Research School Network: Investing in teachers BBC Somerset talk to West Somerset Research School at The Blue School, Wells

Following a recent report that labelled Somerset ​‘one of the weakest areas nationally’ for its education outcomes and describing a ​‘very weak’ performance from early years to GCSEs. BBC Somerset visited The Blue School in Wells to hear about the positive work taking place in schools.

Political reporter Ross Pollard, spoke to Mark Woodlock, Headteacher at the Blue School and also Chair of Somerset Association of Secondary Heads and Tom Colquhoun, Director of West Somerset Research School, Assistant Head and School Improvement Lead at The Blue School, to learn more about the Research Schools and Evidence-Informed practice.

The Blue School in Wells, opened in 1641 and is Somerset’s largest state school with 1,450 students age 11 – 18 getting some of the best GCSE results in the county.

It is also home to the West Somerset Research School and part of the national Research Schools Network. The Research Schools Network was established by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to create a network of schools that support the use of evidence to improve teaching practice. 

The Blue School uses a coaching model to group teachers together with mentor teachers who advise on classroom techniques.

​“We need to be asking that question: what’s the most effective and efficient [method] with the time and energy and resource that we’ve got?”

You can read the full article here or to hear the Radio interview with Mark and Tom listen to BBC Sounds here (1hr08& 2hr10))