A number of factors may have contributed to the results of the test analysis. The circumstances in which the tests were taken were very different. The initial national test was taken in the children's familiar primary schools. It was the culmination of all the National Curriculum teaching they had received up to that point, and the children knew that the results were important to their parents and teachers as well as themselves. The later test took place in a new school, in only the second week of term, and did not have the same high stakes for the pupils.
More research is needed, to clarify the problem and to suggest solutions.
T he sample for the analysis of attitude questionnaires consisted of 1166 pupils in 44 summer schools and 1927 control group pupils. The summer school pupils completed a questionnaire at the beginning of summer school and another in September. The control group questionnaires were completed in September only. This was particularly the case for level 3 children. Children's attitudes to the summer schools were overwhelmingly positive, and their confidence in their ability to cope with the work in secondary school improved.