The 'Leading Research Group' course ran between March and July 2007. It formed one element of the Hertfordshire Participation Pilot and was funded largely by Hertfordshire Local Authority’s Children Schools and Families Participation Team. This Pilot was a collaborative project between Save the Children UK, Hertfordshire CSF Participation Team, the HCD Student Partnership, one primary and one secondary school, a special school for students with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties and an educational support centre*  (ESC) for young people who have been excluded from school. It aimed to ensure that children and young people at the participating schools in disadvantaged areas were involved in decision-making and evaluating education as well as developing the skills of teachers and students to lead and undertake research that informed these decisions.

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The Leading Research Group (LRG) course was designed by the HCD Student Partnership to support the aims of the Pilot as well as build on previous HCDSP research which highlighted the need for sustainable, inclusive research development for children and young people (Frost, 2007; Roberts and Nash, 2007). The course was also offered as an award-bearing 30-hour module of Practitioner Professional Development at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education. Participating students also received HCDSP Certificates of Achievement for their work.

Through the Leading Research Group the HCDSP developed one teacher and two groups of students from each of the secondary and primary schools and educational support centre as researchers. The teachers and students from the different schools and phases began the course together but the primary school unfortunately had to complete the course separately due to circumstances beyond its control.  

The first group of students carried out their own research and were then supported in developing a group of their peers as researchers. Teachers were involved in 15 hours face-to-face tuition and leading 15 hours independent work with the young researchers in school. Two of the teachers' face-to-face sessions also involved the students presenting their research and planning how they would develop their peers together.

The outcomes of the course were encouraging due to the enhanced student, staff and organisational learning as well as the raised self esteem, confidence and independence of students and teachers alike. The students were able to undertake their own research as well as lead and mentor their peers largely through paired work. The research engagement motivated the students as well as helping them suggest future improvements for similar work in school. A design was also arrived at for utilising a research-led decision-making structure in the educational support centre. The evaluation of the Pilot is still taking place however resources from the Pilot will appear on the Hertfordshire Children's Trust Partnership website (HCTP, 2007), Save the Children UK website (SC, 2007) and HCD Student Partnership websites early in 2008.

* Education Support Centres are often known by the term Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) in other local authorities.

 

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