Enhancing R&D capacity in schools: North of England conference January 2013 An executive agency of the Department for Education Toby Greany Acting Executive Director, Leadership Development, National College

Key drivers: autonomy, collaboration, freedom, diversity, self-improvement, accountability The challenges: building capacity, confidence and trust The goal: that elements of a devolved system are held in balance so that … 1.Autonomy doesn’t become isolation 2.Diversity doesn’t act as a barrier to collaboration 3.Accountability doesn’t become regulation The big picture

How will research and evidence be created, collated and communicated in a self- improving system?

“Education has never had really effective links between research and practice. Education research is the great unreformed parts of the system. Too little has an impact on children's learning, and too few teachers use research evidence to inform their teaching. Teaching schools could change that. Initial training should include how to use research and evidence and teaching schools should hold a research budget to fund teachers as researchers.” Estelle Morris, The Guardian, 26th July 2011

Toolkit of strategies to improve learning¹ ApproachPotential gainCostOverall cost benefit Effective feedback+9 months££Very high impact for low cost Meta-cognition and self- regulation strategies +8 months££High impact for low cost Peer tutoring/peer assisted learning + 6 months££High impact for low cost Early intervention+ 6 months£££££High impact for very high cost One to one tutoring+ 6 months£££££Moderate impact for very high cost Homework+ 5 months£Moderate impact for very low cost Learning styles+ 2 months£Low impact, low or no cost Teaching assistants+ 0 months££££Very low/no impact for high cost Ability grouping± 1 month£Very low or negative impact for very low or no cost School uniforms± 1 month£Very low or negative impact for very low or no cost ¹ Summary for Schools (selected lines), Professor Steve Higgins et al, Durham University, May 2011

A model for knowledge mobilisation? Carol Campbell and Ben Levin; Developing Knowledge Mobilisation to Challenge Educational Disadvantage and Inform Effective Practices in England, EEF; 2012

But how do teachers learn and adapt? “The significant people for a school teacher are other teachers, and by comparison with standing in that fraternity the good opinion of students is a small thing and of little price. A landmark in one’s assimilation to the profession is that moment when he decides that only teachers are important”. Willard Waller, The sociology of teaching (1932) “There is a ‘discussion culture’ among teachers… interspersed with timid attempts at the level of actual implementation… To get from a peer discussion to its enactment in one’s classroom is a phenomenal leap.” Michael Huberman, Teachers as artisans and tinkerers

An alternative model for evidence informed practice¹ The plan for teaching and learning Improvisation where the plan does not work Personal tinkering + inflow from researchers? Systematic tinkering with partners Systematic innovation with partners Distributed innovation to partner schools From common practice to full JPD Self-improving school system ¹ From David Hargreaves

An attempt to learn the lessons from thinking on knowledge mobilisation and from previous attempts at R&D innovation networks 1000 flowers bloom - no overall tight theme, planned outcome Topics too narrow or parochial - no breakthrough potential Different projects don’t join up - no jigsaw, no body of new knowledge Agenda annexed by academic researchers

As well as offering training and support for their alliance themselves, teaching schools will identify and co-ordinate expertise from their alliance, using the best leaders and teachers to: 1. play a greater role in recruiting and training new entrants to the profession 2. lead peer-to-peer professional and leadership development 3. identify and develop leadership potential 4.provide support for other schools 5.designate and broker Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs) 6.engage in research and development Role of teaching schools

Professional continuum Teacher Continuing Leadership training professional development development

National research themes What makes great pedagogy? What makes great professional development which leads to consistently great pedagogy? How can leaders lead successful teaching school alliances which enable the development of consistently great pedagogy? Closing the gap…

link research explicitly with developments in learning and teaching - teachers as innovators not researchers keep a sharp focus and make sure it is manageable find ways align individual, departmental, whole-school and alliance interests seek out opportunities to foster pupil/teacher dialogue share the process, capture the learning and use the outcomes of research beyond the project – push and pull plan for the longer term development of research engagement (link research and CPD) be ambitious and confident about using research to secure gains in pupil achievement adapted from Sharp and Handscomb, 2008 Making a difference in schools and alliances

Questions and discussion What is your experience of developing research and increasing the use of evidence in schools? -what are the challenges? -what works well?