Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between children's level of academic ability and their constructs of self and school-related attitudes. The subjects participating were 201 boys and 356 girls in the 10 plus and 12 plus age groups who were attending three middle schools where different forms of grouping were practised. First, it was demonstrated that children of high ability tended to be construed more positively than their low ability classmates both by their peers and teachers in respect to attitudes and behaviour in class, but not, on balance, in respect to peer relationships. Secondly, a relationship was noted between children's level of academic ability and construct of self dimensions concerned with academic achievement and with attitudes and behaviour in class; but not in the area of peer relationships. Thirdly, the relationship between academic ability and school-related attitudes was found to be limited and confined largely to boys. In broad outline, data from all construct measures indicated that a firm association existed between children's ability; how they were construed by others; and how they construed themselves on scales concerned with academic competence and attitudes and behaviour in class. In contrast, inter-relationships concerned with peer relationships were much less marked, A subsidiary purpose of the study was to investigate the possible influence of partial ability grouping (setting) on the relationship between academic performance and the other variables under consideration, but no effects which could be directly attributed to that practice were identified. Finally, it was established that (irrespective of its "accuracy") there was a positive and highly significant relationship between children's level of academic self constructs, their constructs of self on the other dimensions studied and their school-related attitudes. Learning conditions in schools which might promote positive but "realistic" academic constructs of self were discussed.