Fircroft was commissioned by the Education and Training Foundation to curate their 2018 Research Supplement. This has just been posted out to 17,000 teachers across the country. They work in FE colleges, 6^th form colleges, community learning and independent learning providers.

The articles we have pulled together reflect the diversity of the sector and its current concerns: mental health, under-representation of equality groups, learning support, teacher training, student motivation, observations, educational technology. As you would expect from Fircroft, a consistent theme is the power of education to transform individuals, communities and the economy.

Altogether there are 19 contributors. Teacher-researchers are well represented, alongside big names like Sir Alan Tuckett, Dylan Wiliam and Fircroft ambassador Professor John Holford from the University of Nottingham.

Our own Principal Mel Lenehan and Chair Dr Cheryl Turner write about the importance of research at Fircroft. That includes the work carried out by Dr Sharon Clancy at the 4 residential colleges which is influencing our own strategy and has been presented to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Adult Learning. Also the way in which we use theories of transformational learning to understand the magic of Fircroft and make more of it happen inside and outside the classroom.  

The Research Supplement is a members’ magazine not accessible to the general public. But anyone can read the original Nottingham and Fircroft research in full on our website.