We seek to inform and influence policy makers and opinion formers to secure lasting, positive impact on the education and skills landscape. We do this by sharing the results of our proof-of-principle projects and by commissioning policy-relevant research.
We believe that private foundations like Gatsby should see part of their role as being, in some sense, a Research and Development arm of government. The caution needed when handling public funds can make it difficult for government agencies to back higher-risk proposals, even when they have significant potential for public benefit. For this reason we seek to support innovative projects in our education work. However, to secure lasting impact on a national scale, the lessons learned and outcomes of these proof-of-principle projects need to be shared with policy makers and opinion formers.
Over the years a number of Gatsby-supported programmes have resulted in successful large-scale national initiatives. In addition to such programmes mentioned elsewhere on this website, we would highlight two here: the Further Mathematics Network and the Teacher Effectiveness Enhancement Programme (TEEP).
In the late 1990s, the number of students studying A-Level Further Maths seemed to be in terminal decline. Gatsby funded Mathematics in Education and Industry to investigate what could be done to reverse this trend and make Further Maths more widely available. The subsequent work blended face-to-face tuition with distance learning for pupils and developed online training material for teachers. The model has been very successful and, following the Gatsby pilot, the government rolled-out the programme across the UK. Since 2003, the number of people studying A-Level Further Mathematics each year has more than doubled.
We established the TEEP programme in 2002 to develop a model of effective teaching drawn from academic research and best practice. A five-day TEEP training course was developed which requires teachers to work collaboratively and plan lessons that are challenging and enjoyable. The initial focus of the programme was science and maths but the TEEP framework soon proved applicable to every subject and Key Stage.
By 2008 demand for TEEP training was out-stripping our ability to supply it. It was clear we needed to find an organisation with an infrastructure better suited to the training of thousands of teachers around the country. In 2010 we were delighted to pass the management and development of TEEP to the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (since renamed The Schools Network). TEEP continues to grow, with an increasing number of Ofsted reports now referring to TEEP explicitly as contributing to an improvement in the quality of a school’s teaching and learning.
Beyond sharing the results of our proof-of-principle projects, we also commission and publish research studies where we believe the outputs will inform national STEM education policy and practice. These studies typically focus on areas in which we have an ongoing interest, such as physics teaching, practical science in schools, or the supply and support of technicians. Occasionally however they address broader issues, such as the 2010 review of STEM careers advice by John Holman, or the ‘Enactment and Impact of Science Education Reform’ study at the University of Leeds examining school responses to GCSE curriculum reform.
Featured Projects
In 2010 we commissioned Sir John Holman, then the National STEM Director, to undertake a review of STEM careers information, advice and guidance in England. His report, with 15 recommendations, was published in in November 2010.
We created the Teacher Effectiveness Enhancement Programme in 2002 to develop a framework for effective teaching drawn from academic research and best practice. After incubating the programme for eight years, we have transferred it to the Schools Network.
We are supporting a project to understand the impact of changes to the science curriculum on teachers and students, particularly focusing on achievement and the uptake of post-compulsory science education.
Between 2005 and 2009, we commissioned Professor Alan Smithers and Dr Pamela Robinson at the University of Buckingham to produce six reports, each examining a different aspect of physics education.
See all projects informing national policy