RAND Europe's research in education helps inform the making of more effective educational policies, programmes and practices that are inclusive and equitable for all.
Our interdisciplinary and international research examines the evidence behind how policies and practices can support learning: from building strong foundations in the early years, to improving school effectiveness and ensuring that young people have the right skills in preparation for the future.
Disadvantaged children in England are more likely to fall behind academically, so researchers identified the knowledge gaps concerning effective early years practice. As most of the available data comes from the US, more UK research is needed.
Methods
Our education research benefits from a wide range of multi-disciplinary expertise and capabilities across the organisation and our large network of collaborators.
Randomised controlled trials
We have a growing portfolio of projects using rigourous experimental (randomised controlled trials) and quasi-experimental designs to evaluate complex education interventions.
Survey design & analysis
We bring methodological expertise to design high-quality surveys and conduct complex analyses with large scale administrative data.
Literature reviews
We conduct robust systematic reviews of evidence using the global resources available in RAND's professional library.
Policy analysis
We are experienced in providing education policy advice based on the best international evidence available.
Researchers are evaluating an intervention aimed at improving STEM teaching and learning in UK schools in disadvantaged areas. The project aims to understand what impact the intervention has on children’s learning and teacher retention.
RAND Europe is conducting a randomised controlled trial into the effectiveness of NELI, a language support programme designed to improve children’s vocabulary, listening and narrative skills. The study aims to understand both the impact of the intervention and how effectively it is implemented.
Researchers are developing recommendations for the College of Policing and the Education Endowment Foundation on how to assess evidence from research studies and make evidence-informed recommendations for practitioners and policymakers.
As part of a larger OECD effort, RAND Europe researchers analysed the strengths and challenges of Morocco's current approach for teacher appraisal and provided four actionable policy recommendations as well as advice for implementing improvements.
