The Hannam Report

In 2001, Derry Hannam (former teacher, Head Teacher, Ofsted inspector and defender of democratic education) wrote a report, titled “A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Impact of the Student Participation Aspects of the Citizenship Order on Standards of Education in Secondary Schools,” otherwise known simply as the Hannam Report.

The study investigated the hypothesis that schools seriously implementing student participation and responsible action would demonstrate improved academic attainment across the full range of student abilities. By examining 12 secondary schools with robust student participation structures, the research found compelling evidence that such participatory approaches positively impact student engagement, self-esteem, and academic performance.

The report clearly shows correlations between democratic methods in schools and higher academic results, less anti-social behaviour and higher school attendance, especially for students from socio-economically deprived backgrounds. This report is an extremely valuable resource for those who attempt to develop a more democratic and participatory approach in schools.

Please read the full Hannam Report and share it with your school leadership, as part of your persuasive tool kit, to shift to a more democratic and participatory education.

Hannam Report Preview:

PART A – The investigation

1. Backgrounds and Hypothesis

On the 30ᵗʰ of June 2000 the Secretary of State was asked by the author in a public session at a conference in Sheffield on Citizenship: “whether he agreed with the hypothesis, that accords with my observation, that in schools where there are high rates of student participation, either in school Councils or the organisation of the school in other ways, there is a positive effect on performance in most or all other subjects?” He replied: “I give you a commitment that I will ask for this to be studied.”

The DfEE funded this study, which has been administered by CSV, specifically to fulfill this commitment. Positive examples of student participation were needed from a wide range of schools, while recognising that no causal connection can be made between student participation and performance in a limited study with a tight timescale as enjoined by the Secretary of State.

The view expressed by the author at the June 2000 Sheffield conference was that some schools were tempted to place disproportionate emphasis on the minority of Year 11 students who could perhaps achieve a ‘C’ grade at GCSE with extra help in order to improve the school’s position in the ‘league tables.’ This could result in less support being available for less academic students who, even with their best efforts, were not likely to achieve a high grade. The speaker expressed the view that this was contrary to the inclusive spirit of the Citizenship Order.

The Hypothesis – In schools that are already taking the ‘participation and responsible action’ elements of the Order seriously for significant numbers of students of the full range of academic ability, an improvement in attainment would be found across the full range of GCSE results though not necessarily mainly at the higher grades. If the hypothesis proved accurate this might well be, in part at least, a consequence of higher self-esteem and a greater sense of ownership and empowerment of students leading to greater motivation to ‘engage’ with learning across the curriculum.