The Opportunity Area have today announced the successful Oldham Insight School, alongside the announcement from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) of a new Associate Research School. This shows Oldham’s investment and commitment to using evidence and evaluation to inform practice. The two organisations will work together and with the wider Opportunity Area programme. They will help to improve social mobility in Oldham and make the best use of our local resources.
For more information on who and what they are, and the differences between them:
Oldham Sixth Form College Associate Research School
Following a national selection process across the Research School Network, the EEF announced extra funding for a new Associate Research School at Oldham Sixth Form College. This builds on the work that Oldham Research School have done over the last two years to develop capacity around the use of evidence within Oldham. It also recognises the commitment to evidence-informed practice, capacity and capability of Oldham Sixth Form College, as a Teaching School, MAT and regional science centre.
The Associate Research School brings an injection of expertise to help the Research School work with and support more schools and teachers in Oldham. This will be through professional learning programmes and events to use evidence and develop their teaching and learning.
The Oldham Sixth Form College Associate Research School is working with the Oldham Research School at Greetland Academy. The Research Lead for the Associate Research School will be: Louise Astbury lay@osfc.ac.uk
Oldham Insight School
The Oldham Insight School aims to provide Oldham’s school leaders and teachers with practical findings from some of the Opportunity Area projects. The Insight School will involve teachers and schools with the evaluation of Opportunity Area projects. They will share findings, reports and case studies to support the understanding of the impact of the work and help drive improvements.
The Insight School is a collaboration between three of Oldham’s Teaching Schools. Each has committed a senior member of staff to work for the Insight School:
- Harmony Trust Teaching School Alliance (Mel Eccles)
- Oasis Innovation Teaching School Alliance (Robert Caudwell)
- St Chad’s Teaching School Alliance (Jo Appleyard
Dr Claire Forbes from the University of Manchester joins them in September 2019 as the school’s Researcher in Residence.
One research project is already underway, with the official launch of the Insight School in September 2019.
More information about the Insight School will be out in August. Follow us on Twitter (@OldhamOA) for the latest news.
