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2 Details of Activities

2.1 Transformational plans and evaluation strands

The twenty one schools in the first tranche were addressing an enormous variety of themes in their Transformational Plans. One of the first priorities for the research support team during the first visit by the mentor to the school was to identify those strands that should be the focus for evaluation activity. Sometimes this was determined by the priority being given to the strand/s within the TP; at other times, the practicability of evaluation was the major factor. In addition these schools have all now identified the overall approaches and specific forms of data gathering and analysis that are to be used. Full details of both the strands and the methods are given in Appendix 13.

The second tranche of seven schools has also identified their key strands and most of them are in the process of identifying suitable evaluation strategies and methods. The tranche 3 schools will not be receiving their first research support visit until early in the new session.

In relation to the first tranche, Table 1 summarises the main strands of their TPs.

Table 1: Major strands in the Tranche 1 schools' Transformational Plans

Table 2 provides a summary of the main evaluation methodologies that are being deployed in these schools.

Table 2: Main evaluation methodologies and methods being deployed in Tranche 1 schools

Typically schools have been evaluating three or four of their transformation strands and have been using a mixture of methods. Many of the school staff feel more secure in using quantitative techniques rather than qualitative which some teachers have felt may not provide such secure evidence. However the great majority of schools have been using a combination drawn from the two. There has been a desire to achieve a measurement of progress made and on some occasions the aspect under consideration has not lent itself to such simple judgements, either because of the complexity of the issue concerned or because of the need for a greater period of time before effects are likely to show in a measurable way.

The research mentors have been guiding the process of data gathering and analysis throughout, providing feedback on matters such as the reliability of data and the validity of findings. Additional feedback has been available through events such as the evaluation conference when teacher researchers from most of the schools reported on their activities. More detail on this is provided in the next section.

2.2 Supporting practitioner research and evaluation

This section of the report outlines the action research model that informs Research to Support Schools of Ambition and describes the different ways in which the schools have responded to the opportunity to engage in systematic evaluation of 'transformational' change . The research partnership between the schools and the supporting universities is premised on the promotion of participative, collaborative research practice. In the tender document submitted in June 2006 the Research Support Team argued that 'successful and sustainable change cannot be mandated or imposed on teachers from above; that school improvement is fundamentally connected with the professional development of teachers; and that professional learning is most effective when conducted in supportive networks of enquiry' (Menter et al, 2006a:4). Central to the tender was 'a commitment to work with rather than on teachers (Lieberman, 1999)' and to value teachers' knowledge. By developing the capacity of teachers to engage in forms of systematic evaluation, there is potential for both organisational learning and the enhancement of professional learning for participating teachers. In this sense 'transformation' refers to the development of social relationships (people and processes) as much as structures and outcomes.

Action research is often positioned as providing a bridge between the policy, practitioner and academic communities (Rust and Meyers, 2006). Policy sociologists have pointed to the limitations of centrally-driven change models and the role of teachers as mediators of policy within schools (Bowe et al, 1992; Brain et al, 2006). Teacher-evaluators within the Schools of Ambition were sceptical about the relevance and usefulness of 'abstract' knowledge generated elsewhere. They were interested in forms of enquiry that connected directly with their practice and which had the potential to enhance learning outcomes and opportunities for children.

'There is a cynicism about research. You may say that's all very well on paper but let's try it in the classroom and see if it works' Principal Teacher.

'You want something that is going to enliven your interest without having to wade into heavy handed academic research…you want to have something that basically has 'proof of the pudding' in the sense it has been used practically' Acting Principal Teacher

The practical and applied nature of action research makes it an appropriate and potentially powerful tool within the Schools of Ambition. Research to support Schools of Ambition was designed to encourage cross-hierarchy, cross-school and cross-sectoral collaboration. Teacher-evaluators in schools have worked with support from university-based research mentors and guidance from Scottish Government Senior Advisors. When originally making the case for the 'teacher-as-researcher', Stenhouse (1975:143) suggested 'it is not enough that teachers' work should be studied: they need to study it themselves'. Thirty years on, reviewing the lessons that have been learned about school improvement, Hopkins et al. (2005:4) suggest it is 'at the level of the individual classroom teacher that most of the differences between schools occur'. Action research offers a radical alternative to centrally-led 'teacher-proof' models of change. Rather than supplanting professional judgement, teacher-led school self-evaluation is one strategy to promote informed professional judgement; this is a particularly appropriate goal where schools have committed to a process of significant change.

To support school-based enquiry and improvement action, the mentor team offered up to three days of face-to-face support for each school scheduled across the school year, which was supplemented by telephone contact and e-mentoring (email and VRE). The Research Support Team recognise that regular opportunities for face-to-face consultations and planning meetings are important in supporting the progress of school-based action research projects through to their successful completion. The provision of robust and regular support for schools reflects a commitment to building capacity within the participating schools to sustain a culture of enquiry beyond the funded timescale of the transformation period.

Mentors have adopted a flexible and responsive approach in meeting the diverse and changing needs of the range of schools participating in the programme. The following support is available to schools through the mentoring programme:

• Support in refining teacher-initiated proposals
• Advice on issues of manageability/scope, stages, timeline and resources
• Advice on ethical practice in practitioner research
• Advice on collaborative use of the VRE
• Advice on accessing electronic resources (research digest databases)
• Support for critical analysis of literature
• Support for data collection and analysis
• Support for self-monitoring and evaluation
• Support for dissemination of work in progress and writing enquiry summaries

2.3 Evaluation

2.3.1 Leadership interviews

The following synopsis is based on analysis of the transcripts of interviews conducted with members of the leadership group in all twenty-one schools between October 25 ^th 2006 and January 29 ^th 2007.

Main programme goals

In describing the main programme goals for their school, school leaders frequently emphasised the importance of transformation in two main areas: a desired personal change in learners (raising self esteem, aspirations, confidence and ambition); and whole school development. In identifying the personal and social development needs of their pupils, members of the leadership group frequently made reference to the localities the school served; this was evident in both rural and urban schools. The rationale for change was grounded in an understanding of the specific issues influencing opportunities for learners in particular contexts. Priorities for change included the need for curriculum breadth, particularly in terms of vocational education. Participants valued vocational learning for offering more 'relevant' learning experiences that might tackle the problems of disaffection and disengagement and address local skills shortages. Experimentation with innovative pedagogical approaches was often associated with the challenge of raising expectations and aspirations. Participants frequently cited a perceived need for higher levels of creativity, critical inquiry and forms of cooperative learning.

