Research School Network: New Logo, Same Values: Our Rebrand Explained Kingsbridge Research School is rebranding to become Devon Research School

While our host school remains Kingsbridge Community College, we are rebranding Kingsbridge Research School as Devon Research School to better align with the EEF and Research School Network’s more regional branding, sitting alongside other Research Schools in the region, such as Somerset Research school, Gloucestershire Research School, and Cornwall Research School. 

Since 2016, we have worked with many schools, trusts and improvement partners across the South West, for example via our primary and secondary Devon Right to Read programmes, our secondary writing workshops, and our longstanding Pupil Premium Network. The name Devon Research School is therefore intended to locate the research school in the wider region and imply a more inclusive geographical spread.

At the same time, we engage in programmes of support beyond the region and have worked with schools in Oxfordshire, Dorset, Stoke-on-Trent, Buckinghamshire, Hackney and the Netherlands, to name a few. If you’re keen to engage with evidence, we’re keen to work with you!

Who’s Who in Devon Research School?

This rebrand seems an appropriate opportunity to revisit our core purpose and outline how we can support you in your setting.

The Research School Network is designed to be a bridge between the evidence base and schools, providing support by communicating research evidence and translating it into classroom practice through training, exemplification and school-to-school support. Our core focus is on helping schools to use evidence to raise the attainment of students burdened by socio-economic disadvantage. Since the inception of the network in 2016, over 11,000 schools – or almost half of all schools in England – have accessed support from their local Research School.

Besides our ongoing training offer, we are on hand to support settings in a number of ways, for example:

• Direct support with Professional Development (though we tend to direct resources towards more sustained programmes than one-off events)
• Advice about the evidence base you are exploring
• Support with the implementation of an ongoing project
• To support with programme development e.g. theory of change design
• Help with designing monitoring and evaluation systems to support implementation
• To source conference speakers
• For access to guidance reports and other materials
• To discuss ways the Research School can help communicate your work e.g. via blogs, webinars or events
• To support with research-based bids

Since 2016, it has been a privilege to work with so many fantastic schools, teachers and leaders in the region, and we look forward to continuing this work and forging new partnerships in the coming years. To contact or just stay up to date with the Research School, you can find us in the following places:

Social media: While we will maintain our presence on X under the name Kingsbridge Research School for the next few months, we are migrating to Blue Sky under the name Devon Research School. You can follow us at devonresearchsch.bsky.social

Newsletter: If you have signed up to our newsletter, you’ll continue to receive it. If you haven’t, you can sign up here.

Email: For enquiries about training and support, contact:

Alison.​king@​kingsbridgecollege.​org.​uk