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The Teacher Action Research Project (TARP) is designed to support teachers in leading a school-based research and development project that has a particular focus on raising attainment for students from under-represented groups.
The TARP recognises the considerable skills and expertise teachers bring to educational research, and that this is a critical component in identifying practice that works in a classroom setting. We also understand the need to provide dedicated time and resources for teachers to successfully plan and implement a research and development cycle, therefore we partnered with the UCL London Centre for Leadership in Learning, to develop a bespoke programme that supports teachers from question design through to evaluation.
'Research and development is the best way of spotting the small changes that matter.' Mark Quinn, Bespoke Programme Leader, UCL London Centre for Leadership in Learning
TARP 3 (2020/2021)
We are currently reviewing activity related to the 2020/2021 academic year.
An update on any TARP 3 activity and opportunities to get involved will be posted on this page and circulated through our Professional Learning Network (PLN) newsletter.
If you have any questions related to TARP please email wp.teachers@ucl.ac.uk.
TARP 2 (2019/2020)
Applications for TARP2 are now closed.
In light of the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, activity related to the 2019/2020 academic year was interrupted. Participants will be continuing their research in 2020/2021 and details regarding findings and project outcomes will be presented here in due course.
TARP 1 (2018/2019)
In 2018/2019 participating teachers worked on a wide range of research and development projects that investigated the impact of:
- Teacher modelling
- Vocabulary teaching
- Recall and retrieval strategies
- Careers mentoring
View the project flowchart below:
Read the project evaluation report to learn more about the projects findings:
"I think the thing that attracted me to the TARP was the fact that actually what we are doing is looking at something that is a lot more research-based… it’s much more useful to be thinking about what does make a difference in the classroom; how does one implement it; how does one disseminate it and how does one go through the process of being more professionally engaged with the science and craft of teaching."
Martin Hanlon, Director of Learning (Key Stage 5), Ark Evelyn Grace Academy
"I’m focussing on Pupil Premium students, and that is something we are looking at as a school anyway… it’s such a wide umbrella for the needs of the student… so we often have to drill down and see what the learning needs are, and the support that those students need… it’s really important."
Siobhan Osborne, Assistant Head Teacher (Teaching and Learning), Bullers Wood School
"Although I haven’t been teaching for very long, I was very aware that on our INSET days we would be presented with the latest findings in education, but not given time to consider how it could be implemented effectively in our subjects. I think that to be effective educators, we need to be able to process, explore and consider the research before it is implemented, so that it can have a more positive impact on our students."
Lauren Mitchell, Second in Department for Creative Arts and Design Technology, The Bemrose School
"I think the link between research and practice is very clear, to my mind research is the wiring that shows teachers why they are doing what they are doing in class, and why it works. I think research can move practice on and develop it so that it has a tangible impact upon improving effective learning."
Alan Chan, Assistant Head Teacher (Teaching and Learning), The Palmer Catholic Academy