Research School Network: 12 Blogs of Christmas In this blog the Durrington Research School Team take a quick look back at our favourite blogs from each month of 2020

As we come towards the end of what has been a very strange year, the team at Durrington Research School have been taking a look back at the blogs we have published since January. This blog lists our favourite 12 (well 13 as we couldn’t decide!) blogs of the year.


January – Modelling Writing Across the Curriculum (Andy Tharby)

In this blog Andy Tharby explores the most effective ways to model written text across the curriculum and provides practical tips taken from the EEF’s ​“Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools” guidance report.

February – What does the research say about student attention? (Ben Crockett)

In this blog Ben looks at what the research says about student attention, focusing on the correlation between attention and achievement, before exploring how attention could be improved.

March – What does the evidence say about questioning? (Shaun Allison)

In this blog Shaun examines the evidence behind what he terms as the bread and butter of teachers – questioning. The blog draws primarily on two sources of information – Barak Rosenshine’s ​“Principles of Instruction” and Kathleen Cotton’s ​“Classroom Questioning”.

April – Implementation Planning (Chris Runeckles)

In this blog and video Assistant Research Director Chris Runeckles discusses the importance of effective implementation and how to best produce a successful implementation plan, based on guidance from the EEF implementation Guidance Report

May – Self Regulation at a Distance – Supporting Teachers (Shaun Allison)

In this short blog and video Shaun discusses how we can make slight adjustments to our distance teaching to help students get better at planning, monitoring and evaluating their own learning whilst working independently. Linked to this is a blog by Andy Tharby (Self-regulation at a Distance – Modelling Metacognition in English) which shows how he is approaching the modelling of metacognition in English even through the barrier of distance learning.

June – Creating a Supportive Environment (Shaun Allison)

In this blog, Research School Director, Shaun Allison, explores the second dimension of ​“The Great Teaching Toolkit” looking at how supportive environments can be cultivated

July – Activating Hard Thinking (Chris Runeckles)

This blog, written by Chris Runeckles (Assistant Director of Durrington Research School), examines the evidence review connected with dimension four of ​“The Great Teaching Toolkit Evidence Review” – activating hard thinking.


September – Remote Professional Development: A summary of the EEF Rapid Evidence Assessment
(Deb Friis)

In this blog, Research School Associate and Maths teacher Deb Friis, outlines the main findings and recommendations for the EEF’s Rapid Evidence Assessment regarding remote professional development.

October #1 – Disciplinary Literacy (Fran Haynes)

As part of our ongoing work to improve literacy across the school, under the guidance of Assistant Director of the Research School – Fran Haynes, departments have begun to consider the theory and thinking behind disciplinary literacy. In this blog Fran explores the significance of disciplinary literacy in improving literacy in secondary schools and gives some practical reflective questions for leaders and teachers to think about to support the implementation of any disciplinary literacy strategies.

October # 2 – Why Effective Assessment of Prior Knowledge is so Important (Ben Crockett)

In this blog, Associate Senior Leader and Research School Associate, Ben Crockett, examines the evidence body around the significance of prior knowledge versus problem solving abilities, and how poor assessment of prior knowledge can lead to ineffective teaching and learning. The blog concludes by looking at strategies that can be deployed to effectively assess prior knowledge.

November – The Hidden Power of Habits (Tara McVey)

In this blog, Durrington ELE and Towers School Vice Principle Tara McVey explores how habits develop from conscious decisions as the brain looks to ​“save effort” and how we must look to change environmental cues if we wish to change or start habit loops. The blog goes on to explore how student and teacher habits can support and limit effective practice.

December – The Role of the Research Lead (Mark Enser)

In this blog, Durrington ELE and Heathfield Community College Research Lead Mark Enser, explains how he perceives the role of research leads in schools and explores ways that teachers can become research leads.


We hope you have found the blogs useful, and most importantly, have a restful and merry Christmas.

The Durrington Research School Team