Fit for purpose: making research and evidence work for all your learners Philippa Cordingley Centre for the Use of Research and Evidence in Education

Tackling wicked issues - Palfrey school A primary serving a vulnerable community in the Black Country Had tried many interventions for vulnerable pupils Opted for Response to Intervention (RTI) to help (25%) year 6 pupils to level 4 after summer half term as part of EEF funded RCT Had really impressive results, especially for pupils for whom other interventions hadn’t worked. Some made 9 months progress in 5 weeks School now uses RTI across years 4, 5 and 6 and in all classes with sustained success

Keeping Excellent schools learning St Thomas More secondary school, outstanding for 17 years doubted it would be under the new framework Commissioned research into effectiveness of learning environment for both staff and pupils. Findings included need to: Build diagnostics and differentiation into CPD activities Connect staff and pupil learning through evidence about progress towards aspirations for learners as an explicit part of CPDL Increase use of enquiry based learning/ micro enquiries eg via research tasters, research lesson study, peer observation and coaching to secure depth of analysis Report, follow up action and evidence important in convincing OFSTED that this is NOT a complacent school and retaining Outstanding grades across the piece

R&D as glue and insurance – Wroxham TSA Alison Peacock, keen researcher, “creating learning beyond limits”, and research user ( CPU network) Alliance is helping primary schools to use new National Curriculum – to move beyond crude levelling Used others’ research re CPDL, assessment and curriculum design to clarify starting points, aims and an action plan via sessions with school leaders and researchers Using R&D to evidence close attention to pupil progress, building tools to pilot across the schools

From little acorns –Romey Tacon and Numicon Mathematics National teacher research award 2 teacher researchers with deep concerns about mathematics for vulnerable learners Started from Catherine Stern on Number relations Developed, trialled and tested resources for “dialling in” number relations visually Dramatic improvements proved infectious Developed into a mainstream approach for mathematics and boosting vulnerable learners 5

Romey Tacon and Numicon Waves of supported research Grew to be a regional movement – great results for struggling learners- became Numicon Mathematics taken up by schools and local authorities, eventually published by OUP Changing expectations for pupils re: mathematics Now being trialled via Closing the gap test and learn programme 6

Patterns? What was the driver for Engaging with and/or in R&D in these different cases? What is similar and different about: What drove the work? The approach to evidence? Whose evidence is being used? The outcomes?

Conditions that enabled progress? A “wicked” issue - linked to aspirations for pupils A strong evidence base on which to build Using evidence from existing research and current practice Clarity & rigour re: role of evidence & quality An emphasis on needs of users from the start Sustained, collaborative support Meeting needs of vulnerable pupils, especially important as work spreads beyond one school Specialist support e.g. research based tools and resources, in-school champions, externally collected/ validated evidence to challenge orthodoxies, coaching e.g. in designing evidence collection, analysis or writing up research 8

Use of research and CPDL research reviews Comprehensive electronic literature searches Screened titles & abstracts against published criteria Retrieved full studies applied 3 levels of filtering Completed maps of the literature Double blind data extraction Assessment for weight of evidence for synthesis Synthesised evidence for review questions Commissioned anonymous peer review Implications explored in-depth with users Synthesised in BERA commissioned paper 9

This evidence highlights importance for schools of: Linking pupil and teacher learning about real concerns Specialists providing sustained, structured support, modelling high leverage approaches Sustained peer support/reciprocal vulnerability to embed learning Learning to learn from looking Structured dialogue about evidence from experiments Ambitious goals – can be prescribed with peer support Developing theory and practice side by side Leaders modelling support by e.g. Providing time for teachers to plan & reflect, and encouraging experimentation and learning 11

Benefits of engaging in and with research and evidence to support development Sustained benefits for pupils re: motivation, responses to subjects & curricula performance e.g. test results and specific skills questioning skills, thinking & responses to stimuli organisation e.g. collaboration, choosing strategies Improvements in teachers’: self-confidence e.g. in taking risks and efficacy willingness & ability to make changes to practice knowledge & understanding of subject & pedagogy repertoire and skills in matching to pupils’ needs willingness to continue professional learning ‘ needs12

The nature of the support Range of Support was crucial & provided through: Training – including instruction in key components and rationale for new approaches Modelling – demonstrating strategies & enquiry Sustained, critical friendship, mentoring or coaching for research and enquiry based learning Provision of tools and resources such as observation frameworks, questionnaires, analysis grids 13

