Targeted research helps develop innovative teaching practices

Glasllwch Primary School is in a residential area on the north side of the city of Newport.  The school has 238 pupils, aged from 3 to 11 years, including 32 part-time nursery pupils.  There are nine single-age classes at the school.

English is the predominant language for nearly all pupils.  A very few pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds and learn English as an additional language.  No pupils speak Welsh at home.  The three-year average of pupils eligible for free school meals is around 3%, which is much lower than the Wales average of 18%.  The school identifies around 14% of pupils as having special educational needs, which is lower than the national average of 21%.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

Staff engagement in enquiry based research began in 2016 as part of staff performance management.  During a previous annual School Development Planning day, all staff and governors looked at the 12 pedagogical principals and identified strengths and areas for development.  With this in mind, the following autumn term, teachers were asked to identify an area of practice that they were interested in researching, trialling and developing.  Staff were asked to align this work to the professional standards and in particular to focus on Innovation, Collaboration and Professional Learning.  During the same period, the school was working with two other schools in the region as a peer review group and had begun to organise joint professional learning as well as collaborative projects.  When identifying their research projects, staff could choose either to work on their own, with another member of staff in school or with staff from one or both of a triad of co-operating schools (three schools in co-operation including Glasllwch Primary).

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The professional learning time in staff meetings, as well as a timetabled rota of release and a small budget, ensured that research projects were given the time and resources necessary to carry them out.  All staff were given clear time frames to work and an expectation that projects would be presented to each other and between triad schools, if appropriate, at the end of the summer term in scheduled ‘sharing events’.

Throughout their projects, staff engaged in regular monitoring and evaluation activities to identify the impact of their research on effective pedagogy, standards, attainment or wellbeing, whichever was most appropriate.  As a result, from the outset, research has been given a high profile, with an expectation that all staff engage.

A few examples of action research projects staff have carried out include:

• The use of floor books in nursery and reception to improve pupil voice and engagement
• The introduction of whole class guided reading to improve engagement and skills in reading
• The use of sketch noting to improve creative and communication skills
• The use of yoga to further develop a calm learning environment
• Reading for pleasure and the impact on children’s attitudes to reading
• Improving oracy through an increased focus on expressive arts
• Developing assessment for learning strategies to support learner engagement and accelerate pupil progress whilst reducing teacher workload

Over the years, staff have further developed their research skills.  Involvement in cluster research into ‘reading for pleasure’ using the Critical Collaborative Professional Enquiry model has been excellent professional learning for one member of staff.  This has been shared with all staff and has supported understanding and practice in research methodology.  The school is also an alliance school working with two other schools across the region to deliver initial teacher education in partnership with Cardiff Metropolitan University.  The deputy headteacher in school is the ‘Research Champion’ supporting students in carrying out enquiry based research.  This link with the university has supported all staff in terms of the accessibility to research materials.

The headteacher is also involved in action research.  As an Associate Adviser to the National Academy of Education Leadership, she has engaged in regional, national and international research focusing on how leaders enable high quality professional learning opportunities that improve wellbeing and achieve better outcomes for all.  This research identified recommendations and has been published in a paper ‘Our Call to Action’ and can be found on The Academy website. 

Pupils at Glasllwch have also been involved in research for the past 12 years through the work of the Glasllwch Learning Squad, a highly skilled and innovative group of learners with a strong focus on creating impact as a result of their research projects. Over time projects have included:

• Researching languages children would like to learn – resulting in a French Club.
• Improving expressive arts – developing drama within school.  This has led to a school drama club after school.
• Improving expressive arts – developing expressive arts within school.  This resulted in staff engaging in professional learning through an outside provider.
• Researching ways to develop children’s talents, which led to a key stage 2 talent day.
• Developing languages and cultures in school.  This led to the promotion of trans-languages across the school and a greater focus on learning about other cultures.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

The impact of many research projects across school can be seen in an increasingly purposeful curriculum with authentic contexts for learning as well as in the development of staff expertise, knowledge and understanding of effective pedagogy.  Where research projects have not been successful in terms of having a positive impact on standards or wellbeing, they have not been developed as whole school policy and practice.  Even when this is the case, the process of carrying out research has a positive impact on the development of staff leadership skills as well as recognising the importance of all staff in having an opportunity to be innovative in their practice.

Examples of specific improvements as a direct result of research include:

• A greater focus on expressive arts has had a positive impact on standards in oracy as well as on learner engagement, self-esteem and general wellbeing.
• Developments in reading strategies, including whole class guided reading and increased opportunities to read for pleasure, continue to have a positive impact on engagement and maintaining high standards in reading.

How have you shared your good practice?

Research projects and their impact have been shared amongst staff during professional learning sessions; with other schools through sharing and celebration events; with governors through presentations; and with parents through newsletters and regular curriculum sharing events.