In working towards these aspirations, school leaders identified the need to build school cultures that were open to change. An emphasis was placed on sharing the rationale for innovation, providing opportunities for participation across departmental boundaries, and developing the capacity of teachers to initiate change and self-evaluate. The notion of devolved leadership featured strongly in a number of accounts and many schools had engaged external consultants to support the development of this work e.g. Columba 1400, Brathay Consultancy, the Forum Consultancy and Sheppard Moscow. The emphasis on pro-activity and 'ownership' was supported by reference to the new opportunities and resources made available by curriculum reform at a national level (A Curriculum for Excellence and Assessment is for Learning) and the influence of successful local curriculum development projects. Local developments included participation in Future Learning and Teaching projects, Arts Across the Curriculum, critical thinking and co-operative learning CPD courses and a range of enterprise and creativity initiatives.

Where schools had made changes to their original Transformational Plan this was expressed in terms of either the direction or pace of implementation. Reasons given were largely attributed to external factors. These included initial difficulties in making suitable appointments to posts associated with the School of Ambition strategy, for example identifying candidates for specialist subjects such as drama and dance. Other factors cited were the restriction of central funding from Schools of Ambition for construction purposes; late cancellation of courses and work experience placements for pupils delivered off-site; and the unexpected time involvement required e.g. in negotiating Local Authority ICT frameworks or encouraging business engagement (especially in rural locations). Those schools with proposed changes prepared in advance of the announcement of the Schools of Ambition programme (e.g. in terms of curriculum flexibility) were well placed to move forward following referral by their Local Authority.

Implementation challenges

In carrying the plans forward, internal culture shift was identified as a key challenge. The scale of the proposed changes, often involving a number of strands at a number of levels, presented significant strategic and operational challenges. In the early stages of implementation it was recognised that a small number of change leaders would champion the initiative, but that these key personnel already carried a portfolio of responsibilities. Two schools raised the issue of 'initiative fatigue' among a core of senior staff. The imperative of engaging the interest and commitment of the wider staff was frequently signalled in the interviews, especially where School of Ambition status was associated with a strong curricular theme that might be seen to reside with particular subjects e.g. expressive arts. This was identified as a particular issue for schools championing the promotion of 'creativity' in teaching and learning. The importance of communication and a commitment to working towards consensus and cohesion was stressed, for example in explaining the purposes and procedures for resource allocation and in developing strategies to involve every department in the School of Ambition work. Where schools have multiple strands within their TP, participants' accounts emphasised the need to avoid 'fragmentation' or 'compartmentalisation'. Care was taken to stress that the strands were interrelated and interwoven rather than discrete.

Some schools described the development of new relationships, responsibilities and skills that were required to carry forward aspects of innovation. In some cases 'transformation' was considered to present a challenge to traditional hierarchical relations between senior management, teachers, pupils (and parents). There was an acknowledgement in some accounts that 'transformation' would entail moving towards more inclusive and participatory approaches in terms of needs analysis and programme planning and 'delivery'. In preparing plans for change, several schools had consulted parents, business and community groups in their locality. Schools are also involved in developing new relationships with the Local Authority; for example in establishing Community Interest Companies ( CIC), which also involves working with the Inland Revenue and the payment of wages.

These developments are not without their challenges. One participant suggested that there was 'still some tension' between School of Ambition goals and Local Authority strategies and stressed the importance of working towards a shared understanding across the local education community (including professional support services). Other participants described the need for flexibility in timetabling to create opportunities for peer observation and co-teaching; as well as the considerable challenges of accommodating flexible new vocational programmes within the constraints of the school day.

Whilst keen to stress the exciting opportunities made available by the greater flexibility and freedoms of schools in general, and to Schools of Ambition in particular, several participants expressed the conviction that authentic and sustainable change in culture and practices would take time. Schools committed to large-scale curriculum change would experience significant change in programme 'delivery' over a period of six years. Schools engaged in entrepreneurial activities would equally face challenges during and after the initial start-up phase. Attracting and developing higher levels of business engagement was difficult in the early stages and could be a challenge to sustain beyond initial time and funding commitments.

Outcomes measurement

The members of the leadership groups who participated in the interviews were keen to stress that developments were still at an early stage, making it difficult to measure impact reliably. However, they were confident in identifying areas of direct impact achieved by addressing gaps in provision, for example, participation rates on vocational programmes, increased participation in physical activities of targeted groups and pupil take-up of new services through integrated children's services.

Benchmarking and baseline data were being gathered through a variety of strategies. In several schools, data relevant to the aims of the transformational plan are being identified and extracted from school records. This includes data relating to pupil attainment, attendance, referrals by staff (cause for concern, exclusion), contact with parents (on transition to secondary school, options queries, school events, parents' consultation evenings) and destinations of school leavers. Across the schools a variety of instruments are being used to generate data systematically, including health and fitness monitoring, cognitive abilities testing and HMIe questionnaires for pupils and parents. External agencies are working with some of the schools to distribute and analyse data from pupil surveys. These include the Centre for Confidence and Well-Being, Hay Group and Durham University MidYIS (Middle Years Information System).

Whilst appreciative of the value of baseline data, in some cases reservations were expressed about the emphasis on pupil attainment (in a short time frame), the importance of recognising wider achievement and the appropriateness of some survey instruments for learners with literacy support needs. Participants in three schools shared a concern that outcomes measurements should be 'more than pupil achievement in exams' and emphasised the importance of measuring 'value added', 'distance travelled', 'how we have enriched people's lives'. In one school it was felt that although an external body had been hired to help in establishing a benchmark in relation to school culture, it was the school staff themselves that had done the bulk of the work concerned.

Factors that enable transformation

The factors that participants felt were most supportive of their transformation efforts included the freedom to adapt the curriculum to the local needs of pupils (possibilities for curriculum restructuring) and central and local authority funding to initiate change efforts. This included Local Authority bridging support to enable a prompt commencement of planned changes and Local Authority funding of senior posts to lead the change plan in some schools. The fact that SoA funds are awarded directly to schools was also valued, with participants commenting that this helps schools address local priorities directly. Where it was available, schools were appreciative of the support provided by local officers attached to the School of Ambition, such as Cultural Coordinators. The expertise, contacts and energy that these officers were able to bring to a School of Ambition was highly valued. One school also identified the status of being a 'School of Ambition' as an important symbol in moving forward in challenging circumstances.

