The power of pupil perspectives in evidence‐based practice: the case of gender and underachievement

In the current debate on evidence‐based practice, pupils' voices are rarely centre stage, if heard at all. This paper examines the potential of using pupil perspectives as an important source of evidence for improving curriculum, pedagogy and pupil achievement. This is explored through the findings of a study, Project JUDE, which combined a school‐based collaborative approach to research and continuing professional development (CPD). The aim was to generate an evidence base that could be used to identify problems, inform subsequent practice and support school improvement. A central concern of the project was to ensure that pupils' voices were heard because they are key stakeholders in education, and the key targets of policy changes. The focus in this paper is on the evidence generated from the pupils' perspectives in three key areas: the curriculum, their preferred teaching and learning styles, and the differences in achievement and/or behaviour of boys and girls. The pupils' and teachers' perspectives are juxtaposed to show how gendered processes are integral to cultures of learning in pedagogy and enacted curricula. While the pupils were competent reporters of their own experiences, there were limitations on the extent to which the teachers subsequently used this evidence to inform school improvement.