The evidence-informed school system in England: where should school leaders be focusing their efforts?

Brown, Chris; Greany, Toby

Abstract

This article examines the impetus for schools to engage in and with evidence in England’s self-improving school system. It begins with an examination of how the education policy environment has changed, shifting from predominantly top-down approaches to school improvement to the current government’s focus on schools themselves sourcing and sharing effective practice to facilitate system-level change. The article then explores some of the key factors likely to determine whether schools engage in meaningful evidence use, before analyzing survey data from 696 primary school practitioners working in 79 schools. The article concludes by highlighting where schools appear to be well- and under-prepared for a future of evidence-informed self-improvement.

Citation

Brown, C., & Greany, T. (2018). The evidence-informed school system in England: where should school leaders be focusing their efforts?. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 17(1), 115-137. https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2016.1270330

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 1, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Jan 18, 2017
• Publication Date: Jan 2, 2018
• Deposit Date: Dec 6, 2018
• Journal: Leadership and Policy in Schools
• Print ISSN: 1570-0763
• Electronic ISSN: 1744-5043
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 115-137
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2016.1270330
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1379157
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15700763.2016.1270330