Spreading the Word: LP’s Academic Researchers

Our Academic Scholars shared their insightful knowledge gained from hours of fascinating research with the school community over lunchtime on Thursday 21st May.

Gathered in Peckover Hall the Academic Scholars’ Research Exhibition focussed attention on the factors that impact the ability to learn successfully and covered a wide variety of topics. Areas of interest included whether student-teacher relationships affected grades and attainment in Sixth Form, whether diet impacted on the ability to focus, whether the merit system is sufficiently motivating, the efficacy of group work, and the effects of setting on students.

Working in small groups, the teams were given opportunities to collaborate over their ideas, explore different research avenues and work together to reach a consensus for their presentations.

Deputy Head Boy, Harry Coomber, explained how successfully the Head of Teaching and Learning, Jenny Powlesland, and Deputy Head Academic, Alex Wallace, who spearhead the Academic Scholars programme, have supported the research. “They have been really helpful in getting questionnaires out the whole student body and, since my team’s research centred around grades, they were able to advise on the ethics and sensitivities of asking for this very personal information in an appropriate way.”

The project launched with a visit to Oxford in February, as the annual Academic Scholars' Trip took in a Walking tour of Oxford, including the Weston Library, a tour of Christchurch College. lunch in the Covered Market and visit to the Pitt Rivers/Ashmolean Museum for what Alex Wallace described as “an exciting and thought-provoking day.”

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