Teachers’ vital role in helping pupils stay motivated during Covid-19 has been emphasised in research showing that drive and ambition contribute as much as half a GCSE grade, per subject.

Conducted at UCL, the research compared teenagers with the same level of prior achievement but with differing levels of drive or ambition.

It found that academically driven students with ambitious university plans achieve GCSE results that are around half a grade higher per subject.

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It used data collected during the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) on a cohort of Year 11 students who took their GCSEs in 2011.

The students’ responses to statements such as “I want top grades” and questions on their university plans and choices were used to assess their motivation and drive.

While motivation is also important during “normal” times, the findings have important implications for the current period, Professor John Jerrim, one of the authors of the study, commented in a blog post.

He said: “In the current climate, this provides one clear reason why educational inequalities in GCSE grades may widen next year. During this last term - with schools not open to most children - the onus has been placed upon young people to continue putting in the hours on their school work. The driven and the ambitious pupils will have done this. Those lacking motivation and direction will not have.

“It would, therefore, be no surprise at all if the gap in GCSE outcomes between such teenagers increases dramatically next academic year.”

The study also found important differences by gender and socio-economic status.

With similar academic drive, girls are less likely than boys to state they want to apply to top universities.

Co-author Dr Nikki Shure said: “Previous studies show that women are less likely to compete, even when they might perform better than men. This research raises questions about why high-attaining girls are uncomfortable making or expressing ambitious university plans. There is more work to be done than just encouraging them to be more ambitious.”

On the other hand, while there are no significant differences in university ambitions between students from different socio-economic status, disadvantaged students exhibit lower levels of academic drive compared to their peers.

Dr Gill Wyness, co-author of the study, commented that this lower level of drive makes it difficult for some students to realise their ambitious goals.

She suggested: “One possible way of motivating young people to realise their ambitions is to encourage them to make a concrete academic plan for the future.”

The results point to the importance of fostering motivation, the study states, and reminding students that “making concrete, ambitious plans and staying driven has long-term effects, especially in high-pressure, challenging situations.”

This is especially true for students heading towards high-stakes exams.

“Helping young people to understand that they are, to some extent, masters of their own destiny is hence critical as they enter the home stretch towards these important exams,” the study concludes.