Status of being a School of Ambition

'You hear some schools saying, you know, it's not a 'symbol' - well, for us actually it is, because there is so much negativity that goes on surrounding this school within the Local Authority and within the local press. For our kids to feel that our school is a School of Ambition - and for some of them they won't even really know what that means - but they know that we have this title that no other school in the city has, so that makes them feel that little bit more special. I think that has helped the pupils and staff to have a wee bit of a sense of belief that this school actually is something to be proud of.' Depute

External guidance identified as supportive also included support from the Schools of Ambition/Determined to Succeed (DtS) team of Senior Advisors and support from Local Authority Quality Improvement Officers. A group discussion with seven members of a teacher-evaluator team in one school identified the following four enabling factors. The status and finance from SoA was considered to be important in:

• Accelerating schools' plans for developing curriculum, innovation and facilities
• Promoting greater access to key contacts and opportunities for networking.
• Promoting access to new ideas for change and new ways of meeting pupils' needs.
• Promoting access to 'pockets of funding' from other sources, including the EU.

In several schools SoA funding has been used to create specific appointments to coordinate SoA work; for example, the creation of a new Depute post or Business Manager, Project Manager or Project Assistant roles. At an organisational level, a number of schools have established new internal structures and practices to promote the changes identified in the Transformational Plan. These include the creation or revision of working groups for Learning and Teaching (recruiting membership from non-promoted staff), Quality Assurance and Assessment and Curriculum. Consultation and participation have been promoted in some schools through a variety of means. These include the authoring and distribution of seminar papers, supported by a seminar programme for staff; the development of in-house staff development programmes, including the provision of regular elective workshops led by peers; peer mentoring (including peer observation); and the use of designated in-service days. Two schools have explicitly identified lead departments to champion the programme for change across the wider school community.

Case One

The programme of transformational change in School A has five core interrelated themes: staff development, ICT and e-learning, learning and teaching, curriculum flexibility and pupil support. School A is responding to curriculum flexibility by progressively restructuring the curriculum across all school years. The school aims to 'create a curriculum that would meet the needs of the child, rather than the child having to fit the needs of the curriculum' (Depute Headteacher). Following a foundation year, pupils prepare for Standard Grade or Certificate courses in S2 and S3 and have a more open curriculum available for S4/5/6.

To support this development the school has taken a number of steps: (1) working groups were set up to examine the changes needed. (2) All the Senior Management Team teach on courses that have been remodelled. (3) The use of 'grid plan' templates has been encouraged to support teachers developing new courses. Through a programme of supportive peer review the grid plans ensure that the school's teaching and learning policy is embedded across the curriculum. (4) Departments were given a budget to bid for additional funds to support course development. (5) The school has used designated in-service days to open up opportunities to share practice across the school and to sustain a strong and public focus on matters of pedagogy. (6) Following the identification of areas of strength and areas for development (supported by post-observation self-assessment), teachers were paired with partners with different strengths for peer mentoring. (7) An in-house CPD programme has been established where colleagues share ideas and innovations with peers each week for one hour after school. Sessions have addressed formative assessment, technology supported learning and behaviour management.

'If we don't have good effective teachers who are prepared to move forward with the pupils and if we don't support their personal development, we will lose them and we won't build the capacity in the school' Depute headteacher

Case Two

School B aims to develop creative thinking. The headteacher wants to challenge staff whilst at the same time 'taking care not to destabilise a school that is recognised as having a high level of attainment'. From the outset the senior management team expressed a commitment to developing awareness and developing staff.

'Having the correct climate within the school, managing that climate is crucial. If it's viewed as being an imposition then it is not going to be successful'. Headteacher.

A Steering Group drawn from across the school - promoted and non-promoted posts - was established and given a remit over funding developments. Principal teachers have acted as facilitators promoting discussions and development at departmental level. A seminar programme was initiated to facilitate cross-departmental discussion and two 'lead departments' identified to champion change. Departments and staff have come together in designated CPD sessions and workshops have been run with associated partner primary schools. During the early stages in policy formation, every pupil in the school was surveyed to establish their understanding of creativity and patterns of engagement and this information was used in formulating departmental responses to the whole school change agenda.

'We had our policy paper. It was probably the most difficult policy paper we have ever had to write because it did involve the challenging of all our preconceptions. We gave departments the opportunity to reflect and contribute to that policy paper, to seek to define 'creativity'. Clearly the views across the school were very different. There were some departments, perhaps at the outset, that didn't see that they were contributing to the creativity agenda. So there was a great focus placed on awareness raising. That was tabled through staff presentations, departmental meetings with time clearly given over for reflection. We then put in place a staff development programme which moves it forward'. Headteacher

Some of the participants suggested that a strong commitment to modelling openness to change and inviting innovation has produced early indications of an increase in participation or 'buy in' among teachers. This was evidenced by participation in working groups, attendance at elective CPD events and attitudes towards peer observation. Two participants cited an increase in staff retention as an indicator of improved school environment and ethos.

Whilst participants from every school cited the additional funding as a key driver of change, some unanticipated consequences were also suggested. One participant felt that receipt of extra central funding placed the school at a disadvantage when seeking support from Local Authority funds. On receipt of the award, one headteacher reported that he initially felt isolated from Local Authority and other sources of support. Another participant reported that the award of School of Ambition status had 'alienated' the school from other local secondary schools, requiring them 'to 'build bridges again'.

Factors that inhibit transformation

Several factors were identified as inhibiting progress. Uncertainty over the final budget for each School of Ambition was often cited as a source of concern. One participant commented that an initial delay in making the award had created anxiety, although it did not significantly hinder transformation activities. Another interviewee identified the problem of maintaining levels of motivation and sustaining interest whilst awaiting confirmation of the award. The possibilities for matched Local Authority funding varied across the cohort, irrespective of the perceived quality of the proposed plan. Where School of Ambition funding was committed to staffing, the funding cap communicated in the autumn term 2006 presents a challenge for the sustainability of some aspects of schools' plans. In one school this has meant reducing a three-year plan to two years as staffing levels cannot be maintained without attracting further funds.

Other inhibiting factors included the lack of time for important development work with teachers (e.g. for peer observation, reflection and planning). This was seen as particularly important in building confidence in the proposed changes and in challenging 'passive resistance'. Participants reported that the 'busyness' of the school day and the multiple responsibilities of staff creates a pull against a commitment to greater collegial planning. The challenges of allocating time to 'strand leaders' whilst covering teaching commitments and dealing with staff absences was also cited as an issue to be negotiated by senior staff. One school acknowledged that the presence of probationer teachers in school was used as a resource to support the flexible deployment of staff. Another school mentioned a lack of flexibility in scheduling meetings with staff as an issue when pushing forward with an innovative and challenging project. A recurrent theme in the transcripts was the need to embed the transformational goals within the core purposes, values and activities of the school; so that they formed an integral part of a whole school approach, rather than an 'add-on' to multiple other responsibilities.

