Research and Development

A key principle of in-school R&D is that there must be real benefits for students. Research must focus on improving student outcomes and must be forward thinking; improving skills and experiences of teachers to sustain great teaching.

All successful teachers reflect on their own classroom practice and will often take intuitive action as a result. Research gives us the opportunity and tools to analyse if new approaches work or not. It helps us to consider both the short and the long term implications of any changes that we make on student outcomes. We can make informed decisions about the merits or otherwise of particular aspects of our approach to teaching and learning both in our own school and more widely. We are then in a position to confidently share outcomes and conclusions with other colleagues.

Collaborative working across the alliance enables us to refine our research practices and share outcomes in a way which maximises the impact on improving the quality of teaching and raising standards of attainment across a wide range of institutions. It also provides the opportunity to ensure that the research undertaken is robust through the ability to provide a larger evidence base. Cross phase research will allow us to share a common purpose, whilst providing us with further insight into the learning experience for students across the age and ability range. We will be able to combine our efforts, share any learning and so build on our research findings to provide evidence based outcomes that ultimately provide a better experience for the students in our schools.

• CETA works closely with the University of Bristol to develop action research skills as an integral part of the Aspirant Middle Leaders and the forth-coming Aspirant Senior Leaders course. The professional enquiry strand is central to the success criteria and is delivered and supported by Bristol University.
• A model for professional enquiry has been devised by Cheltenham Bournside, which has then been shared and developed across CETA; findings will be disseminated and strategies implemented.
• Senior Leaders Projects will also develop research aspects, which will then be shared to develop the skills of colleagues.
• CETA is part of the ‘Growing EEF Research Schools’ initiative with primary clusters developing projects to improve student progress and closing the gap.