St. Benedict's School conducted a study using Thomas assessments to improve the performance and behavior of underachieving and disruptive students, which resulted in over a 90% reduction in negative behavior indicators. The assessments helped students become more self-aware and empowered them to better manage their own behavior. The school is now repeating the process with their current students to maintain the positive impact and empower students to continuously improve themselves.

1. Case study
St Benedict’s School
Independent school using Thomas assessments to improve the Tools used: PPA, GIA, TEIQue
performance and behaviour of underachieving and disruptive students.
St Benedict’s is a small Catholic upper school accepting students aged 13 to
18. The school is rated outstanding by Ofsted, consistently placed among the
top schools in Suffolk for GCSE and A-level results, and positioned highly on
national league tables.
The school’s mission statement is to grow students into ‘effective Christians
for the modern world’. It prides itself on maintaining a healthy balance between
a strong work ethic and those extra-curricular activities that make school life
an all-round experience for students. By recognising the unique importance of
each individual student they seek to ensure all are helped and guided to achieve
their full potential. This is not just about delivering academic success in the short
Andy Watts
term, but lifelong learning and creating healthy, well rounded Christians.
Assistant Head
The challenge
Andy Watts, Assistant Head explains, The study was jointly funded by St as potential participants for the
“The school felt some students were Benedict’s and the local authority. study and put into two groups: those
not achieving their potential as a result Six staff members across a range of exhibiting ‘challenging’ behaviours and
of disengagement or poor behaviour. functions (including Head of English, underachievers who were disengaged
We wanted to reduce the number of Head of Year, Behaviour Support and just ‘drifting’ through school.
negative performance indicators for Manager and a Connexions Advisor)
this group, including external exclusions, were trained to administer, interpret The result
internal inclusions, removals from class and feedback Thomas’ behavioural
Andy continues, “The impact of the
and negative referrals.” assessment, (PPA), aptitude and ability
assessments was huge, with a reduction
assessment (GIA) and trait emotional
of over 90% in external exclusions,
The solution intelligence assessment (TEIQue).
internal inclusions, removals from class
The school ran a pilot study using 63 students from Year 10 were identified and negative referrals.
Thomas assessments to improve
the performance of underachieving
Measure Number pre-pilot Number post-pilot
students, and the behaviour of
External exclusions 11 1
disruptive students. The intention
Internal inclusions 56 2
was to make the students more
Removal from class 47 3
self-aware and so take more personal
Negative referrals 321 22
responsibility for their behaviour.
Positive referrals 1 28
t 01628 475 366 e info@thomas.co.uk www.thomasinternational.net ©Thomas International 2012

2. “The impact of the
assessments was huge, with
a reduction of over 90% in
external exclusions, internal
inclusions, removals from
class and negative referrals.”
Among the majority with poor slow down and give himself more time Next steps
attendance records attendance improved, to assimilate numerical information. “We are repeating the process using the
and positive referrals increased from one Once the student and his teachers behavioural assessment (PPA) and
in the period prior to the assessments, understood the cause of his behaviour aptitude and ability measure (GIA) with
to 28 after assessment feedback had they were able to deal with it more our current Year 10 students. The
been given.” effectively, resulting in an improvement in emphasis of the programme is
his behaviour and his grades.” self-development – empowering stu-
“Once the students received their
dents to improve themselves – and as a
feedback their behaviour quickly “The Thomas reports provided a common
consequence improving the atmosphere
changed. Helping students become language between educationalists and
and quality of lessons for the whole year.”
more self-aware empowered them to students, allowing students to talk in real
manage their own behaviour better terms about themselves, rather than “To achieve greater staff buy-in, more
and enabled them to resolve issues and in ‘teacher speak’. This enabled a more feedback on student results will be given
problems themselves.” realistic dialogue between the parties to staff where the information is
than would previously have been possible.” beneficial in classroom situations. To
“For example, a student who was
maintain the impact of the assessments
aggressive in class and spent a “The results show Thomas assessments over time we are reviewing a range
significant amount of time in the have enormous benefits, in all sorts of of intervention strategies, to ensure
inclusion unit transformed his behaviour ways, for all sorts of students. The time students get maximum value from the
after receiving his assessment feedback. invested in staff training (four days), process.”
Understanding the reasons behind delivery of the assessments and one
his anger helped him modify his to one student feedback (one lesson
behaviour and calm himself down.” each) is a small price to pay for the
“Another student who tended to benefits. Students were overwhelmingly
be disruptive in maths and science positive about the experience and felt
classes struggled with the GIA Number everyone should have the opportunity
Speed and Accuracy test. This meant to go through the feedback process and
he had difficulty processing numerical develop their self-awareness.”
concepts quickly. The student needed to
t 01628 475 366 e info@thomas.co.uk www.thomasinternational.net ©Thomas International 2012