Two schools are targeting the promotion of parental engagement, which they have identified as a weakness with the potential to inhibit the achievement of transformational goals. Working groups have been established to address low levels of attendance at school events and consultation evenings. One school has established a representative 'parent panel' which is regularly consulted on proposed changes. Two schools also mentioned the challenge of overcoming negative local press coverage and one school described the culture shift required in moving forward from a difficult HMI experience.

Partnership working

The Schools of Ambition are engaged in a wide range of partnership activities. Some are existing partnerships that have expanded or developed in new directions with School of Ambition status; others are new ventures arising from specific aspects of the schools' transformational plans. The Schools of Ambition are working with national and regional educational consultancy and curriculum organisations such as Brathay consultancy, Space Unlimited, Columba 1400, Sheppard Moscow and the Smallpiece Trust. Some of this work is funded through Schools of Ambition; other initiatives draw on alternative sources of funding but were seen as contributing to the transformation process. Many schools have initiated and continue to work hard to initiate additional links with (multi-)national companies and local businesses. In addition to direct financial support, support from businesses has taken the form of work experience placements for pupils and advice and guidance for teachers developing specific aspects of the curriculum. One school organised a week-long placement for six teachers through the Excellence in Education through Business Links ( EEBL) programme. Many of the Schools of Ambition have sought to build on links with the business community that were established under the Determined to Succeed (DtS) programme to enhance learning experiences, support curriculum development and encourage flexible approaches to problem solving.

The participation of providers of arts education in Scottish schools was particularly valued by Schools of Ambition promoting creativity through the Expressive Arts. This has included the involvement of national and regional theatre companies, centres of contemporary art and the involvement of professional performers working in schools with teachers and pupils. The support of Local Authorities in the provision of composer- and writer-in-residence programmes was also noted.

The Schools of Ambition are heavily committed to developing and strengthening links with partner primary schools. Partnership work here includes collaboration to support transition (for example, in sharing information, peer observation, joint lesson planning, co-teaching and the development of bridging work) and the sharing of equipment, resources and expertise. One of the Schools of Ambition is a 'learning partnership' between one high school and five local primary schools. The expansion of choice in the secondary curriculum has also promoted enhanced partnership work with colleges of further education. This involves the accommodation of further education courses within the school timetable (via video conference, online delivery or visiting lecturers) or the transportation of pupils to local providers. The expansion of opportunities for vocational learning has similarly promoted the use of innovative partnership arrangements with a wide range of local organisations, ranging in size from large established firms and estates to small local employers e.g. in the provision of rural skills programmes.

In providing support to the schools, the university-based team has contacted a number of partner organisations involved in the co-delivery of particular aspects of the schools' transformational plans. Thirty telephone interviews, typically of fifteen minutes duration, were conducted with key personnel in partner organisations supporting the Schools of Ambition between January and early February 2007. Audio files and transcripts from these interviews were analysed to identify factors that act as 'accelerators' or 'brakes' on progress. This analysis was undertaken in order to extend consideration of factors that inhibit or facilitate transformation beyond the boundaries of the school walls. Many of the schools' plans for transformation involve engagement with business and community partners. Information on factors that help or hinder the development of these partnerships is an integral part of the formative feedback mentors are committed to providing to the Schools of Ambition.

Communication is clearly of central significance in supporting effective partnership work. 'Partnership' is defined here in the narrow sense of a strategic link between the school and another organisation in order to advance an objective in the school's transformational plan. Links with sister organisations within the educational community, such as local primary schools and further education colleges, were typically strong and strategies to achieve School of Ambition targets were built on longstanding relationships. However, new opportunities for curriculum flexibility and national priorities around vocational learning are encouraging the development of increasing numbers of new community links. These new partners are working through the challenges of engaging in educational work with young people and are generally very positive about their experiences. They appreciated the opportunity to contribute to planning and review processes; and where this was available, especially valued the opportunity to come into school to invite the involvement of young people and begin a dialogue with prospective participants in advance of programmes commencing.

Where there were points of frustration these related to: difficulties in accommodating meaningful experiences for young people within the boundaries of a restricted school timetable (including the ready availability of supervisors to receive young people at a fixed point in the flexible work patterns of land based industries); issues of transportation to and from the workplace; disruption to placements occasioned by competing curriculum pressures (around assessment time); and sometimes a perceived lack of support in the preparation of materials for assessed courses. These issues signal the need for responsiveness and flexibility in sustaining partnerships throughout the duration of School of Ambition status and beyond.

In working through the initial difficulties involved in developing new partnerships, contributors also spoke of 'reciprocal benefits', such as the development of 'mutual respect' and the unexpected benefits of looking at established practices through the eyes of learners.

'It does us good too because when you're working with young people it makes you question why you are doing things. When you are exposed to learning, it reminds you of the basics of the thing too. It's definitely been a learning experience for both sets of partners. We learned a lot about the practices we put into place because they are working with us' Estate Manager

Table 3 (below) summarises the 'accelerators' and brakes' that have been identified in relation to the success of partnership work in the schools.

Sustainability of the initiative

Schools that are awarded School of Ambition status are funded for three years, however the impact of changes initiated during this period is expected to continue to develop beyond the period of funding. One of the headteachers in our sample defined sustainability as 'the ability to develop, not maintain the status quo'. All the participants who consented to interview were sensitive to the issue of sustainability. It was acknowledged that 'transformation' could not be achieved in the longer-term through reliance on large-scale, one-off events (e.g. Visible Fictions theatre productions or forensic science role plays). Although these were judged to hold significant benefit for pupils and teachers, they were resource intense and not sustainable. Nevertheless one-off events were capable of having a significant impact on the perceptions of school staff and could lead to transformations in attitudes towards change.

Several participants commented on the need for teachers to develop confidence in new skills and take on new responsibilities, albeit with guidance, following participation in externally delivered programmes e.g. in the areas of arts education or leadership development. By working alongside external facilitators, teachers were encouraged to experiment, to build their confidence in an extended repertoire of skills and to progressively adopt new roles. It was hoped that teachers would model these skills with peers, reducing the need for repeated rounds of input from external agencies. This process was also seen as important in customising provision for a specific school context, that is, in generating bespoke provision rather than buying in a 'one-size-fits all' experience. The schools' TPs address specific local needs and several participants felt that these needs were best met by developing capacity within school. Similarly, some schools are taking care to involve representatives from all year groups in activities such as leadership development programmes or skills training in specific areas such as media production. In this way the benefits to the school community will not be lost when a partnership concludes or a member of staff or cohort of pupils leaves the school.

