Research
The IOE is the world’s leading centre for research and teaching in education and social sciences, undertaking around 25% of all funded education research in the UK.
In the most recent Research Excellence Framework, 94% of our research was judged world-class.
On average, the IOE runs more than 200 live research projects at any one time, led by more than 300 academic staff. Research is funded by research councils, charities, government departments and international agencies. We draw on partnerships with more than 30 specialist research and education centres, including the UCL Centre for Educational Leadership and the UCL Centre for Inclusive Education.
Our research plays a vital role in education: we examine what works, what doesn’t (and why), and how your school might best put this knowledge into practice. Our work covers five key areas: disciplines of education; the organisation and improvement of learning; curriculum, culture and knowledge; children, families and early learning; and longitudinal and social research. Most recently, we have been examining the role played by teaching assistants during the pandemic, why teachers are working harder than any other professionals, and investigating the fundamental question of what schools should teach.
The IOE Teacher Education College is also home to two specialist research centres.
The Centre for Teachers and Teaching Research focuses on how to develop teachers as expert professionals, examining professional learning and practice. Recent research includes: how equipped schools are to challenge extremism; how Black, Asian and minority ethic teachers are represented, and how best to retain them; and the different ways early career teachers and their mentors can be supported using the Early Career Framework.
The Centre for Educational Leadership is a world-leading centre for knowledge creation, exchange and application, promoting high-quality leadership, management and learning in education globally. Recent research includes: investigating the issues that arise when Multi-Academy Trusts scale from small to medium; looking at how successful teaching schools create connections and contribute to system leadership; and examining how primary schools in rural South Africa can enable children to achieve and thrive.
World-leading education and research for practitioners and leaders and home to flagship professional development for teachers at every stage of their careers.