Flare logo Forum for Learning and Research Enquiry
Link to e-gfl website
Link to Essex County Council website
Home and news
Last updated 19/07/2010

Welcome to this site dedicated to promoting enquiry and research in the Essex education community. We recognise the value of individuals and schools engaging in research activities because it makes a significant contribution to improved learning and teaching and to school improvement. Engagement with research encourages practitioners question, explore and develop their practice. Research enquiry is also an integral element of continuing professional development.

We are very interested in your research. please use this site to submit your research so we can add to our content to share with others.

Head of Best Practice and Research
Graham Handscomb

FLARE Conference April 2010 Innovation for Schools of the Future

Reports from the FLARE conference held between the 29 & 30 April 2010.

Read reports and feedback.



Rich insights from Essex Research Practitioners

A range of Essex teachers and headteachers have just completed their Masters in School Improvement. This is a Masters programme rung jointly by Essex Local Authority and the University of Cambridge. These research reports give concise summaries of powerful investigations carried out. They also provide readers with useful quotes and guidance to build on these enquiries. read research reports

Building Schools for the Future in Essex

TRANSFORMING SCHOOLS - TRANSFORMING LIVES


Research engaged schools and colleges award

Find out how to apply for the new research award from NFER, in partnership with Learning and Skills Improvement Service, Institute for Learning, National Union of Teachers, National College and Education Journal.
The award is to recognise schools and colleges that are using research to improve teaching and learning.
There is no fee to apply, and the process is very simple. Just tell us about your research and we will assess it against set criteria. view pdf doc


DEVELOPING A THINKIING SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT!
BY Karen Pembroke, Chelmer Valley High School

This short account tells the story of how I aimed to gain a fuller understanding of the potential of Thinking Skills. I did this as part of an action research investigation in which I introduce of a thinking skills programme within Key Stage 3 curriculum of the secondary mixed comprehensive in which I work. view pdf doc


Cambridge University Faculty of Education The Teacher Leadership Journal

The next issue of the journal is in press and will be available within a week or two. This means that the articles and stories from the last issue will be available for free download from our website www.teacherleadership.org.uk

Click here for information regarding the Journal view pdf doc
Click here for subscription form View word doc


Active Enquiring Minds

Active Enquiring Minds is a resource which will help equip young researchers. It contains guidance and resource material for young researchers and also guidance for adults who support them. Active Enquiring Minds also provides the opportunity for young children and young people to receive an Essex FLARE Certificate of Student Enquiry and research.

If you would like to receive the full pack or if you wish to receive training in the use of Active Enquiring Minds please email Flare: flare@essexcc.gov.uk or call her on: 01245 436158.


Link to Primary pdf
Link to Secondary pdf
Link Guidance for Adults pdf


New FLARE Publication. Making Research Make a Difference

Commissioned by the DCSF working in partnership with Essex LA and was carried out by Caroline Sharp from NFER. The work is an account of a small scale investigation to show the difference practitioner research makes in terms of measurable outcomes for pupils, staff and schools. The report gives evidence that school-based enquiry and practitioner research does have impact on pupil outcomes in particular, and also on outcomes in terms of staff development and school improvement. View full report.


New Publication from the: Essex Forum for Learning and Research/Enquiry ( FLARE )

Essex ASTs Working together to make a difference in school improvement

This publication gives an outline of a collaborative project in which the LA worked with a secondary school exploring how a team of Advanced Skills Teachers could bring benefit to a group of three schools in challenging circumstances. This publication looks at the particular value of ASTs working as a team together rather than as a lone AST....view pdf doc



Mantle of the Expert: Word on the Street.
For one year we have been engaged in creative teaching and learning based on the concept of Mantle of the Expert developed by British drama educator, Dorothy Heathcote. Our agreed purpose was to research the impact of social learning contexts on behaviours, attitudes to learning and academic achievement in the primary school classroom View full report

For further information on Mantle of the Expert you might like to visit: www.moe.com and www.e-gfl.org

 
Latest news

DfES Schools Research News....Link

CUREE Newsletter....link

Latest news

Leading for Children in Essex matrix
view pdf doc

A full copy can be obtained from Graham Handscomb or email using
the Flare web address Flare: flare@essexcc.gov.uk


Latest News

Learning through rhythm and rhyme. Listen to the BBC Essex radio interview with Graham Handscomb and Marie Webster head teacher of Hatfield Peverel infant school
media player icon interview 48kb.mp3

courtesy of BBC Essex Radio.

Latest News

Did you know about the FLARE Certificate of Enquiry and Research...more

Other News

Research and enquiry
Essex LA has also established a research forum to promote research and enquiry in the county. The Forum for Learning and Research Enquiry (FLARE) will help foster a culture of research practice in Essex and is mainly made up of practising teachers and headteachers...more

Other News
Some of the articles on the Home Page have been moved to a new page click to view
Other News

The DFES has commissioned CUREE (the Centre for the Use of Research and Evidence in Education) to undertake a review of all the research into the impact of networks. The results of this review have just been published and FLARE is delighted that it has gained permission to publish these important findings on its website....View word doc

Other News

Letter to headteachers to announce the invitation to submit research to the FLARE website...View word doc

Invitation to become a member of the Essex Forum for Learning and Research and Enquiry (FLARE) ...View word doc


Research undertaken by Essex looked at collaboration and an integrated multi-agency approach to improving education. The research took place in about 150 schools. Each was working collaboratively within 8 clusters. The clusters comprised of: primary clusters: and clusters with a mixture of primary, secondary and special. The research was undertaken by senior managers from the LA; by clusters of schools; and at individual school level.
media player icon
Essex NSCL LEArning initiative (broardband)
Essex NSCL LEArning initiative (dial up)
Essex NSCL LEArning initiative Spring (Broardband)
Essex NSCL LEArning initiative Spring (dial up)


The DFES has commissioned
CUREE (the Centre for the Use of Research and Evidence in Education) to undertake a review of all the research into the impact of networks. The results of this review have just been published and FLARE is delighted that it has gained permission to publish these important findings on its website. view word doc


Research and enquiry
It wishes to encourage people who work in schools, and in the educational community at large, to both use and engage in research activity. The forum sees this as making a significant contribution to improved teaching and learning. Engagement with research also encourages practitioners to question, explore and develop their practice and is an integral element of continuing professional development. This site will give regular news about FLARE developments, showcase research taking place in Essex schools, and network research activity locally, nationally and internationally.

Building Schools for the Future
To help with Essexs` preparation for Building School for the Future (BSF) development we have commissioned Dr. Jane McGregor to produce a summary of the literature and research relating to BSF. In addition to a description of the scheme and appendices with details, it provides a summary of current thinking on many of the aspects relating to BSF, particularly around the drivers of change for school design and what we now know about learning. view word doc,

For more information please e-mail Flare: flare@essexcc.gov.uk

Bright Web Designs
FLARE Forum for Learning and Research