Research School Network: Write Across

The Aspire Educational Trust, along with The Fallibroome Trust, were successful in their application to secure funding to begin a large scale school improvement project, Write Across, which will reach over 30 schools. It aims to improve writing outcomes for children across transition from primary to secondary education by supporting teachers to develop their pedagogical and subject knowledge and for children to develop the self-regulation and metacognition skills needed to be effective writers. The intervention, IPEELL, which was trialled and developed by the Calderdale Education Partnership and is now supported by the National Literacy Trust, showed astounding impact on children’s outcomes with an additional nine months progress being made during the first EEF efficacy trial.

The Write Across project is based on developing professional communities of learning to promote research informed and evidence based teaching and leadership. Each school will nominate a member of staff to access the training and to become a Write AcrossTeacher. The Write Across Teachers will be supported by Expert Teachers through Write Across Teachers Hubs. An additional layer will see Headteachers and Senior Leaders being supported, in professional learning hubs, by National Leaders of Education and Executive Leaders. The SLT and Expert Teacher will work closely with the Write Across Teacher to design and shape the training to cascade to other staff as well as suppporting the implementation of the intervention.

Newly appointed Expert Teacher, Matthew Ransom, shares his thoughts having undertaken the initial round of training for the IPEELL approach. ​“I am very much looking forward to working with colleagues across the hubs to develop the approach in our schools. The approach identifies that purpose and audience are central to effective writing and includes a range of strategies to engage and motivate reluctant writers. IPEELL also introduces a clear structure for developing children’s self-regulation to become increasingly independent at all stages of the writing process. It is clear from the original Education Endowment Foundation efficacy trial that IPEELL has been effective in supporting the development of children’s writing, and I feel that the Write Across project has the potential for having a profound impact in our schools too.”

This week has seen the successful launch of the project across two geographical areas – one which will support the Crewe and Winsford schools and one which will support the Macclesfield schools.

We will continue to update on the Research Newsletter with news of this exciting project and developments as we progress.