Opinion: Policy

Finding the missing piece of the school improvement puzzle

A new research commission aims to unearth rapidly scalable insights about student engagement data – and you can be part of it

A new research commission aims to unearth rapidly scalable insights about student engagement data – and you can be part of it

3 Oct 2024, 0:01

As educators, we’re used to looking in the rearview mirror. Attendance records, exam results and inspection outcomes are vital pieces of information, but they’re lagging indicators. Too often, we lack a view of what’s ahead.

Imagine if there was a powerful, underutilised data source that could act as a compass for school leaders, helping them steer towards better outcomes and navigate challenges before they become crises. Then imagine it could be mainstreamed quickly.

This is where engagement data comes in, and it is a thread that I want to pull at.

I pulled at a thread once before. In 2010, I was working as a teacher in Tower Hamlets, a London borough with historically low progression of students into top universities. I knew more could be done.

At the time, my sister was doing a PhD at Oxford. I thought it would be fun if she came and did some Oxbridge-style tutorials with my students.

Something clicked. I realised the infrastructure for a national programme using a similar tutoring model already existed; passionate PhD students from top universities were spread evenly across the country and could easily reach communities with low progression rates.

So I left teaching and co-founded The Brilliant Club. We recruited thousands of PhD students to work in thousands of schools. Over 15 years, the programme has supported more than 100,000 students and has been replicated internationally.

After The Brilliant Club, I founded ImpactEd Group to support education and purpose-driven organisations to maximise their potential. We work with many of the country’s leading academy trusts and education charities, supporting them to make evidence-based decisions.

We’ve become increasingly interested in a new thread: the measurement of engagement data and its potential as a lead indicator.

The concept of engagement is fairly straightforward: it’s the level of commitment, involvement and emotional investment an individual has with their school.

Research from the United States has consistently shown student engagement can be a lead indicator of academic performance, attendance rates and long-term life outcomes. Yet in England, we’ve largely overlooked the potential of engagement data.

We’ve largely overlooked engagement’s potential

Imagine being able to identify early signs of disengagement before it leads to absenteeism or poor academic performance. By acting on these signals, schools could intervene proactively, targeting resources where they’re most needed.

We’ve already been exploring how workforce engagement affects school effectiveness. Our engagement platform, TEP, has yielded fascinating insights.

We found employees who feel aligned with their school leader’s vision are more committed, irrespective of workload pressures. We also found a clear link between engagement and retention. Engagement isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’; it’s a key driver of outcomes.

Now, we’re turning our focus onto students. Engagement is multifaceted. It encompasses cognitive, emotional and behavioural dimensions. When students feel connected to what they’re learning, valued by their school community and motivated to succeed, they’re more likely to thrive.

But there’s a gap in our understanding of and ability to address the causal links between engagement and outcomes – a missing piece of the school improvement puzzle.

This week, ImpactEd Group is launching the Research Commission on Engagement and Lead Indicators, bringing together 23 education leaders from across the country to help solve this puzzle.

Its goal is to establish a shared language around engagement, oversee the first national cohort study on student engagement and explore how this data can drive school improvement.

By bridging research and practice, the commission will ensure findings are evidence-based and practical, offering actionable insights.

As with The Brilliant Club, I think there is a clear need and existing infrastructure to rapidly scale impactful innovation here.

Trusts and local authorities often already have the technical systems and reporting maturity to make use of engagement data. Many even have the central functions to provide the capacity and scale to support school leaders to act upon findings.

Our study is already set to reach more than 100,000 students. At no cost, participating schools will receive detailed reports to help inform strategic planning. Thirty trusts and local authorities have already signed up – but there’s room for more.

So this is your invitation. Join us. Let’s unravel and unleash the potential of engagement data together.

To explore joining the Research Commission on Engagement and Lead Indicators, email hello@impactedgroup.uk.

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