Family structure and poverty in the UK: an evidence and policy review

A report of research into links between family structure and poverty, conducted for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Personal contacts, employment and social mobility in Britain

This paper contributes to debates around social mobility and social capital by exploring the links between social class background, assistance from non-parental personal contacts for finding employment, and social class destination. The literature on social mobility, social capital and social networks is reviewed, drawing a conceptual distinction between social capital and social networks. Previous research has focussed on help from parents, yet much of the literature indicates that wider social networks are more important for labour market advancement. Using the 1970 British Cohort Study, with data collection at respondent ages 10 and 42, the relationship between help received from relatives or friends in getting jobs and social class is examined. The likelihood of receiving help varies according to class origin, yet the strongest predictor of social class destination is social class background, not social capital

International teacher recruitment: understanding the attitudes and experiences of school leaders and teachers. Research Report

This DfE funded research examines schools' approaches to recruiting teachers from abroad - their motivations, behaviours and the perceived benefits and barriers to recruiting internationally. Conducted in 2016/2017, this research was based on telephone interviews with 44 senior leaders and a survey of 3,357 teachers who were trained overseas and obtained QTS to work in English schools. The findings helped inform decisions on how the DfE might support the recruitment of international STEM and MFL teachers, and to identify key principles for the design and delivery of international recruitment initiatives

Retain: CPD for Early Career Teachers of KS1 Pilot report and executive summary

Evaluation of professional development programme for early career teachers (ECTs) who are teaching key stage 1 (KS1) pupils in schools in disadvantaged areas cvonducted for the Education endowment Foundation (EEF), which aimed to enhance ECTs' knowledge and use of evidence-informed practices and to retain ECTs in the profession. The mixed methods theory-based evaluation gathered data from interviews, focus groups and surveys of participants and stakeholders to examine evidence of promise and the plausibility of the theory of change. ECTs' knowledge and understanding of approaches to teaching disadvantaged students, self-efficacy, confidence and research-use increased and they made changes in their classroom practice. The absence of a comparison group means that it is not possible to estimate the level of improvement that may have occurred without the programme. Most ECTs perceived that RETAIN was beneficial to their professional and career development and none left the profession during the pilot. Overall, RETAIN was positively received. ECTs found it easier to apply the learning from RETAIN in schools which were open to changing existing school practices and willing to support ECTs in implementing new approaches. Qualitative evidence indicates that the most important components of RETAIN were the taught sessions underpinned by research evidence, coaching by an external coach and peer collaboration, which combine to achieve positive outcomes