Literacy/English

An investigation into the independent learning skills used by male students at English Language A Level

Aim: A group of very able boys in a particular cohort appeared to struggle with AS/A level English Language despite good performances at GCSE level. This study specifically aimed to investigate the factors that limit boys performance at English Language A level and identify strategies that can improve their independent learning and motivation.

Whole staff approaches to extended writing classes at Key Stage 3 - a case study in using and doing research

Aim: To use evidence from a long-standing whole school initiative on reading coaching and the wider body of research into reading coaching, to design and assess intensive cross-curricular interventions that would generate measureable gains in extended writing skills at Key Stage 3, that could be sustained into GCSE.

The leadership of enquiry: learning internationally

Aim: Research undertaken by the Excellence through Collaboration and Enabling Leadership (EXCEL) networked learning community has focused on the extent to which learning can be enriched and extended by working in a cross-phase, cross-local authority and cross-national context. The key strands running through the research activities generated by EXCEL are pupil voice, internationalism and the creation of a culture of school-based research in which teachers and pupils have been empowered to lead their own learning.

Fostering ability

Aim: To identify more able students, develop teaching methods that encourage them to reach their full potential, and examine whether identifying the more able students enables teachers to be more effective in meeting their needs.