• Students’ ability to track their own progress showed the strongest improvement( moderate effect size).
However, improvements in confidence and motivation did not consistently translate into higher GCSE grades, and statistical correlations between attitude changes and attainment were weak.
Overall Assessment
The programme was successful in targeting the right students, delivering bespoke support, and improving confidence and engagement in some areas. However, evidence for a direct impact on GCSE attainment was limited, with significant variation by subject and student group.
1. Attendance alone was a weak predictor of improvement. 2. English intensives were most effective for underachieving boys. 3. Maths intensives were most effective for Grade 3 / 4 borderline girls.
Tutoring showed potential when delivered in moderate doses to students starting from lower predicted grades.
Recommendations
• Quality over quantity
• Focus on targeted, high impact provision rather than increasing session numbers.
• Sharpen targeting
• Prioritise groups shown to benefit most( e. g. underachieving boys in English; borderline girls in maths).
• Mid project reviews
• Introduce review points to adjust delivery, attendance, and support while the programme is live.
• Strengthen evaluation design
• Use randomised intervention and control groups where possible and incorporate student focus groups to better understand engagement and outcomes.
• Link confidence to attainment
• Embed strategies that explicitly connect confidence building activities to exam performance and independent study habits.
Overall, the programme delivered modest positive change, particularly in student engagement and self-belief, but future projects should adopt more targeted delivery and stronger evaluation approaches to maximise impact on attainment.