Corporate report

Department for Education analytical review

Report looking at the role of research, analysis and data in the department, as well as in children's services and schools in England.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Documents

Analytical review: executive summary

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Analytical review: the department

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Analytical review: data systems by Roger Plant

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Building evidence into education

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Department’s response to the analytical review

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Details

On 3 May 2013, the Department for Education published its analytical review, conducted by Dr Ben Goldacre and Roger Plant, Director of So Direct Ltd. The review was commissioned by the Secretary of State, and looks at the role of research, analysis and data in the Department for Education, schools in England and children’s services. Publication of the full analytical review follows the March event at Bethnal Green Academy where Dr Goldacre communicated his vision for evidence based practice in the teaching profession. The analytical review report is comprised of a number of papers:

  • executive summary
  • Ben Goldacre’s vision for evidence based practice in the teaching profession
  • Roger Plant’s paper on data reform
  • a paper on the Department for Education
  • the department’s response to the recommendations

The Analytical Review calls for the promotion and use of robust quantitative evidence by both practitioners in the sector, and policy makers in the department; this centres on the use of randomised control trials (RCTs). While we are focusing on the sector taking the lead in practitioner use of evidence, we are also keen to demonstrate that the department is rising to the challenge set out by Dr Goldacre and leading by example. Alongside the publication of the analytical review report, we have today also announced two RCTs:

  1. an RCT on attainment information to schools on maths and science
  2. an evaluation of SAAF (Safeguarding Assessment Analysis Framework) child protection assessment tool

More information on these RCTs is available in the RCT announcement.

Updates to this page

Published 3 May 2013

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