants’ capacity in understanding WSE and children’s right to be heard; and the involvement of a children’s research advisory group (CRAG). The CRAG took part in various stages of the research including the choosing and preparing of data collection methods, analysing data, and disseminating findings. The study shows that children have views about inspection and want to express them. This thesis makes a strong argument for the importance of facilitating children to express their views freely during inspection and to have their views given due weight not merely as a data source for accountability and performativity but as part of an empowering, emancipatory process benefitting students, schools and the Inspectorate. The study proved to be successful on a number of levels, notably in the development of a methodology that allowed children to contribute fully as research participants and to present their perspectives on inspector-student consultation. Furthermore, it contributes to the existing knowledge base regarding children’s rights in education focusing in this instance on their right to be heard during school inspection.

This thesis proposes a new model of mind based on the philosophy of Wittgenstein and offers an application of the model to the current educational context. The thesis first analyses the context of the major contending models of mind. Despite widely differing approaches, each model provides a theory of how the human mind works. The thesis then presents the major arguments of Wittgenstein's philosophy of mind. Wittgenstein maintains that the confusions evident in existing models of mind could be resolved, not by proposing an alternative theory, but by acknowledging the limits of our ordinary language in talking about mental phenomena which cannot be observed directly. While the uncertainty of physical description can be reduced by careful observation and measurement, the uncertainty of psychological description can not be reduced since it is not possible to observe and measure unseen mental phenomena with objectivity. The uncertainty in the language we use to describe psychological concepts is therefore irreducible. The irreducible uncertainty of Wittgenstein's epistemological argument also has an analogue in the description of unseen quantum phenomena in the physical world. The thesis details the equivalences between Wittgenstein's philosophy of mind and quantum theory, and notes that while irreducible uncertainty has been accepted as fact by the world of physics, many within the fields of education and psychology have long resisted the same acceptance. Moreover it is claimed that local, hidden mental states can not explain human rule-following. Even if we had access to the full array of mental states and a complete list of previous examples it is argued that there could still be no local e planation or prediction of future behaviour. Instead the cause in non-local through our training in the past. Finally a therapy is offered to the confusion which arises from local models of mind, are exemplified first in interviews conducted with three student teachers, and second, in a number of central areas of educational concern.