Motivation scheme 'has no effect'

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A motivational programme used in many British schools and colleges to improve performance has had little benefit for most pupils, a study suggests.

The Go For It scheme is meant to raise children's self-esteem and relieve stress through various activities.

Staffordshire University compared five schools using Go For It with five which do not - and found little difference.

The Pacific Institute, which developed the scheme, said it was surprised and disappointed with the study's findings.

The programme is used by more than 20 local education authorities as well as colleges and education improvement projects around the country.

It is designed for 14 to 16-year-olds and claims to have a "strong link to the development of emotional intelligence".

But one of the authors of the university's report, psychology lecturer David Galbraith, said the scheme was no better than any other currently used in schools.

"We didn't find that it improved GCSE performance or aspirations in the version it's currently implemented - so you certainly couldn't use it as support for that."

The Pacific Institute said it has never claimed their programme is a "magic bullet" to solve school problems.

It would only work if schools had already taken steps to improve pupil performance, it said.