Podcast 112: School Improvement Research + Collaboration


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Joshua McGovern

Joshua McGovern has been working with Teacher Toolkit since March 2018. He is responsible for our Soundcloud and iTunes channels and is the production manager for podcasts. He has a degree in Music Production and is a graduate of Leeds Beckett University. Aside from working...
Read more about Joshua McGovern

How do multi-academy trusts create a shared culture?

Our 112th interview is with, Toby Greany, Professor of Education at the University of Nottingham, a seasoned researcher in school improvement.

In this podcast, listen to Toby and Teacher Toolkit founder, Ross McGill discuss:

  • Why and how Toby got into school improvement
  • Talking about teaching English in Brazil and China for over 4 years
  • How Toby ran a large-scale action research program on learning to learn in schools
  • The study Toby is most proud of called Hierarchy, Markets and Networks with Rob Higham
  • Studies that tackle academisation
  • Successes and pitfalls of academisation
  • Links between vision, values, and school improvement
  • The challenge of school improvements in large Multi-Academy Trusts
  • The similarities between corporate mergers and new schools joining a trust
  • and the costs of the ‘middle tier and MATs providing a support structure doing the lockdown.

Listen to the podcast (38 minutes)

Remember, the podcast is available on iTunes!

Toby Greany

The impact of multi-academy trusts have no discernable difference on school standards; although small MATs do have a positive impact (2018).

This study of the ‘self-improving system’ best captures Toby’s main interests in system governance and how leaders respond, plus this open-access article builds on that to focus on the changing role of Local Authorities.


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