Top Headlines on the Research Commission on Engagement and Lead Indicators (RCELI)

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We were pleased to share the launch of the Research Commission on Engagement and Lead Indicators (RCELI). On the 3^rdOctober 2024 we convened the first meeting of the Research Cohort in London.

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Research Cohort on Engagement and Lead Indicators in the press

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School attendance: New ‘research commission’ to examine pupil engagement reports Freddie Whittaker

Charities, a union, councils and academy trusts have formed a “high level research commission” to look at pupil engagement in school, in the face of stubbornly low attendance rates.

The commission has been set up by the ImpactEd Group and includes representatives of the ASCL leaders’ union, Confederation of School Trusts, Challenge Partners and “representatives from a number of academy trusts and local authorities from across the country”.

The group will survey more than 100,000 school pupils across the country at different points throughout the year to explore the “links between engagement, attendance and academic outcomes.

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Finding the missing piece of the school improvement puzzle, declares Jonny Sobczyk Boddington

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As educators, we’re used to looking in the rear view 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.

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Scale of attendance issue requires a sector-wide approach shares Dame Sue John in TES.

Until relatively recently, it was understood by everyone involved in caring for children, including the children themselves, that they needed to be in school every day unless they were truly unwell.

I have watched as that shared understanding has frayed. We are now dealing with an attendance crisis that sees too many children not just absent, but persistently absent.

Schools report greater mental health challenges among their students and increases in both the numbers and complexity of special educational needs and disabilities.

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A ‘culture of disengagement’

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These issues can all contribute towards what the Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel De Souza recently described as a ‘culture of disengagement’ since the pandemic.

Clearly something must be done - children must be in school and engaged with their learning. If we are going to turn the tide, we need a genuine step change.

If you would like your Trust, Group or School to take part please get in touch as soon as possible by emailing hello@tep.uk

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