Since 2021, Bradford Birth to 19, the Centre for Applied Education Research (CAER), Beckfoot Trust and Bradford Research School have been leading the recruitment and development of Research Champions. We are now recruiting 25 Research Champions to practically support improved research literacy and effective implementation of new approaches for school teachers and school workers for our September 2023 intake.
Research Champions play an important role in making their schools more evidence-aware and research-engaged, with the ultimate aim of improving pupil outcomes through evidence-informed decision-making. These colleagues will be focusing on leading research-informed wider educational initiatives in Bradford, but with an interest in enabling their own schools to become more research-engaged. The programme helps you to understand how to develop research-embeddedness as part of a team, how to work with senior management, and how to work across a trust.
By becoming a Research Champion, you will:
- Develop research literacy
- Improving understanding and skill needed for effective implementation
- Improving outcomes for children in your setting.
This programme is fully funded by the Centre for Applied Education Research. You do not need to have an initiative already in mind. Teaching is a mixture of online and in person, depending on the session, and will take place during work hours from September 2023. We anticipate the recruitment of colleagues currently working from across Bradford’s early years settings, nursery, primary, secondary, special and alternative provision schools. Full, mandatory training will be provided later this year, followed by mandatory facilitated, half-termly network meetings. We will prioritise the recruitment of colleagues from schools and settings who have not been part of the Research Champions programme so far.
Application
For this role we are looking for colleagues who will:
- Lead school engagement with research and evidence, acting as an advocate for its benefits
- Contribute to a community of educational Research Champions and Research Fellows in Bradford
- Disseminate research to teachers and other school staff and leaders in a logical, well-considered process to help develop school practice in teaching and learning
- Encourage and support school engagement in research including participation in educational trials, and helping to support evidence-informed implementation
We seek expressions of interest from colleagues with experience of successful leadership of improvement initiatives at classroom or whole-school level, who are:
- Passionate about leading school improvement at classroom level
- Able to see the big picture of school improvement at a whole school level
- Enthusiastic readers of research, at least in summary formats
- Like to ask ‘why’ and challenge own thinking about teaching, learning and approaches to school improvement
- Have the ability to influence others in order to develop practice
- Confident in disseminating and presenting research, addressing misconceptions and challenging those who resist change with the support of school leaders
- Able to develop a strong awareness of research, including that from the EEF, IEE and the Centre for Applied Educational Research
To apply, write an email of approximately 500 words to shazeea.hussain@stedmundsbradford.org.uk.
Applicants should tell us about their interest in research and evidence, their experience of leading successful evidence-informed initiatives at classroom or wider-school level and their reasons for applying for either or both roles.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Christian Bunting, 01274 494898 or by email.