Research School Network: Meet the inspiring speakers joining us in Somerset to explore evidence-informed practice

For our 2018/19 CPD programmes, we’re delighted to be welcoming to Somerset expert speakers from the EEF and our partner Research Schools, including Professor Jonathan Sharples, Alex Quigley, Tom Martell, Lorwyn Randall and Megan Dixon.

Professor Jonathan Sharples (@Sharples_J) is a Senior Researcher at the EEF. He works with schools and policy makers to promote evidence-informed practice and spread knowledge of ​‘what works’ in teaching and learning. Jonathan co-authored the EEF’s guidance report Putting evidence to work – a school’s guide to implementation. He will be joining us at Leading Communication and Literacy in West Somerset and will once again be speaking at our Leading Learning programme in 2019, as will Lorwyn Randall who is Director of Research School and Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning at Kingsbridge Community College, Devon. Lorwyn will be running the Leading Learning programme’s session on metacognition and self-regulated learning.

Alex Quigley (@HuntingEnglish) is a Senior Associate at the EEF and co-authored the Metacognition and self-regulated learning guidance report. He was previously the Director of Huntington Research School in York and worked as an English teacher for 15 years. He is the author of Closing the Vocabulary Gap and The Confident Teacher and regularly writes columns for TES and Teach Secondary magazines. Alex will be speaking at next year’s Making Sense of Metacognition programme in North Somerset.

Tom Martell is the EEF programme manager responsible for the guidance reports Improving Literacy in KS1, Improving Literacy in KS2 and Preparing for Literacy (which focuses on the teaching of communication, language and literacy to children between the ages of three and five). With his in-depth knowledge of these guidance reports, we’re very pleased that Tom will be joining us to speak at the EYFS Leading Communication and Literacy programme next year.

Megan Dixon (@DamsonEd) is Director of Literacy and English at the Aspire Educational Trust and Research School Director at the Aspirer Research School in Macclesfield. Megan is an inspiring speaker who is fascinated by how we can transfer research evidence into effective classroom practice. Megan is always involved in at least one research trial and enjoys writing for the TES. We’re delighted that Megan has agreed to speak at both of the plenary sessions of the EYFS programme Leading Communication and Literacy.

How can we successfully use evidence-informed practice to make a difference in our schools?

We hope you’ll join us to meet these inspiring speakers and be part of that conversation.

Booking is now open for Leading Learning, Making Sense of Metacognition and Leading Communication and Literacy, please follow the links to reserve your place or contact Project manager Amanda Moody for more details: amoody@​educ.​somerset.​gov.​uk