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CVER Research Paper

Post 16 remedial policies: a literature review


Remedial interventions in tertiary education are under scrutiny in most OECD countries. They are particularly important in a context of increasing demand for skilled workers. However, they are often costly, and their efficiency in boosting student performance has been questioned. This debate has gained particular relevance in England given recent policy changes that require students who do not get at least a grade C in English or maths in GCSE to repeat exams in these subjects. The objective of this literature review is to provide an overview of recent empirical work on the impact of remediation policies in post-16 education on the outcomes of students, in terms of educational achievements and qualifications.

Remedial interventions in tertiary education are under scrutiny in most OECD countries. They are particularly important in a context of increasing demand for skilled workers. However, they are often costly, and their efficiency in boosting student performance has been questioned. This debate has gained particular relevance in England given recent policy changes that require students who do not get at least a grade C in English or maths in GCSE to repeat exams in these subjects. The objective of this literature review is to provide an overview of recent empirical work on the impact of remediation policies in post-16 education on the outcomes of students, in terms of educational achievements and qualifications.


Clémentine Van Effenterre

24 April 2017     Paper Number CVERDP005

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