Research School Network: Ipswich Associate Research Schools – into 21/22 Ipswich Associate Research Schools look ahead to the coming year

Ipswich Associate Research Schools (IARS) outline their plans to embed evidence-based practice across the Ipswich Opportunity Area Networks (IOA) during the coming year.

Supporting the IOA projects provides the perfect forum for sharing the most up-to-date and relevant evidence-based practice for a wide range of educational settings and establishing a vibrant and connected community of research informed educators.

What are the networks and how are IARS collaborating?

Learning Behaviour Leads (LBL’s)

Supporting 25 Learning Behaviour Leads across Ipswich schools and colleges to work with 15 – 30 children in their school that experience the greatest challenges to engagement in learning. IARS are providing extensive CPD and ensuring the Learning Behaviour Leads have evidence-based practice embedded in their journey of work from the start. The role of the LBL’s is outward-facing to encourage schools to work with providers of extra-curricular activities, encouraging children to take up wider opportunities in the community and transfer wellbeing and resilience skills between their education and personal lives. The potential impact of the network is strengthening connections between schools and local providers and working collaboratively with the already established Suffolk Teaching Assistant Network. Within the programme the training encompasses the EEF Improving Behaviour In Schools Guidance Improving Behaviour in Schools | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) assisting educators in making better informed decisions around strategies and approaches in their schools. A key focus of training will be around parental engagement and how best to work with parents to support their children’s learning. New guidance report published: Working with Parents to Support… | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk).

Implementation Leads in Schools, colleges and Early Years

The securing achievement programme funded through the IOA for 11 Early Years Settings and 21 schools and colleges to have a dedicated Implementation Lead. The leads will receive training on effective implementation and have the support of Evidence Leads in Education. The programme will consist of training, networking and dedicated time in school to drive forward new and existing approaches to ensure that previous investment through the IOA is fully embedded and leads to sustainable impact. Training will encompass all curricular areas and look at early communication, SEND and Early Years Maths as well as delving into evidence-based strategies to support disadvantaged children improving their attainment in maths and English. Early on learning will look at EEF Implementation guidance developing the logic model and theory of change which will be the foundation of implementation plans. (Putting Evidence to Work – A School’s Guide to Implementation | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk), Early years and Key Stage 1 mathematics teaching | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk), Improving Literacy in Key Stage 1 | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk), Improving Social and Emotional Learning in Primary Schools | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk).

Strong School Start Network

The Strong School Start Network is a collaborative network of 17 PVIs and 18 primary schools. Consisting of family support assistants (PVIs) and Early Years Transition Leads (schools), the network will build on sharing of expertise and learning from IOA projects between early years practitioners with the focus being to create more coherent processes around Early Years transition and embed evidence-based practice in the work they do and resources they use. Delivery of training through the EEF Early Years Toolkit aims to ensure that young children have high-quality learning experiences before they start school and will help practitioners understand the research to use their resources.

Vibrant and connected community of research informed educators

For further information please follow the link here: Ipswich Opportunity Area Improving opportunities through education and Home Page | Unity Research School or for further questions email: Vanessa.​bally.​ipswich@​researchschool.​org.​uk