The annual data collection sweeps have proved to be one of the most successful strands of the WISERD Education programme. The sample design for WMCS is based on a form of clustered sampling. This involved identifying a selected sample of 29 schools (13 secondary and 16 primary) across Wales designed to include diverse communities (advantaged/disadvantaged, rural/urban, Welsh and English-speaking). For five successive years we have followed the progress of several cohorts of children and young people as they have progressed from through the education system (Table 1).

Table 1: WMCS Sweeps

Academic year

Cohort A

Cohort F

Cohort E

Cohort B

Cohort C

Cohort D

Total

Sweep 1 (2013)

2012-13

Year 6 (n=341)

Year 8 (n=410)

Year 10 (n=428)

1,179

Sweep 2 (2014)

2013-14

Year 2 (n=430)

Year 7 (n=351)

Year 9 (n=380)

Year 11 (n=324)

1,485

Sweep 3 (2015)

2014-15

Year 3 (n=350)

Year 8 (n=327)

Year 10 (n=343)

Year 12 (n=156)

1,176

Sweep 4 (2016)

2015-16

Year 4 (n=397)

Year 9 (n=302)

Year 11 (n=303)

Year 13 (n=102)

1,104

Sweep 5 (2017)

2016-17

Year 7 (n=596)

Year 10 (n=336)

Year 12 (n=177)

Leavers (n=26)

1,137

Sweep 6 (2018)

2017-18

Year 8 (n=475)

Year 11 (n=284)

Year 13 (n=96)

855

Sweep 7 (2019)

2018-19

Year 7 (n=673)

Year 9 (n=630)

Year 12 (n=161)

1,464

 

As cohorts have left compulsory schooling we have established new Year 7 cohorts (Cohort E in 2016-17 and Cohort F in 2018-19). In 2013-14 we also undertook surveys of cohort members’ parents. This generated nearly 250 responses.

In addition to interviews with headteachers and governors of the WMCS schools in 2014 and 2017, we have also undertaken two teacher surveys.

Guidance Notes

Guidance documentation has been produced for the WMCS. This documentation was released during the Growing Up in Wales event in 2018. It can be downloaded below.