The first objective of this project was to identify high-ability students from low SES families and support them in their motivation for school and learning. The second objective of the project was to have a scientifically tested and approved intervention that enhances the motivation of high-ability secondary school students from low SES backgrounds. The intervention was designed and piloted previously to the project. During this project, we want to study its longitudinal impact. The intervention aimed at making students aware of their high abilities and the opportunities that they have, as well as giving them insights and tools to reach their learning goals. With that intervention we wanted to contribute to equal opportunities in education.
In all EU countries, students from families with a low socioeconomic status (SES) have fewer opportunities to excel in the higher levels of education. The Netherlands and Belgium are two of the countries where socioeconomic status has an even stronger influence than in other countries (UNICEF, 2017). This inequity in opportunities in education has grown between 2003 and 2018 (Aalders et al., 2020). Motivation is an important predictor for school success (Gottfried et al., 2001; Meens et al., 2018). Dutch secondary school students have lower motivation for school than their agemates in other countries (OECD, 2013, 2017, 2019). This also applies to high-ability students and students from low SES backgrounds, which could mean that high-ability students from low SES backgrounds are doubly at risk of not fulfilling their potential. Our partnership wanted to contribute to equal opportunities by investigating a new motivation intervention on its long term impact.