ABSTRACT
Ben Goldacre's Report caught the national mood; the Secretary of State acted on his advice, and allocated £135 million for a series of research studies, overseen by the Educational Endowment Foundation. Subsequently, schools in England have come under some pressure to demonstrate that they use research to inform their activities. The UK government's commitment to research utilisation is part of a broader, international movement. Within Europe, 'Optimal circulation, access to and transfer of scientific knowledge' is recognised in European educational policy. Universities have also formed networks of schools engaged in research. At the time of writing, Manchester University, Sheffield Hallam University, University College, London and Edge Hill University all have research networks for schools. Access to research is becoming easier. Open access policies ensure that more research papers appear on the internet and that these are accessed by more people than previously. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
