School/University Partnerships: A Case Study of a Proposed University Training School in England

• In Event: School Improvement Through Research Engagement in Different Contexts

Abstract

Purpose
This paper provides an English perspective on school/university partnerships. After outlining the impact of recent policy initiatives on the English school system, it focuses on the application made by one university to run its own University Teaching School, examining how a partnership of this kind was conceptualised and what assumptions were made about the benefits to be derived from such an approach to bringing research and practice together.
Perspectives
In England, recent changes to educational structures have seen the dismantling of old ways of working and the introduction of new forms of school governance with an individualized focus (Department for Education, 2010). This is known as the self-improving school system (Greany, 2014). At the same time, England has seen rapid growth in the number of ‘challenges for schools that are too great for those in any one school to address alone’ (Stoll, 2010: 4). In this context, school/university partnerships provide one way of supporting schools to address some of the prominent issues they face.

Modes of inquiry & data sources
School/university partnerships are typically focused on undertaking a range of innovative work in relation to: Initial Teacher Education, Professional Development and Research and Development (Greany and Brown, 2015). One potential way of formalizing a partnership in relation to these three areas is through the creation of a University Training School (UTS) (Department for Education, 2010). This paper examines how such an approach was conceptualised in the proposal document for one such UTS. In doing so it provides a case study of one of the new ways in which school/university partnership working has been conceived. The aim of the paper in examining this particular example is to prompt consideration of how such an approach might be applied in different contexts to deliver desired benefits (Stenhouse, 1985).

Points of view
The policy documents related to the UTS illustrate that: 1) a commitment to developing and retaining outstanding new entrants to teaching was at the core of the work of the UTS, while all teaching staff were expected to play a role in training, in professional development and in research; 2) Professional development was to occur both via conventional professional development activity (e.g. making use of lesson study) as well as inter-school development work. In terms of the latter, it was intended that staff from the school would work with other local schools in relation to a series of research and development based improvement projects. The UTS was expected to work, for example, on closing the attainment gaps between particular groups or developing innovative approaches to the teaching of a given subject; 3) Finally, it was intended that the UTS would enhance the interface between research and practitioners, while also acting as a site for research and development activity.

Significance
This paper fits squarely with the theme of the AERA 2020 conference by highlighting the potential role of school/university partnerships in improving teaching, learning and ultimately student outcomes. It also broadens our current understanding of how to make this potential a reality.

Author

• Chris Brown, Durham University