Top research prize for Institute of Education graduate
03 September 2009
For the second year running, the British Educational Research Association's (BERA) best PhD dissertation prize has gone to a doctoral graduate from the Institute of Education, London.
Dr Rebecca Allen won the award for her analysis of the consequences of allowing parents to choose the school they want their children to go to.
One aim of market reform policies was to reduce social segregation by giving children from poor neighbourhoods the chance to attend a high-performing school. But Dr Allen found that current school admissions policies have resulted in schools that are more segregated than the neighbourhoods they are located in. One reason for this is that popular schools tend to select the brightest pupils in order to improve their standing in league tables. Faith schools, which have the right to select pupils on the basis of religion, have the same effect.
Dr Allen gave evidence to the Commons Education Select Committee when they considered the issue of faith schools and was widely reported in the media last year and earlier this year.
Her supervisor and co-researcher, Professor Anna Vignoles, said: "Becky is a real success story. She is a first class researcher who has a special combination of quantitative research skills and genuine understanding of education and education processes."
Dr Allen's thesis, "Choice-based secondary school admissions in England: Social stratification and the distribution of educational outcomes" is available from r.allen@ioe.ac.uk
The 2008 award for the best PhD dissertation went to Dr Giovanna Barzanò for her thesis on headship and accountability in three European countries.
Ends
Further information from:
David Budge
BERA press officer
(off) 0161 306 7300 (from 9am Wednesday, September 2)
(mob) 07881 415362
email: d.budge@ioe.ac.uk
Notes for editors
The 1988 Education Act gave parents in England and Wales more choice and control over their children's schooling. However, it did not guarantee that the child would be able to attend a particular school.
Dr Rebecca Allen is a lecturer in the economics of education at the IOE. Her areas of research interest include school admissions policies and parental choice of school, school accountability and governance, the role of faith schools in state education, and competition between schools.
The 2009 BERA Dissertation Award is made for the best PhD, DPhil or EdD thesis for research in education awarded by a British university in 2008. The dissertation or thesis writer must be a member of BERA.
The Institute of Education is a college of the University of London, specialising in teaching, research and consultancy in education and related areas of social science and professional practice. Last year's Research Assessment Exercise judged almost two-thirds of the work submitted by the IOE was internationally significant, and 35 per cent was regarded as "world leading".