Schools everywhere are concerned with raising standards according to government requirements, particularly for those pupils who could be termed 'more able'. The key challenges revolve around government initiatives such as Every Child Matters, independent learning, inclusion and differentiation, thus making learning effective and successful for all pupils.

The authors of this highly engaging book carried out extensive analysis of 12 key schools, selected for their representation of common challenging educational circumstances including working with children from:

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This book provides a new contribution to raising attainment in secondary schools, with specific reference to able underachievers who are currently achieving C grades or less when they could be getting As. Standards are depressed each time a single able underachiever demonstrates a competence that is below his or her real potential. It lowers morale in that the progress of the whole school is reduced proportionately in line with the able pupils who aren't achieving their real potential, and resources are wasted every time these pupils start misbehaving or creating problems in school. This is a...