Table 3. Force field analysis of partnership work

Members of the leadership groups interviewed also frequently identified the need to share the management of the programme with a broader constituency, rather than concentrate knowledge, skills and expertise in a narrow stratum of staff. Loss of key personnel might threaten the sustainability of the initiatives if they were tightly coupled to one or two change leaders. (This is related to the issue of early stage overload noted earlier).

'I am at the heart of it all. I'm driving the whole thing - as is the case in many schools. I need to acknowledge the fact that I need to get the word out. It's finding the time and remembering to do that - to spread the word, to spread the load, to let other people come on board' Depute

Awareness of the limited availability of some staff, who were appointed to fixed-term contracts for the duration of School of Ambition status, also promoted discussion of strategies to promote sustainability. These largely focused on CPD provision (especially peer mentoring) and the need to expand further the portfolio of partnership work. The engagement of business and community partners was often cited as a key factor likely to influence the continued success of the change strategies initiated. Several schools were actively searching for business partners and negotiating strategies with current partners who might remain a source of help and guidance in the longer-term. Schools appreciated support in making these links but experiences varied across the schools.

'They tell you all these people are out there but nobody actually helps you find them … they say, go ahead and do it, but then there is not an awful lot of support as to how you do it and how you tap into these people …its taken weeks and weeks for me to contact these people and arrange meetings and then find out, well yes that person will be useful, no that person won't. That is an awful lot of, I think, perhaps wasted time' Depute

Some concern was expressed about the potential dissipation of initial activity associated with Schools of Ambition and the imperative of building a school 'culture', 'climate' or 'ethos' to make the proposed changes integral to the work of the school in the longer-term.

A final threat to sustainability that was cited was the 'three-year shelf life' of computer hardware. One participant reflected that 'it is difficult to future-proof ICT' as hardware becomes obsolete when it no longer supports new software. It was noted that there were financial implications in developing ICT-based innovation in UK schools, although many of the TPs addressed changes in teaching and learning that were not closely coupled to specific technological resources.

Disseminating good practice

Although many participants were reticent to declare any early changes as stable and transferable, a variety of internal communication strategies were identified. These included whole staff meetings, principal teacher meetings, in-service days and other CPD activities delivered through a combination of elective and whole school seminars and workshops. There is already evidence of some staff using their developmental work with the School of Ambition to serve as the basis of assessed work within the Scottish Qualification for Headship ( SQH) programme. Awareness of activities was promoted through school websites, school magazines, posters for pupils, staff and pupil notice boards. One school commented on the need to use the pupils' preferred communication channels to convey the goals and activities associated with the School of Ambition projects. Information leaflets and newsletters have also been distributed to pupils and parents/carers in many schools.

In addition, some of the schools were making use of the local and national press (academic and business) and had already participated in national and regional education conferences e.g. 'showcase' workshops at the Scottish Learning Festival. One Depute has co-presented a paper at an international educational research conference with the support of one of the Co-Directors of the Research to Support Schools of Ambition. The partnership work in some schools has also featured on local television news and national radio broadcasts. Other teachers have made presentations to Local Authority partnership meetings and curriculum committees; and are contributing to professional development activities beyond their own schools by delivering sessions on Chartered Teacher programmes. Teacher evaluators are encouraged to discuss with their mentor the possibilities for developing their work, including consideration of future participation on a Chartered Teacher programme.

There is some evidence of the Schools of Ambition supporting one another, for example convening an ICT cluster meeting and organising joint events for pupils such as the North Atlantic Conference. Existing Schools of Ambition have also provided support to other schools in their preparation of their own bids for School of Ambition status. The Scottish Government Senior Advisors are significant in supporting these developments.

When considering the support needs for future dissemination activities, participants were enthusiastic about face-to-face meetings for information sharing. They were keen to be consulted about the focus of centrally organised meetings and appreciated early notification of planned events. They expressed a strong preference for face-to-face meetings that addressed specific, clearly defined themes e.g. good practice seminars on key management issues. They were less enthusiastic about electronic forms of communication.

2.3.2 Interviews with teacher researchers

This section of the report draws on a series of interviews with the teachers involved in leading evaluation activities in the schools - the 'teacher researchers' (as well as the project managers). A topic guide was constructed by the research team, which focussed on a number of core themes: teachers' previous engagement with 'research', how they became involved in school-based enquiry, the support that was available to them, any difficulties encountered, processes to support sharing and collaboration in school and the contribution of research engagement to individuals' professional learning. 18 interviews were conducted with teachers in ten schools in early June 2007. The interviews were conducted face-to-face following planned support meetings wherever possible. Most of the interviews were conducted individually, with the exception of two schools where teachers requested a small group interview. Where a face-to-face meeting was not possible, telephone interviews were conducted. This occurred in four cases and reflected both the difficulties in matching schedules between the university-based researchers and school-based researchers and the physical distances involved in this national programme. All the interviews were audio recorded and were between twenty-five and forty minutes duration.

There was an equal number of males (9) and females (9) among the teachers who participated in the interviews. Drawing on Day et al's (2007) six professional life phases, this group of teachers was drawn from across the career stages. Seven of the teacher researchers were currently in non-promoted posts (39%), four were Principal Teachers (22%), six were Depute Heads (33%) and one teacher was the Headteacher of a partner primary school (Table 4).

Table 4 Professional experience of the sample

Previous engagement with and in research

The teachers' responses indicated four interpretations of 'research', broadly defined, which share the characteristics of familiar divisions between 'outsider' and 'insider' research. A distinction was made between: (1) research viewed as abstract and inaccessible which was associated with formal academic writing, largely abandoned post-graduation; (2) research reports interpreted as relevant and useful to their immediate practical concerns in the classroom such as research digests and briefings encountered through CPD sessions delivered by trainers or peers; and (3) research-informed reports considered 'important in the decision-making of the school'. These included policy and guidance documents such as A Journey to Excellence ( HMIe, 2006 ) and A Curriculum for Excellence: Progress and Proposals ( SEED, 2006). The teachers frequently dismissed 'academic' or formal educational research reports as insufficiently accessible and preferred forms of presentation that offered a more active level of engagement or practical orientation, such as conference presentations and workshops.

To be honest it is not something that I actively go out to find and read. I find many of them rather boring. I just don't find them accessible and when you start reading them it's not something that I can keep reading. It's something I kind of just want to put to one side and think maybe I'll finish that later. I gain a lot more from presentations and conferences. I gain a lot more from somebody telling or presenting me with something rather than a little bit of paper that I have got to go away and read.

