Professional Reading and Research Culture

 

Our Commitment to Continuous Learning

At Our Lady of the Rosary School, we believe that the best teaching comes from teachers who are continual learners themselves.
Just as we encourage pupils to reflect on how they learn, our staff engage in ongoing professional reading, reflection, and research to ensure that our practice is informed by the latest educational thinking and evidence.

 

Why Professional Reading Matters

Education is always evolving and new research helps us understand how children learn best, how to support every learner, and how to make teaching even more effective.
By engaging with current research, our staff:

• Keep up to date with evidence-based strategies

• Reflect critically on their own practice

• Share and discuss ideas collaboratively

• Bring innovation and creativity into the classroom

This culture of curiosity and reflection ensures that our teaching remains both research-informed and child-centred.

 

Our Research Culture in Action

At Our Lady of the Rosary, professional reading and research are woven into our professional development programme.
We:

• Use professional learning communities to discuss current research articles and books.

• Share findings so that best practice is spread throughout the school.

• Connect our professional learning to whole-school priorities, ensuring that our research has real impact in the classroom.

Teachers are encouraged to ask:

“What does the evidence say?”
“How can we apply this in our context?”

This reflective approach helps us build a shared understanding of effective teaching and learning.

 

Linking Research to Practice

We actively draw on research from trusted sources such as:

• The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)

• Cognitive Science and Metacognitive research

• Studies on curriculum design and assessment for learning

Our use of SOLO Taxonomy and our focus on metacognition are examples of how evidence-based approaches shape our teaching. We do not just read about new ideas - we trial, reflect, adapt, and embed them in our practice.

 

Research We Draw On in Our Practice

Our commitment to professional reading and research directly shapes the approaches we use across the school. Some of the evidence-informed practices we have adopted include:

 

• SOLO Taxonomy

Our teachers use the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) to support deeper thinking and help children recognise the steps in their learning. This approach is rooted in the work of Biggs and Collis (1982), whose research shows how structured cognitive challenge promotes meaningful learning.

• Word Aware

To strengthen vocabulary development, staff draw on the Word Aware approach (Parsons & Branagan). This is grounded in research that highlights the importance of explicit, systematic vocabulary teaching for improving children’s speaking, reading, and writing.

• NELI (Nuffield Early Language Intervention)

In Nursery and Reception, we deliver the NELI programme, recognised by the Education Endowment Foundation as an evidence-based early language intervention. Research from the University of Oxford and UCL shows that NELI supports spoken language, narrative skills, and communication confidence.

• Retrieval Practice

Our staff engage with Kate Jones’ work on retrieval practice, underpinned by cognitive science research into memory, spaced practice, and long-term learning. This evidence shows that regular opportunities to recall prior learning strengthen memory and deepen understanding. Teachers use retrieval tasks across the curriculum to help children revisit and build on what they have learned.

• Tips by Text for Reception Parents

We use Tips by Text to support Reception parents with research-informed ideas for home learning. This approach is based on studies from Stanford University, showing that short, timely texts can strengthen early literacy, language, and numeracy when families are equipped with simple, practical strategies.

• Cognitive Science and Memory Research

Staff regularly engage with research on how children learn, exploring themes such as working memory, explicit instruction, spaced learning, and modelling. This reading supports consistent, purposeful lesson design.

• Assessment for Learning

Research from Black & Wiliam and EEF guidance informs our approach to formative assessment, helping us ensure that feedback is timely, purposeful, and focused on supporting children to move forward in their learning.

• Inclusive and SEND-Informed Practice

Our professional reading also includes research related to supporting pupils with SEND. This includes communication strategies, sensory processing research, effective scaffolding, and the EEF’s guidance on high-quality teaching. This ensures that our inclusive practice is grounded in evidence and responsive to the needs of our learners.

 

A Culture of Collaboration

Professional reading and research at OLRS is a collective endeavour.
This culture of open dialogue and professional curiosity ensures that our teaching remains dynamic, responsive, and deeply rooted in research.

 

Our Vision

Our goal is simple:
To create a school where every member of staff is a learner, where research informs practice, and where professional reflection drives improvement.
By fostering this culture, we ensure that every child at Our Lady of the Rosary benefits from teaching that is thoughtful, evidence-based, and continuously improving.