Barriers to success included Time e.g. for induction in new strategies & elapsed time for interpreting/adapting for context Diverse foci – teachers struggled to engage in or with others’ research if exploring too many different things Inadequate facilitation and/or external support – e.g. too little support or lack of expertise in content; process (e.g. poor research instruments, weak organisation e.g. re: time management) Practicalities of enquiry, testing new approaches out in classrooms – NB power of Video 14

What does all this mean for school leaders? A best Evidence Synthesis from Viviane Robinson highlights 5 key areas of leaders’ work that co relate with benefits for pupils

Key contributions leaders make to pupil learning a best evidence synthesis Ensuring an orderly and supportive learning environment Establishing goals and expectations Planning, co-ordinating and evaluating teaching and the curriculum Promoting and participating in teacher learning Strategic resourcing – aligning efforts of all kinds All are essential. Some are particularly important at specific points. Which has the biggest effect over time?

Leadership that improves outcomes Strongest contribution is focussing on professional learning (ES.84) via Attending to content and process of Continuing Professional Development and Learning (CPDL) Uncovering systematically staff learning needs Modelling & investing in professional learning

Effect sizes for leadership interventions Promoting & participating in teacher learning (0.84) Planning, coordinating and evaluating teaching and the curriculum (0.42) Establishing goals and expectations (0.35) Strategic resourcing and the use of tools ( 0.34) Ensuring an orderly and supportive environment (0.27)

Robinson criteria for “smart” tools to support change Clearly explain the rationale for the change being supported Acknowledge the existing understandings of those at whom the tools are targeted Signals likely misconceptions Connects abstract principles with detailed illustration and practical examples Embedded in documents that are logically structured around a clear and unambiguous purpose.

Stepping stones and related skills 20

An in-school example Think of a recent or impending significant development with a neighbour Which of these features of leadership are already priorities - share an example you are excited about Which might benefit from further strengthening? Identify with a partner an area you might most usefully review/strengthen... How might modelling and investing in CPDL help? What role might research and evidence play?

Important leadership findings No. 2 Comparison of exceptional (75% + A*-C GCSE inc. English and Maths) and strong schools succeeding in closing gaps in very vulnerable communities Funded by Teach First to help them identify how to differentiate support for TF participants

The evidence base 6 TF schools that were classed as ‘exceptional’ 6 TF schools that were classed as ‘strong’ 2 non-TF (but TF eligible) ‘exceptional’ schools The data came from: interviews with both TF and non-TF teachers; group interviews with members of the SLT; focus groups consisting of three activities, with both TF and non-TF teachers; analysis of school documentation inc progress; and the analysis of an online student survey

Professional learning (PL) environment Exceptional schools invested more systematically in PL PL in strong schools was more centrally led; less consistent teacher ownership of responsibility for PL Exceptional schools invested more heavily in mentoring and coaching training cross-school Strong schools focused less on formal coaching and structured mentoring

Teaching and learning Collaborative learning was more of a focus in exceptional schools, but inconsistent in strong schools Subject knowledge was a higher priority within exceptional schools. Strong schools felt pedagogic expertise was more important EG more use of ASTs and (evaluated) internal and external expertise Exceptional schools had a clearer focus on cross- school, explicit model of pedagogy More teachers in the strong schools wanted more support in behaviour management

Leadership Leaders more aware of the importance of modeling learning in exceptional schools Exceptional schools more extensively engaged in networked learning than strong schools. Policies for supporting new teachers less clear in strong schools – in ES new recruits expected explicitly to own schools’ values and pedagogical priorities Most ES involved in initial teacher education PM used rigorously but persistent under performers left

Relationships with students, parents and the community Exceptional schools’ leaders were more likely to work with outside organisations as a way to enrich the curriculum than strong schools and to take a leading role in networks They were also more likely to work extremely hard at involving parents

Sauce for the Goose Too much focus on teaching teachers instead of focussing on their learning about their pupils’ learning Learning for leaders, staff and pupils means recognising, reviewing, and building on what people believe, understand, and do It means “learning how to learn” skills for ALL learners And integrating such skills and experiences systematically into the the day job “I’ll have what he’s having!” learning-entitlements-work-teachers-well-their-pupils

Evidence behind this? PURR EPPI 4 and EPPI 2 Timperley Robinson : RTI and AERA paper report Romey Tacon NTRP summary Formative assessment for all - Pearson/NESTA report This Presentation

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