The final response to 'research' was a view of the 'enquiring teacher' constantly engaged processes of reflection and 'tinkering'. Teachers were keen to stress that they 'constantly do some evaluation work'. For example, one teacher described how she had been involved in self-directed small-scale research to support her post as Principal Teacher, which had involved reviewing available literature on enhancing pupils' engagement with learning. Useful 'research' for the teachers was expressed as a form of practical enquiry or systematic evaluation of an aspect of practice. The teachers' responses support Helmsley-Brown and Sharp's (2003) conclusion that practitioners look to research for 'new solutions to operational matters' rather than new knowledge. The value of research was measured by the ease of translation into the context of practice.

I haven't done any research before but I have been involved in curriculum development from day one as a probationer - in terms of new courses being made and restructuring as part of School of Ambition. You're looking at what works, what doesn't work. Tweaking a lesson. Adding in a bit of practical, taking out a bit of practical.

It is not surprising that busy teachers expressed a strong preference for digests of applied research accompanied by practical examples and tools that could be deployed relatively easily, such as learning styles inventories. This is not to say that there was no evidence of engagement with wider academic literature. For example, to support their investigations through Schools of Ambition one teacher had consulted articles on transition from primary school and another spoke of the usefulness of constructivism in understanding how children learn. Another teacher spoke about the need to 'keep up to date' on theories concerning dyslexia and approaches to improve inclusion through the use of ICT. None of the teachers had used the virtual research environment to access databases of research digests written for a teacher audience. One senior teacher commented, '[W]e don't have teachers who are comfortable with computers…tend not to read e-notices and emails so paper-based and verbal approaches work best.' The reading that was most frequently cited included work on formative assessment associated with Assessment is for Learning. Teachers were also using the Learning How to Learn: Tools for Schools (2006) produced through an ESRCTLRP project. Engagement with research was most evident among those senior teachers who were working towards the Scottish Qualification for Headship ( SQH).

A view of traditional ('outsider') educational research as removed from the realities of classroom life was expressed in some teachers' concerns to keep their own research 'real'; the requirement that it should have an 'impact on our day-to-day lives'. Activities were regarded as most valuable when they were seen as 'an integral part of curriculum development'. It follows that difficulties in promoting sustained engagement are most likely to occur where the Transformational Plan is not understood as connecting directly with the day-to-day core activities and priorities of the teachers in school.

When I start reading through all this I start to think, 'oh, it's quite remote from teaching.' That's the panicky side of it. I feel it's getting quite remote and it's about writing up a document. A huge positive would be if a teacher suddenly thought, 'oh well yes, this is helping. I am far more comfortable using this [tool] than I was before.' That would be what I would be looking for from this. I want to keep it real to the classroom.

Many of the teacher researchers expressed initial uncertainty about how to proceed and what was expected of them. Participation in small-scale evaluation studies, based on an action enquiry model, was felt to be quite challenging. Some teachers were initially unsettled and felt uncomfortable with an alternative investigative approach, especially those colleagues whose previous experience of 'research' was informed by a 'scientific' paradigm. Equally whilst all participants were skilled practitioners, several initially doubted whether they possessed the skills to interpret statistical data for evaluation purposes; one teacher remarked that this had provoked 'a sense of anxiety'.

The only other research I've done is science based. I'm used to hard data. Sometimes I think it's a bit airy fairy compared with what I've experienced in the past.

Teachers were aware of the need to gather evidence for the purposes of accountability but were also aware of the potential for teacher-led research to be deployed for the purposes of persuasion - in defence of their work. One teacher spoke of the how the research might provide evidence to demonstrate the strength of current practice. It was hoped that the research conducted by the teachers themselves would provide tangible evidence of the efforts being made to achieve improvements for children.

I think a lot of teachers are not very confident about who they are. I think that comes from this constant improvement thing. We need to do better. We must do better all the time. You're constantly driving the kids to that all the time and then there's senior management constantly whipping you to do that. This research might say we are doing this and this has really worked. Okay there are improvements to make but this is really quite good what we have been doing already.

Teacher-research - 'arranged marriage', 'marriage of convenience' or 'love match'⁴?

The teachers' accounts revealed different routes into participation according to individuals' position in the career structure. Involvement of many of the non-promoted teachers was through a process of targeted recruitment rather than responding to open invitations to participate from senior management or other colleagues in school. More senior colleagues were undertaking research because it 'was part of their remit', aligned with their day-to-day responsibilities. The method of recruitment influenced teachers' attitudes to the activity. Whilst all teachers saw value in their involvement - for the school and for their own professional development - those taking a more instrumental approach were least likely to be frustrated by tightly coupled central direction. The allocation of 'projects' to people was a source of some discomfort for some teachers, who nonetheless valued the opportunity to participate and hoped to develop their 'own' research in the future.

I was picked because I'm one of those people who can't say no!

They were almost picked for us.

I was asked by the headteacher to take part. It was suggested to me but I am interested in the topic that was allocated to me.

The most important thing for me would be being able to choose what the focus of my research was within the school improvement plan. Teachers are professionals. We're all intelligent people. We can make our own decisions and we can read the school improvement plan and decide on an area.

I was selected. I didn't put forth that I was interested in action research. I was chosen because I had career aspirations and I think that this school said, 'well here's a project to run with. See if you can build up your profile'.

I wish it had been put out to staff to say what are you interested in? Do you wish to do any sort of research? So you could have chosen your own; so you had a burning desire. It would be much easier to do the action research if you genuinely had a real issue with it.

Despite some reservations about methods of recruitment, the majority of teachers spoke highly of the level of support that was forthcoming from senior management. The nature of this support included verbal encouragement but also advice, time and financial support. Support from other teachers in school was shown through willingness to have their classes involved and by giving information and showing interest.

In taking on the interrelated roles of teacher and researcher/evaluator, time was cited as the main barrier to making progress. This was the case across the sample, irrespective of their position on the management structure or recruitment route and motivation. In most cases the teachers in the first tranche of Schools of Ambition had struggled to maintain negotiated schedules for the completion of activities. The teachers spoke of the dilemmas they faced in managing multiple demands on their time. Often the evaluation work was described as a 'project' that was seen as divorced from their day-to-day teaching role and indeed was juxtaposed as a competing demand on their limited time. Doing research was often described as 'extra work', an add-on. This is significant and has implications beyond issues of resource management. The understanding of teacher research as a 'bolt on' activity is problematic. The separation of enquiry from 'delivery' - 'thinking' from 'doing' - is difficult within an action research framework and is inconsistent with the espoused model of the reflective practitioner, which underpins teacher preparation programmes and models of continuing professional development across the UK.

