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Stockport Primary School will put new education research into teachers’ hands

A Stockport primary school has been chosen to boost the quality of teaching in the region through better use of research.

Alexandra Park, part of the Alliance for Learning Teaching School, has been named as one of the Education Endowment Fund’s (EEF) seven new Associate Research Schools, alongside 10 new Research Schools across the UK. This forms part of a major expansion of the EEF’s regional work from 2019 with a significant increase in direct support for schools. The project aims to help schools across the country apply evidence to improve their pupil’s outcomes and close the disadvantage gap.

The new Associate Research Schools will play a role in expanding the reach of the existing network across the country and will work closely with established Research Schools to engage schools from a wider area through communication and face-to-face activity.

Alexandra Park will be helping schools in the area to implement EEF guidance reports on a range of subjects including behaviour, leadership and the Pupil Premium while sharing its own internal research work which has included looking at ways to address child poverty as a barrier to education.  The primary school will work with Aspirer Research School in Macclesfield which is already established within the programme.

Mr Phil Brooke, headteacher at Alexandra Park Primary, says: “We are hugely excited about the opportunity this provides to involve local practitioners and to improve the education and life chances of even more children.  We feel proud to have gained this position and will ensure the training and support we can offer schools in the area meets their expectations and needs.”

Lisa Fathers, Director of Alliance for Learning Teaching School comments: “This is a fantastic achievement for the school which will have positive benefits for students and teachers across the region.  As a member of our Teaching School Alliance, Alexandra Park’s role will also support the work we are doing to enhance teaching provision in schools across the North West, by seeking out and sharing innovative solutions via research and development.  The team will not only provide support for schools that may face challenging circumstances, but they will help to ensure that we are encouraging skilled well-qualified teachers through their initial training and beyond, alongside developing our professional leaders.”

Sir Kevan Collins, Chief Executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, said: “We’re at an important moment in the potential of evidence to improve teaching and learning in England’s schools, particularly for our most disadvantaged young people. Not only is this country now a world-leader in producing high-quality evidence, but there is also a large and growing appetite among teachers and senior leaders to use this research to underpin their school’s improvement.

“However, too few schools have the time and resources to take on and implement evidence. The expanded Research Schools Network will engage with schools, local authorities, multi-academy trusts, and other practitioners to improve teaching and learning in their region. They’ll develop practical tools, training courses, professional development and coaching, all based on the best available evidence.”

Both the new Research Schools and the Associate Research Schools will join a network of 22 Research Schools across the country. The first launched in October 2016.

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