Leading the way in research for college improvements

On 17 May 2021, the important Research College Group was launched.

The group represents 10 founder organisations consisting of members from General Further Education and Sixth Form colleges who are leaders in practitioner research.

These teachers and lecturers have come together to bring practitioner, and other forms of post-16 education and training research, into the heart of education to continually improve the learning experience.

The dedicated group is run by those within post-16 education to conduct research to improve the profile and value of the further education sector. This collaborative approach will inform and develop standards on teaching practice across The Bedford College Group based on research from within the sector.

The 10 founder member organisations are:

• Activate Learning,
• Ashton Sixth Form College (Stamford Park Trust),
• Better Futures MAT (Bilborough Sixth Form),
• Hartlepool College,
• Coleg Sir Gar and Coleg Ceredigion,
• Lincoln College,
• Solihull College and University Centre,
• One Sixth Form,
• The Bedford College Group
• York College.

Founder individual members are Sara-Jane Crowson, Roy Halpin, Peter Shukie and Amy Woodrow.

The Bedford College Group’s Sam Jones, Chair of the steering committee, commented: “Using practitioner and other forms of research to make organisational decisions is an important part of shaping the post-16 education and training landscape.

“We hope that through this collaborative work across the UK sector, important insights can be shared within a central point.”