ABSTRACT
The emergence of the concept of school effectiveness has popularised the argument that schools can, and do, make a difference to academic outcomes and ultimately to the life chances of children (Teddlie and Reynolds, 2000; Sammons, 2008). Recognition that schools can have positive (and therefore also negative) impacts on student outcomes has also supported the rise of school improvement research and practice. These two related fields have made a considerable contribution to our understanding of the factors associated with effective schooling and the processes linked to enhancing them.
