Welcome
There has never been any shortage of information
about the defining qualities of good schools and the
way they should ideally prepare young people in their
formative years. Some of this information is determined
by persuasive evidence-based research that can often be
generalised, some of it reflective of particular, individual
or cultural perspectives and opinions that are more open
to critique.
The Institute of Teaching and Learning at Sevenoaks
School invites reflective critical thinking about our
educational approach as an independent school in the
South East of the UK, as well as in terms of our status as
an international school. However, most importantly, it is
in pursuit of best practice that could (or perhaps should)
make sense in any forward thinking school. Its work is
therefore both inward-facing, seeking to develop policy
that can be shown to work well for us, and at the same
time it looks outwards to connect with schools and
higher education institutions both locally and overseas.
At the root level, however, is the desire to implement
the school’s core educational values in a way that finds
support in evidence.
In the academic year 2018-2019, 35 projects were in
operation, ranging from more academic quantitative
action research undertaken in conjunction with the
universities of Cambridge and Buckingham New
University, through to more qualitative inquiry, the
development of classroom expertise and resources
particular to individual departments.
Innovate is the journal that publishes findings from
a diversity of projects, some of which have reached
conclusion, whilst others are continuing. For our first
edition, we have chosen to present a range of articles
that reflect some of the domains in which members of
the ITL have been working, within one of our key areas
of inquiry: Learning to Learn, Digital Learning, Wellbeing
and Character Education. Some invite reflective thinking,
others make suggestions for change; all raise prompts for
continued discussion.
These are slightly truncated versions of each paper;
we are developing an ITL website that will host the
complete papers, but if you would like to read them
whilst the website is being put together, please just
send an email to [email protected].
The ITL works hard to bring into focus elements of
research-informed classroom practice that are shown
to be effective. It is also particularly alive to our holistic
approach to education, in which elements of affective
experience and personal, emotional development are
rendered just as prominently as aspects traditionally
referred to as cognitive or ‘academic’. The subject of
wellbeing, for example, maintains particular status this
year, and we have brought into the ITL fold a fifth strand
that will explore in a rigorous way the meaning and
impact of learning in the context of Service.
Being part of the ITL allows you to pursue an area of
personal educational interest and contribute to the
development of school policy and practice in a practical,
research-informed manner. We can provide means to
form links with individuals and universities in support
of your work – giving you access to relevant literature,
one-to-one guidance, attendance at conferences and
help with writing up findings. So whether you are a
teacher at Sevenoaks or keen to make a connection from
a different school – whether near or far, please let us
know if you would like to be part of our ongoing work.
In the meantime, we hope you enjoy reading
these articles.
Mark Beverley
Director of the Institute of Teaching and Learning
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