A large-scale experiment involving 10,600 students across 63 English secondary schools has found that offering cash payments and non-financial rewards to underachieving pupils can significantly improve their GCSE exam results. The study, led by Professor Simon Burgess at the University of Bristol in collaboration with researchers from the University of Chicago and the University of California, San Diego, found that incentives worth around £80 per half-term boosted exam grades and pass rates by up to 10% for the worst-performing students.
The intervention targeted pupils with low predicted GCSE scores, offering rewards for improved classwork, homework, attendance and behaviour. Those in the financial incentive group could earn up to £80 per half-term, while a non-financial group received tokens exchangeable for rewards such as concert tickets. The study found that cash incentives had the strongest effect, particularly in science results, but non-financial rewards were also effective, suggesting a cost-effective alternative.
The research, funded by the Education Endowment Foundation at a cost of over £700,000, found that the intervention eliminated half of the attainment gap between pupils eligible for free school meals and their better-off peers. Professor Burgess noted that the effects were 'very large' in educational research terms, with maths GCSE scores increasing by 16% of a standard deviation and science scores by 20%.
While previous studies in US high schools found little impact from such incentives, this research differed by focusing on high-stakes GCSE exams. The findings offer promising leads for policymakers to design low-cost interventions for pupils from low-income households, according to the researchers.
