As you know, this school works in partnership with the University of Oxford to train new teachers. The interns (who already have degrees in their specialist subject) work with our experienced teachers in different ways to develop their knowledge and skills. As part of their professional training, interns from Oxford carry out a small piece of research in school: for example, looking at how students’ work is marked and how helpful they find teachers’ comments or grades; or how Year 10 students choose the subjects they are going to study at GCSE and whose advice they take. This research helps the trainees understand much more about how schools actually work, what their job as a teacher will involve and how best to support students’ learning. Your child might at some stage be asked to contribute to such research, but only with your consent. Before you decide whether you are willing for them to be involved in such research, it is important that you understand what it might involve.

If a trainee wants your child to help with their research – usually by answering questions or filling in a questionnaire – they will send a letter to you with full details of what it would involve. This will give you the chance to say no, if you are not happy for your child to be involved in that particular study. They will also explain to your child what research they are doing and why, and ask the child if they would like to be involved or not. Every child always has the right to say no – and they can always pull out of the interview or stop answering the questions if they don’t want to continue. All the young people who take part remain anonymous and cannot be identified.

If you are happy in principle for your child to take part in such research studies then you do not need to do anything more now. Later you will be sent the full details of any particular study that a trainee would like your child to take part in and you can decide then whether or not you are happy for your child to be involved.

If you would like to discuss this kind of research work more fully before you decide, or if you have any further questions, please contact Mrs Eileen Crawshaw, the Professional Tutor, who is responsible for trainees’ work in school. All studies are also checked and approved by the University of Oxford’s Research Ethics Committee.

Mrs Eileen Crawshaw

Professional Tutor