Do I do the project or do I develop a new thing for my Higher class? I'm here to teach and of course my priorities will always go with that, so it's finding time to sit down and get things started.

It is a lot of extra work and you start to feel burdened by it. I have to keep reminding myself - and it's helped me to cope with stress better, I think - no, I can't do that and I shouldn't be expected to do that. This research is here to support what I am doing, not to make what I am doing more burdensome, you know.

School enquiry- 'conformative' or creative?

The various ways in which the teachers responded to their becoming involved in school enquiry depended on their interpretation of the purpose of the research activity - the perceived benefits for themselves and for the school - and their confidence in carrying the research plans forward. Initial low levels of confidence were evidenced in requests for 'exemplars', in regard to both the development of the Transformational Plan by senior teachers and evaluation planning sheets by teachers leading specific strands of enquiry. In some cases there was a strong desire to conform to a generic model at every level, rather than to reflect and to engage in a generative, creative process of enquiry. The busyness of life in school created a pull towards compliance with an assumed 'preferred' model of enquiry (context free) rather than more open forms of questioning that started from a specific context (situated). The role of the mentor was important in promoting a range of ways of thinking about the evaluation process and in considering a range of sources of evidence, especially qualitative indicators.

In their capacity as critical friend, mentors sought to encourage processes of critical refection by providing reflective prompts on planning sheets and in discussions. Drawing on an action research framework the central question is: how can I improve my professional practice? (McNiff and Whitehead, 2005). This involves more than the acquisition of new knowledge and entails questioning, 'unfreezing' or 'unlearning' established ways of doing things. There is a significant difference between the collation of evidence and doing things differently - changing behaviour, attitudes, outcomes - moving evidence into day-to-day practice. Action research involves puzzling, the identification of a 'problem' where there is some doubt about how to proceed. It requires the ability to ask questions (problem definition), in addition to the determination of patterns through the formal tools of systematic audit. An action research approach requires that teachers are enabled and encouraged to develop their own theories, test them, modify and replace them (Nias and Groundwater Smith, 1988; Campbell, 2003)

The dislocation of enquiry from the core role of the classroom teacher influenced how teachers made sense of their experiences, particularly their view of the relative achievements of the first year. If the research is seen as a commodity, one more 'thing' to 'add on' to an already very lengthy 'to do' list, there is a danger that the evaluation activities will be seen as further intensifying teachers' workload rather than as an integral aspect of 'extended professionalism' (Hoyle, 1974; Locke et al, 2005). Rather than encouraging the sharing of ideas in an open collaborative enquiry, the research can be reduced to an individual activity (or responsibility) to be packaged in CPD portfolios and appraised at review meetings. The processes of commodification and the resulting sense of intensification are expressed in the following extracts.

I had my annual review last week and every year it's the same - time management. Time management is my problem in general, so trying to fit this thing in here is a little chore for me.

I see the value in it for my professional development so that when I go off elsewhere I have something to take with me. I've done something. I've been here for four years and I haven't really done anything other than being up in my classroom teaching. I haven't really done anything else. I've got to do this and I know I need to do it, but I also need to do all the other things that are involved with my job.

It's an added pressure. It can be hard enough as it is and here you're coming along with another project. The negative side is the feeling that you have to let something in your teaching slip to get the time to do the research. If I found that I was doing something that was below my standards, I would find that very hard to cope with.

Sharing and collaboration

Drawing on Little's (1990) four types of collegiality - story telling, help, sharing and joint work - as indicators of collegial interaction; there remains some way to go in establishing the forms of mutual interdependence associated with 'joint work'. Most communication about the evaluation activities within the schools has been conducted 'informally' and resides at the level of sharing stories and seeking help. It is possible to identify several layers or levels of engagement with others that are possible through school-based enquiry for Schools of Ambition. These include: (1) liaison with the senior management team/leadership group; (2) links with other teacher researchers; (3) links with other teachers in school; (4) links with other partners in school - pupils, classroom assistants, administrators and guidance counsellors (school wide); (5) local links beyond school with parents, external partners and community links; and (6) links across the Schools of Ambition network (school to school).

In most of the schools conversations have taken place with other teacher researchers and with senior management who hold responsibility for the School of Ambition, but practice is variable and links with the wider school population are still developing. In one school the small group of teachers convened for the interviews reported that they had not had any other opportunity to meet as a group to discuss their work. Other teachers suggested there was little opportunity to meet because no time was set aside for this purpose. One teacher suggested that it would be helpful if more staff were available to help with evaluation activities, but doubted this would happen due to the constraints on 'cover' for teachers. Learning assistants, administrative support staff and pupils had been involved in processing survey data in three schools but the active involvement of other partners within enquiry groups remains open for further development.

Finding the time and space to meet with colleagues and to share ideas was highlighted as a general problem across the schools. In addition to managing multiple responsibilities and coping with the flow of initiatives, teachers spoke of their role as isolated practitioners: 'your job is to teach pupils in a classroom and you are on your own in that.' Other teachers spoke of the difficulties in sharing ideas and offering support through informal networks for colleagues who did not enter the public spaces of the staffroom: 'I do feel that other researcher is left out a bit because they are not doing the social aspect in the staffroom'.

The biggest thing that we have been finding is that people need to talk to each other and spend time with each other and that is really difficult as a teacher because your job is to teach pupils in a classroom and you are on your own in that. There is very little time to actually speak to other people and spend time with other people sharing ideas and talking.

In four of the ten schools where interviews were conducted, small teacher research groups of between four and seven teachers have been established. A further school is in the process of establishing a research group for the coming academic year and exploring the use of honoraria (already available in two schools for participating teacher researchers). There was general agreement among the teachers that 'it would be good to have a wider group of people involved.' To strengthen channels of communication, one school team plans to hold six-weekly working lunches to help support sharing and reporting. The team also plans to hold monthly meetings in allocated CPD time after school and each teacher researcher will lead a staff development session in the coming academic year. Some teachers expressed frustration at what they perceived to be relatively low levels of awareness among colleagues of the work being undertaken through the Schools of Ambition initiative.

I think that the majority of the staff don't even know that we are doing anything yet. It's not had an official launch.

Several teachers also spoke of the difficulties of coordinating shared work in a fragmented school day. Difficulties in communicating plans and work-in-progress and in coordinating activities across the school were expressed. The extract below raises the issue of multiple and contrasting perspectives and the need for 'teams' to establish a shared identity and goal orientation. The need for interpersonal skills beyond the classroom was raised and also the organisational demands of managing groups. The existence of contrasting perspectives was sometimes associated with the different positions occupied by individuals in school - senior management and non-promoted colleagues. One of the potentially negative consequences identified with failing to establish effective group processes and devolved leadership, was the threat to sustainability.

