Research School Network: About Us

Jon is Director of Devon Research School and Research Lead for Education South West, working with schools and other improvement partners in the South West to broaden schools’ understanding of evidence and to provide access to guidance, training and support. Jon has worked particularly around metacognition, literacy and implementation and is co-author of the EEF’s A School’s guide to Implementation.

I have been a teacher for 9 years and am passionate about the power of education. Teaching is a challenging profession, therefore I want to make sure my practice is as effective as it can be, for the benefit of the students in and out of my classroom. The work of the EEF is important in this endeavour; especially for our disadvantaged students. I feel privileged to working alongside an amazing team at the Research School and am excited to be sharing research findings and best practice with teachers across the South West.

I have been a teacher for 14 years and revel in the constant professional challenge that the journey of education brings. Combining research with coaching and teaching is a joy in my quest for improvement for myself and all my colleagues. My role at the Research school is to support Jon (who once upon a time was my PGCE mentor!) and continue to forge links between theory and practice to ensure the best outcomes for all students but especially those who are the most disadvantaged by life.

Alison joined the Research School in July 2019. She is the first point of call for all enquiries and works alongside Jon, Katie and Hannah ensuring that CPD events including workshops, conferences and twilights are delivered across the southwest. Alison is responsible for communications and project management.

For the last 9 years Freya has worked in two secondary schools within Education South West in South Devon, most recently as Head of English and Literacy at Teign School and English Curriculum Lead across the trust. She has been an ELE with Devon Research School since 2018, with a focus on metacognition and self-regulation. Prior to this, she worked in the independent sector and university access and admissions.

Relative to other graduates, maths graduates can expect a £500,000 lifetime earnings premium. A maths A‑level delivers a 10% earnings premium relative to someone else in the same job. My passion as a maths teacher is helping pupils to achieve this potential.

I have been teaching maths for 36 years, first at Kingsbridge Community College for 28 years, and now as Head of Maths at Dartmouth Academy. I believe that everyone ​“can do” maths, given appropriate and inspired teaching. My involvement with Devon Research School began in 2017 after the Education Endowment Foundation’s publication of its Improving Mathematics in Key Stages 2 and 3 recommendations — recommendations that I continue to incorporate into my teaching to this day. I love teaching maths!

Zoe Milligan is Assistant Head at Oldway Primary School, SLT at Riviera Education Trust, an English SLE and an Evidence Lead for Devon Research School. Zoe has worked with the Research School since 2016, designing and leading large-scale programmes focused on improving primary literacy.

I have long held an interest in the value of evidence-informed approaches to education. This interest partly found form in my taking on a master’s in English Studies, the dissertation for which – a study of parents’ evenings involving detailed transcription of several hours of talk – will forever stay with me. This interest became formalised in my appointment as an Evidence Lead for the Research School Network in 2017 and, subsequently, my appointment as Deputy Director of Devon Research School from 2018 – 2020. In 2021, I was appointed as executive Director of English for Westcountry Schools Trust. Varied in nature, these roles have involved the development and delivery of school improvement programmes – primarily literacy, curriculum, and implementation – as well as close collaboration with the EEF in various working groups and as part of the advisory panel for the Improving Literacy in Secondary SchoolsGuidance Report and as part of the feedback group for the updated A School’s guide to Implementation. I continue to work closely with both the Research School Network and the EEF as Evidence Lead.

I am the Deputy Head at Combe Pafford School, a special school dedicated to supporting pupils with moderate learning difficulties. My journey at the school began as a Learning Support Assistant seeking to enhance my SEND experience after completing my PGCE. I quickly developed a passion for the school’s mission to help all pupils succeed academically and socially whilst also acquiring the work-related skills needed to achieve meaningful employment. During the past 13 years, I have taught across KS3 and 4 and assumed a variety of leadership roles. Currently, I manage our curriculum, staff professional development, and oversee all aspects of teaching and learning. Our school is committed to delivering excellence and utilises research-based evidence to enhance our teaching and learning through coaching cycles and annual lesson studies. I contribute to the Research School SEND initiative and champion the evidence base, which necessitates understanding individual pupil needs and ensuring high-quality, inclusively designed teaching.

I have been a teacher for 14 years and I learnt very quickly that education was going to challenge me, but the reward would be worth it. I am primary trained and I spent the first few years of my career teaching in schools across London. I found myself gravitating towards pupils who presented the biggest challenge and I was always looking for different ways to support these children and help them achieve their potential. This was where my journey into research began and helped me develop as a teacher. A few years later, I moved to Devon and took on a new challenge working with children with SEND. I have learnt so much during my time at Combe Pafford and I am constantly looking for ways to improve my practice and understand the pupils better. I have recently taken on a new role as Head of Sixth Form and this has once again led me to trust in research based evidence to ensure that I am able to offer the best education and experiences to the students in the Sixth Form.