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Research in School

Our vision applies to all of our school community. In our vision, it outlines that we are a community of life-long learners. This recognises that our staff continue to develop. One way in which this vision is brought to life is through the school's approach to research in practice.
Upcoming / Current Research
 
Current Research - Progression in Primary Languages - Reading University (ongoing for three academic years)
 
Current Research - Self-regulation and Interactions in the Classroom -  PEDAL - University of Cambridge
 
Current Research - 2023-2024 Term Lesson Study Triads
Completed Research Projects
Lesson Study 2022-23
 
Lesson Study triads focused on activities to promote the development of metacognition. 
 
Lesson Study - Autumn 2021
 
Miss Bachewich, Miss Hudson and Mrs Stewart led research into spelling. They explored different methods of teaching spelling, including trialling these over time. For the lesson, Mrs Stewart led a spelling session with Y4. Pupils expressed their enthusiasm for the creativity within the sessions. This information has been fed back to all class teachers, to enable them to consider the impact of engagement in spelling sessions on the application of spelling in writing.
Lesson Study - 2020-2021
We have re-formulated our approach to lesson study in school to allow for bubble-specific paired adult groups to conduct this with classes. In particular, there will be a greater focus on writing this year with respect to foci. 
Autumn
Miss Bachewich and Mr Grey
Mr Cuff, Mrs Stewart and Dr. Alcock
Mrs Alderson and Dr. Weston
Spring
Miss Nairac and Mrs Stewart
Mrs Scott and Mrs Ashton
Summer
Mrs Clarke and Mrs Unwin
Miss Beck and Mrs Murray
 
Autumn 2020
 
Y2 - Whole Class Guided Reading
Miss Bachewich and Mr. Grey explored whole class guided reading with Y2. They divided a longer lesson into two lessons. Miss Bachewich taught the first, whilst Mr. Grey observed the responses of the children and Mr. Grey taught the second, whilst Miss Bachewich observed the responses of pupils. 
 
The particular findings were:
  • The focus on vocabulary at the beginning of the session, including the definition of these words, later supported pupils in their reading and comprehension. 
  • The opportunities for rehearsal and repetition supported decoding. Pupils listened to the teacher read it, whilst tracking with their finger. They then went on to read it as a whole class. Finally, they read it twice each to their learning partners (mixed-ability). This meant that pupils had the opportunity to develop their decoding and fluency skills. In turn, this supported their comprehension as they were able to access the text. 
Y5 - Whole Class Feedback
Mr. Cuff taught an English lesson within a sequence of writing sessions. Mrs. Stewart and Mrs. Alcock observed the responses from the children whilst trialing this approach. 
 
The Y5 Team initiated whole class feedback after the drafting stage of the writing sequence. This was so that pupils had the opportunity to begin their editing with the feedback available. 
 
Pupils were able to read and explore the texts that their peers had crafted. This enabled them to share ideas and practice, along with using these points to improve their own writing.  
 
Y6 - Whole Class Feedback 
Mrs. Alderson and Dr. Weston conducted a lesson into exploring Whole Class Feedback within an English Writing Lesson. Mrs. Alderson led the lesson, whilst Dr. Weston observed the responses from the pupils in the lesson. 
 
The lesson on Whole Class Feedback was led after the editing stage of the writing learning sequence. This was to enable pupils to improve their writing at this point. 
 
After viewing the feedback, this reassured pupils that some misconceptions were shared. It also supported some pupils who struggled to identify what they needed to improve with. 
Dialogue in RE Research - Autumn 2019
RE Leader and experienced independent researcher - Dialogue and contribution in RE lessons.
 
Our RE Leader and an independent researcher investigated dialogue in RE lessons. Initially, group discussions were planned as part of the lesson and the number of contributions made by individuals was recorded. In the following session, pupils were given an object that they had to be holding when contributing. The final session was based on the idea of 'Towers of Babel'. Pupils had a set number of cubes which they could hand over each time they needed to contribute. 
 
What was observed was that in the final session, pupils contributed less frequently, but the quality, complexity and consideration given to their utterances was far greater. 
Lesson Study - Autumn 2019
 
Miss Bachewich (Y2), Mrs. Clarke (R) and Miss Nairac (Y4) researched principles of promoting effective mathematics provision by taking inspiration from Early Years provision. 
 
They collaboratively planned a session around promoting multiplication skills, where pupils engaged with different stations around the room. 
 
Miss Nairac led the lesson, while Miss Bachewich and Mrs. Clarke observed individual children and how they responded to the new approach. 
 
The level of choice was high and responsibility was notably promoted. Further details are to follow when this triad feed back to staff on 5/12/19.
 
External Research - Autumn 2019:
4 PGCE Students conducted Pupil Perspectives research (Y2 and Y6)
1 PhD Student conducted research into Online Safety (Y5 and Y6)
Creative Delivery of the Curriculum - Autumn 1 2019
 
One member of staff has trialled creative blocking and timetabling of the curriculum. The Y5 teacher worked with the pupils to plan curriculum days, using the objectives from the national curriculum. 
 
The aim was to establish if longer, uninterrupted periods of time on one subject enabled greater progress throughout the day. 
 
Further details will be shared once the leading teacher has led a CPD for staff on 26/11/19. Photographs of the curriculum days can be found here.
Summer 2019 - Autumn 2019
 
Impact of Environment on Wellbeing and Active Learning Spaces
 
Following the research into Active Learning spaces in early Summer 2019 and inspired by a wellbeing project, the school undertook some drastic changes to pull two themes together. 
 
After a visit to Kettle's Yard, the Headteacher was inspired by the curation of the space and how the eye was drawn to certain features in rooms. In-line with this principle and Sensory Training, the school began to re-think and redesign areas of the school. 
 
Firstly, each teacher was released for one Wellbeing Day to visit Kettle's Yard and explore the theme of the impact of the environment on our wellbeing. Secondly, staff fed-back their ideas in a staff CPD session. 
 
Finally, Y1, Y4 and Y5 staff worked with parent helpers in redesigning their classrooms, bringing the principles from our wellbeing day, sensory training and active learning spaces together in one vision.
 
The Y4 teacher and Y5 teacher have collected pupils' perspectives on the Active Learning Spaces and future pupils' perspectives will be sought by our Mental Health Champions about the impact of the environment on our wellbeing. 
Summer 2019 - Active Learning Spaces
 
Each class took part in research into learning in a more active way. This explored working at different stations. External research suggested this approach not only improves outcomes for progress and attention but improves pupils' health too. A full summary of the research project can be found below:
Forest School Research 2021
 
In 2021, the school supported PhD research into Forest School. The project explored parent perspectives of Forest School as well as the impact Forest School may have on children's thinking skills. 
Autumn 2018 - Lesson Study
 
Teaching staff throughout the school took part in research into a specific area of pedagogy. 
 
  • Y4,5&6 teachers trialled and evaluated the potential impact a new approach to teaching reading could have. 
  • Y1,2&3 teachers explored and researched child-led differentiation and mixed-ability seating.