SCDE Attainment Challenge

The Scottish Council of Deans of Education (SCDE) Attainment Challenge Project was a three year Scottish Government funded research programme involving representatives of eight of the institutions providing initial teacher education (ITE) across Scotland. Its broad aim was to research how the sector might better prepare early career teachers (understood as final year ITE and probationer year) to work more effectively to improve literacy and numeracy attainment and health and wellbeing outcomes in schools serving pupils from Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 1-40 backgrounds.

Developing pedagogies that work for Pre-Service and Early Career Teachers to reduce the Attainment Gap in Literacy, Numeracy and Health and Wellbeing

The broad aim informing the suite of projects was to research how the sector might better prepare early career teachers (understood as final year ITE and probationer year) to work more effectively to improve literacy and numeracy attainment and health and wellbeing outcomes in schools serving pupils from SIMD 1-40 backgrounds.

Under this common purpose, the research programme had three strands of activity.

Firstly, a collaborative project aimed to resource a conversation across the national sector. The project was designed as four sequential phases:

AUDIT: What do we in teacher education institutions collectively do currently to support early career practitioners to work effectively with pupils from SIMD 1-40 backgrounds?
EVALUATION: Of our current practice, what do we do well and what could we do better?
RESOURCE: What other practice or research might assist us in our purpose?
REFORM: How can we improve teacher education so our early career teachers are more effective in improving the engagement and attainment of pupils?

Secondly, each of the eight participating schools of education conducted a research project reflecting their particular context and priorities.

Thirdly, three PhD studentships were funded, to be hosted by the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling.

Project Reference Committee Members

Dr Archie Graham, University of Aberdeen
Dr Dean Robson, University of Aberdeen
Dr Peter Mtika, University of Aberdeen
Lindsay MacDougall (2018-2020), University of Aberdeen
Nejla Tugcem Sahin (2018/2019), University of Aberdeen
Dr Kevin Stelfox (2019-21), University of Aberdeen
Professor Teresa Moran, University of Dundee
Professor Jim Scott, University of Dundee
Mr Derek Robertson, University of Dundee
Dr Yvonne Bain, University of Dundee
Mrs Donna Dey, University of Dundee
Professor Do Coyle, University of Edinburgh
Dr Laura Colucci-Gray, University of Edinburgh
Dr Yvonne Foley, University of Edinburgh
Ramone Al Bishawi, University of Edinburgh
Jonathan Hancock, University of Edinburgh
Professor Moyra Boland, University of Glasgow
Professor Catherine Doherty, University of Glasgow
Dr Kevin Proudfoot, University of Glasgow
Stephen Daniels (RA), University of Glasgow
David Gerow (RA), University of Glasgow
Professor Morag Redford, University of the Highlands and Islands
Mr Mark Lindley-Highfield University of the Highlands and Islands
Dr Helen Coker, University of the Highlands and Islands
Dr John I’Anson, University of Stirling
Dr Alison Jasper, University of Stirling
Dr Róisín McKelvey, University of Stirling
Professor Kate Wall, University of Strathclyde
Professor Ian Rivers, University of Strathclyde
Jenny Carey, University of Strathclyde
June Pisaneschi, University of Strathclyde
Catriona Robb, University of Strathclyde
Dr Stephen Day, University of the West of Scotland
Mrs Carol Webster, University of the West of Scotland
Dr Andrew Killen, University of West of Scotland

SCDE Attainment Challenge

Developing pedagogies that work for Pre-Service and Early Career Teachers to reduce the Attainment Gap in Literacy, Numeracy and Health and Wellbeing

Project Reference Committee Members

PhD Students

University Projects

Collaborative Projects

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