Not having an overall picture. It's like a jigsaw. Different people are doing different things in different places. The senior management have one idea of what is going on and certain expectations and then [other colleagues] may have other ideas about what is going on. It's very difficult trying to get everybody thinking in the same way or knowing exactly what is going on and sharing the same goal. It's coordination and getting everyone together when you need them to get together. That's really difficult logistically, managing to do that. I need to draw on other people's support to make that happen.

I would like to have meetings but then everyone has their own agenda. If we say let's have an hour's meeting there's always one person who is quite adamant that they want to talk about a certain focus and perhaps the meeting gets taken over by them - not meaning to but just because they are enthusiastic and this is where they have reached and they are burning to talk about it.

I wonder if I was to leave, would it be sustained? I'm not sure whether they value it enough yet or see it as integrated

There needs to be a whole school evaluation mindset…this needs time to develop…its easier for people to focus on their own parts but we need them to join it all up.

Professional development

The experience of the teachers in this study provides evidence to support the contention that school-based collaborative enquiry may be 'technically simple but socially complex' (Street and Temperley, 2005:12). Those teachers engaged in enquiry beyond their individual classrooms felt they were developing skills of working with others; described as the 'communication aspect'. The following extract reveals an awareness of the micro-politics of school-based enquiry and a developing reflective and reflexive approach. The teacher describes how she is challenged by the enquiry and the demands of managing (research) relationships 'outside' the classroom, requiring interpersonal skills and sensitivity to others. Several teachers felt that working with others in school and in other schools was an important and challenging aspect of the work for them.

You constantly have to re-think what you are doing and to try and take account of everybody's interest or stake in what is going on. You're constantly trying, not to please everybody, but to find a way through. You're determined to do this. You want to take everybody with you. You want to be part of something but it's hard. It's actually shown me how poor a communicator I am, when actually I thought I was really quite a good communicator, you know? It's like a minefield working with people sometimes. It's so easy when you go back to the classroom...You're really forced to step outside your comfort zone.

The following extract illustrates a desire for greater reflection as an outcome of the research. The view of reflection presented here is one of postponing judgement and seeking evidence on which to base opinions. A link is made between the research and teachers' receptiveness to new initiatives in school.

Hopefully by doing this piece of action research I will become more of a reflective practitioner and more able to look at a problem and analyse it. Maybe not just jump on the negative bandwagon but maybe give it a chance. To take a step back and be a bit more reflective. A bit more open minded. Not to say no to an initiative straight off, which teachers can do.

When considering alternative routes to future professional qualifications, several of those teachers who were eligible to participate in the Chartered Teacher programme were not enthusiastic about following this route. They raised issues of accreditation of prior learning, the cost of the programme and its duration, and the amount of 'paperwork' that was felt to be involved. A larger number among this small group of teachers were undertaking, or had undertaken, the SQH award; although this may well reflect the higher number of teachers in promoted posts. Others were keen to stress that the informal learning and development resulting from their participation in evaluation activities 'would not just be a one off'. Teachers were keen to find progression routes that accommodated their personal interests and subject identity.

A lot of staff are reluctant to go for accreditation because of the huge amount of paper work…evidence necessary but much of it is seen as jumping through hoops for the sake of jumping through hoops…I've done SQH…we can find better ways of getting evidence of people's abilities…I suspect that those who do Chartered Teacher are good at producing paperwork

If I was going to do further study I would want to do something where I chose what I wanted to study rather than doing Chartered Teacher. You have to pay a whole load of money…Its years. I could do a masters part time over a couple of years probably - in education or in my subject - and then I would probably have more career opportunities after that than I would with the Chartered Teacher qualification.

This brief review of the accounts of eighteen teachers embarking on systematic practitioner enquiry as part of the Schools of Ambition initiative reveals a mixture of perceptions and experiences. The schools continue to work through the challenges of undertaking targeted self-evaluation and the teachers charged with making this happen continue to meet these challenges with high levels of resolve and a commitment to school improvement. There was a strong sense that school leaders and teachers alike are still 'finding their feet' and are themselves engaged in potentially 'transformative' processes. In the extract below a 'questioning teacher' is as yet reluctant to claim the identity of 'teacher-researcher'.

I don't feel that I can call myself a teacher-researcher. I sort of feel that I haven't earned the title almost. I am a teacher. I know that. I still feel I'm floundering a bit with this teacher researcher title. It doesn't quite fit yet. Once I have completed this I might feel more able to use that title. In a different sense I am a questioning teacher. Self-evaluation is one aspect of your work, isn't it - self-evaluation and reflective practice? You are constantly doing that sort of thing. People are constantly doing what this research group is doing, but on such a micro level. It's part of the thinking processes of being a teacher. In that sense, yes, we are all teacher researchers, you know. But teacher research as a title, I don't know. Putting it down in words you have to own it and be that person.

Summary

How have the teachers' responses informed our understanding of the challenges involved in sustaining school-led enquiry? It would be unwise to offer any general claims from a modest study and one that remains at an early stage. On the basis of the interviews conducted to date, we would offer the following tentative points for consideration.

The dilemma of 'time management' that is woven through the accounts appears to signal a continuing perception of teaching and doing research as distinct and competing activities. Concern was expressed that the research might impinge on the quality of teaching and learning, rather than support its development. Much of the research is being undertaken as an individual activity or assigned 'project'. Whilst there is strong evidence of a willingness to engage with others in the research, this is proving challenging at both an organisational and interpersonal level. Restricted opportunities for dialogue are likely to constrain the generation of new ideas and challenges that would support further learning. Whilst much is made of the potential of teacher research to encourage professional renewal, it appears that there are constraints on the capacity of teacher research as it is currently framed to support 'evidence-led professional creativity' (Saunders, 2004). In order to address what Elliott (1991) has termed the 'disenfranchisement' of teachers, teachers need space, support and encouragement to articulate their own questions. There is a need to integrate processes of systematic enquiry more fully within teachers' core concerns in order to make the process meaningful and relevant and to create a sense of personal accomplishment. The teachers' accounts indicate a need to provide opportunities for professionally rewarding teacher enquiry (that is meaningful and feasible) which makes a clear contribution to organisational learning (Senge, 1993). The achievement of these twin goals requires a commitment to the generation of 'professional learning communities'. Self-determination is an important part of this transition and an important aspect of teacher professionalism (Campbell, 2003).

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