A presentation by Professor Chris Taylor, Professor of Education Policy at Cardiff University and Co Director of WISERD at the launch of the Administrative Data Research Centre Wales on Monday 23rd March 2015

1. Using Administrative Data in
Education Research
Official opening of the
Administrative Data Research Centre Wales
Monday 23rd March 2015
Chris Taylor
Professor of Education Policy
Wales Institute for Social & Economic Research,
Data & Methods (WISERD)
Cardiff University

2. • Using linked administrative data with
survey data
Evaluating the impact of early
years educational reform in
Wales
• Using various linked administrative
datasets
Impact and effectiveness of
widening access to Higher
Education in Wales

3. Pupil Level
Annual Schools
Census (PLASC)
Pupil Attainment
data
Demographic data
•Gender
•Ethnicity
•Home postcode
•(Registered) Eligibility for free school meals
Examinations data
•National reading and numeracy test scores (7-13
year olds)
•GCSE results
•Other equivalent examination results
Educational data
•Schools attended
•Attendance data
•Teacher assessments at age 7, 11 and 13 years
National Pupil
Database (NPD)

4. • Evaluating the impact of the
Foundation Phase in Wales
• Stepped wedge design to the
evaluation
• Issue: Limitations of National Pupil
Database
• Solution: Link the NPD to the
Millennium Cohort Survey
Evaluating the impact of
early years educational
reform in Wales The Foundation Phase is a
new curriculum and
pedagogical approach to
education of 3-7 year olds
Staged roll-out between
2005/05 (20 Pilot schools)
and 2008/09
MCS is a birth cohort study
of 19,000 children born
during 2000/01
Approx. 2,000 children in
Wales, 100 of whom
attended Pilot schools
MCS collects wide range of
detailed data from parents,
children and teachers

5. • Attending a Foundation Phase pilot
school is associated with:
• Lower cognitive ability at age 7
(word reading and maths)
• Less enjoyment of school and
learning
• Lower levels of wellbeing at
school
Evaluating the impact of
early years educational
reform in Wales

6. • Widening access assumes under-
representation in Higher Education
• Previous analyses have to
hypothesise what would be
‘representative’ participation
• Issue: Very complex process,
dependent upon prior attainment
• Solution: Link NPD to Higher
Education Statistics Agency
(HESA)records
Impact and effectiveness of
widening access to Higher
Education in Wales Widening access policies
and practice often based on
proxy identification of target
groups (Communities First)
We know very little about
those who do not go to
university
Consequently we know very
little about explanations for
(non-) participation
HESA records every
‘instance’ of university study
Linking NPD to HESA can
track the progress of all 15
year olds into (or not)
university, including their
post-16 experiences

7. • 15 yr. old females eligible for free
school meals are 21% less likely to
participate in HE than equivalent non-
FSM females
• 15 yr. old ‘non-white British’ males are
2½ times more likely to participate
than equivalent white British males
• 15 yr. olds in most deprived areas are
7% less likely to participate than
equivalent children in least deprived
areas
Impact and effectiveness of
widening access to Higher
Education in Wales

8. Odds of First
Degree entry• 15 yr. old females eligible for free
school meals are 21% less likely to
participate in HE than equivalent non-
FSM females
• 15 yr. old ‘non-white British’ males are
2½ times more likely to participate
than equivalent white British males
• 15 yr. olds in most deprived areas are
7% less likely to participate than
equivalent children in least deprived
areas
Impact and effectiveness of
widening access to Higher
Education in Wales

9. Odds of First
Degree entry
Odds of
Oxbridge entry• 15 yr. old females eligible for free
school meals are 21% less likely to
participate in HE than equivalent non-
FSM females
• 15 yr. old ‘non-white British’ males are
2½ times more likely to participate
than equivalent white British males
• 15 yr. olds in most deprived areas are
7% less likely to participate than
equivalent children in least deprived
areas
Impact and effectiveness of
widening access to Higher
Education in Wales

10. Further information
Professor Chris Taylor
WISERD, Cardiff University
Email: taylorcm@cardiff.ac.uk
Website: www.wiserd.ac.uk
@profchristaylor