Involving student teachers in school-based action research

The Willow Primary School has hosted UCL students for almost a decade. Over the years, the school has benefitted from these students’ engagement with current educational research and classroom innovation, while trainees gain experience in a diverse, supportive setting. Many staff at The Willow are UCL alumni, further strengthening this relationship.

Here, Lorna Wright, who was Assistant Headteacher at the time, recounts how two UCL students’ collaboration with staff at The Willow resulted in research-informed changes in the school.

The setting

The Willow is part of the Broadwaters Inclusive Learning Community, sharing a site with a special school and a children’s centre. It was graded Outstanding by Ofsted in 2023. The school has 34.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals and a growing proportion of pupils with SEND, reflecting national trends. Trainee teachers completing placements at The Willow benefit from working with a diverse range of needs and attainment levels and therefore learn how to adapt lessons effectively for all pupils.

The research in action

In spring 2024, two student teachers undertook their placement at The Willow, one in KS1 and the other in KS2. During this time, the school’s weekly CPD programme took the form of an action research programme, with teachers focusing on one of four priority areas: EAL, SEND, Feedback and Marking, or AI in Education. These reflected key priorities within the school development plan. The two student teachers chose the focus area most aligned with their own professional interests and development needs; one student joined the SEND group, while the other joined the EAL group.

Both student teachers brought prior experience of action research from their university studies, meaning they were already familiar with key structures and processes. As they were completing their placement, they had substantial teaching time, enabling them to plan and implement classroom interventions effectively. Each action research group began by engaging with existing research in their focus area before designing and trialling an intervention.

The results

The action research projects not only deepens the students’ understanding of specific classroom issues but also strengthens collaboration with their class teacher mentors, and promotes cross-phase collaboration with other colleagues in our school.

Each group offered suggestions for whole-school changes, as a result of their research findings.

The AI in Education group focused on the advantages of using ChatGPT for tiered questioning in maths to support children’s independence.
The Feedback and Marking group found that marking had a more significant impact on pupil progress in writing than in maths, and suggested amendments to the school marking policy, which were then actioned.
The EAL group highlighted the benefits of Talk for Writing strategies for KS2 learners.
The SEND group recommended that the school purchase a Widgits subscription to support dual coding in all lessons.

All suggestions were discussed at senior leadership level and implemented over time to avoid change overload. These contributions demonstrate the students’ agency in shaping classroom practice and supporting school development.

Following this placement at The Willow, one of the students joined the school as a teacher the following year, and the senior leader who led the action research CPD was invited to speak at a UCL partnership conference.

These examples of collaboration, which outlasted the placement, exemplify the importance of the UCL-school partnership in supporting sustained professional development and fostering ongoing exchange of knowledge and expertise.