Education: High Potential Not Yet Realized

Knowledge is not easily plucked from the stream of existence and social scientists have to offer the sobering suggestion that while ‘What matters is what works’, what matters first is how we find out what works. If a blind lurching from one good idea to yet another fashion is to be avoided, the task of finding out what works must be central. The widespread use of systematic monitoring (performance indicators) in education in England provides the kind of data stream needed to make it likely that the occasional dramatic outcome will be noticed, particularly by teachers. This article explains the problems and possibilities of using evidence-based information to improve education.