Research

The latest from the world of education research including pedagogical studies, national school survey data and classroom case studies

Monday

17th Aug 2026

Exams expert calls for GCSE gender gap investigation
Any inquiry into the gender divide in educational outcomes should confront the ‘unthinkable’ prospect of ‘inherent’ differences between girls and boys, says Professor Alan Smithers
Jumping over gap

Wednesday

12th Aug 2026

How much bullying goes on in Year 1?
DfE study of 9,000 five- and six-year-olds reveals findings on behaviour, predicted outcomes and parent engagement
bullying in year 1

Friday

7th Aug 2026

Supporting pupils and having high expectations ‘not in conflict’
Students’ sense of belonging in school is strongest where teachers both support them and challenge them to ‘think hard and learn more’, according to new research
Teenagers sat in a classroom

Thursday

6th Aug 2026

Autumn absence on the rise in England’s schools
Pupil absence increased in both school phases in the autumn term last year, official figures show, prompting calls for the government to focus on implementing its SEND reforms
Absence in the autumn term

Wednesday

5th Aug 2026

The education year in research: 5 studies schools should know
Ofsted is pushing schools to become more evidence-informed, so here are five key studies from the past year and what they found
Inspecting a number 5

Friday

31st Jul 2026

School attendance improvement stalls for first time since Covid
While the June heatwave was a factor, no meaningful improvements in attendance were made during the rest of the year, finds FFT analysis
Attendance may not have dropped

Thursday

30th Jul 2026

‘Rushed’ RISE improvement plans concern ‘many’ heads
Latest DfE review of RISE school improvement programme finds there is a clearer understanding of advisers’ roles and better communication – but worries persist over timeframes for drafting plans
"Rushed" process a concern for heads

Tuesday

28th Jul 2026

‘Pro-girl’ gap in teachers’ predicted A-level grades identified
Teachers often predict higher A-level grades for girls than boys, and this could be affecting students’ access to university courses, researchers warn
Gender gap
Isolated school students ‘at higher risk of becoming Neet’
Schools are ‘well-placed’ to identify teenagers who are becoming isolated and their early intervention can ‘make a real difference for a young person’s future’, say researchers
NEET crisis

Monday

27th Jul 2026

‘Compatible’ teaching of RE and science could boost interest in Stem
Many secondary students do not see science and religion as ‘contradictory’, UCL research suggests – and ‘connected’ teaching of the subjects can encourage further Stem studies
Compatibility between science and religion

Thursday

23rd Jul 2026

Social media bullying linked to school absence, study finds
Research by the NFER also reveals that parental fines for student absence are ‘counterproductive’
Online bullying

Wednesday

22nd Jul 2026

3 research findings to inform your new inclusion strategy
When looking at inclusion data, whole-school averages conceal a lot, says Beth Williams. It’s only by digging further that helpful patterns start to emerge, as a recent research report shows
Inclusion boat with swimmers