Students’ relative age in a cohort and academic achievemnt of science

There is an increasing need, not only in science but in all disciplines, for research into what it is that contributes to a student having success in that subject, not least because success in itself can be defined and understood in many ways. This study investigates whether a student’s relative age (SRA) in a cohort impacts on her academic achievement in the subject of science. The study was undertaken at an Australian private school, researching 113 female students in Years 7 and 8 and interviewing three teachers. The data suggested that a moderate, significant, negative correlation exists between academic achievement and SRA. Also, five student characteristics associated with academic achievement (SCAAA) are proposed. They are regarding the student; possessing or not an aptitude for science, being motivated or indifferent, being confident or unsure, having a disposition or a reluctance to question, and possessing an accurate or an inaccurate perception of self.