Creating Effective Schools

This book is the culmination of six years of work on the National School Effectiveness Study, a longitudinal research project that collected and analysed relevant school and home background data from 300 primary schools selected from all provinces except Gauteng.

Both the book and the study are a reflection of the maturity of education research and a growing appetite for empirical evidence in South Africa.
Key observations from the research have found their way into the policy-making processes of both the central and provincial spheres of government, in particular the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation and the National Planning Commission in the Presidency, and both the Ministry and Department of Basic Education. The NSES produced a rich data set that has already spawned a number of secondary analyses.

The study employs both quantitative and qualitative methods in search of factors responsible for quality schooling. The book carries useful lessons for every stakeholder in the education sector, including practising teachers, school governing bodies, school leaders, researchers, policy makers and those interested in the field of education.

Hard copies are available from JET Education Services and electronic copies can be purchased from Pearson.

Read an introductory summary.