Blogs and Media Coverage
There has been extensive media coverage of research findings from the five programmes of research.
Peter Blatchford
Media Coverage
For the class size research there has been coverage in national written (Telegraph, Independent, BBC News TV, BBC News on line, TES, Times on line, Daily Express, Guardian), local and national radio and TV media, including a BBC documentary of the class size issue. Also coverage overseas in written media, e.g. USA and Hong Kong and on Canadian primetime radio. The project has been cited in Parliamentary questions and answers and in representations to National Governments (e.g. New Zealand).
For the Deployment and Impact of Support Staff Project there was extensive coverage and interviews with PB including Radio 5 Live, Radio London, coverage on BBC Radio 4 news, BBC News on line and in the Guardian, Independent, Telegraph, Morning Star, TES, Economist, FT. There have been extensive ‘hits’ on the Guardian and BBC website coverage of the DISS research. The TES editorial about the research at the time of the BERA conference had exceptional number of hits on their website.
The DISS project was the subject of a high ranking impact case study evidencing its impact on policy and practice. It was cited in Parliament May 2011.
For the Group Work Project there has been coverage in written, radio and TV media including the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme, The Guardian on-line.
There was extensive coverage of the publication of the final MASt report and Blog to IOE with pieces and interviews on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, and interview with PB on the Victoria Derbyshire show Radio 5 Live, followed by an hour of discussion with parents, headteachers and NASEN. Rob Webster interviewed on BBC Radio London
For the Breaktime Research there has been coverage in written, radio and TV media including numerous radio interviews, including the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme, Women’s Hour, The World Service, Radio 5 Live, and TV coverage including National BBC News and ITV London News. The Wall Street Journal Curiosity magazine cites PB:
https://curiositymagazine.53.com/articles/the-more-kids-play-the-more-they-work
There are many Blogs and other shorter pieces written by PB, colleagues and others, including journalists, about the research.
Here is a selection:
The class sizes debate is tired and asks the wrong questions
The class size debate is tired and asks the wrong questions. Guardian Opinion piece Feb 2015-02-26.
Rethinking class size: The complex story of impact on teaching and learning
Through the British Educational Research Association (BERA)
16 Nov 2020
Does class size matter? We’ll get a better answer if we rethink the debate
For many teachers, large classes present problems which adversely affect their practice and their pupils’ learning. This is what our surveys show.
13 November 2020
UCL Institute of Education: Does Class Size Matter? We’ll Get a Better Answer If We Rethink the Debate
Reposted by the National Education policy Center
University of Colorado, December 4, 2020
Does class size matter? Rethinking the debate
Covid is forcing some schools to create supersized classes, but is that necessarily a bad thing?
16 November 2020
Does class size matter? We’ll get a better answer if we rethink the debate
For many teachers, large classes present problems which adversely affect their practice and their pupils’ learning.
24th January, 2025
Shrinking breaktimes: is pupil well-being diminishing too?
School breaktimes and play have been exercising policy-makers of late. The All-Party Parliamentary Group on a Fit and Healthy Childhood has called on…
by Ed Baines and Peter Blatchford
Friday, May 10th, 2019
Does class size matter? Of course it does
Your answer to that will probably depend on who you are – specifically, on whether you are a teacher or an academic.
A piece by Helen Amass in the TES about Peter Blatchford’s work.
21st November 2020
Why research needs to reconnect to the classroom
Reflecting on decades of education research, psychologist Peter Blatchford says the hunt for ‘what works’ could be throwing us off track when it comes to improving teaching and learning.
An article by Helen Amass (Paywall)
TES, 21st February 2024.