Small schools in contemporary contexts: Developing research agenda (Workshop)

There seem to be particular challenges for small schools in contemporary UK contexts. Identified by amongst others in publications, the Church of England, the National Association of Head Teacher and the National Association of Small schools. There is widespread and growing concern expressed by many anecdotally for the future of small schools in the UK. The particular challenges associated with funding of schools in England have recently been acknowledged by the DfE (2021).

The aim of the workshop is the development of co-created research agenda focussed on the challenges faced by small schools in the UK in contemporary times. Avoiding recalculation of the emiseration (Slee, 2001), the workshop will identify areas of research to recognise, inform and support positive change and look to sustainable futures. Drawing on contemporary research and practice in and with small schools in the UK and Europe, this workshop draws together people researching with and working in small schools, local authorities and organisations supporting school leaders. The workshop will explore priorities for research for small schools in the UK and how research from across Europe and more widely might be helpful.

There has been limited published research on small schools in the UK in the last 10 years; more research has been done in Europe (see Gristy et al, 2020). In English contexts, there has been little research although there have been reports produced by organisations working with and supporting small schools and their leaders (see for example Church of England (2014 and 2018), National Association for Small Schools/Laurel Trust (2018), NAHT 2019). There are also reports associated with local government small and rural and small school strategies (for example South Gloucestershire Council, 2020) and parliamentary consultations and debates (for example O’Brien, 2019 and Ovenden-Hope, 2021).

Small schools in England were under significant threat from the 1970’s to the end of the 1990’s. The steep decline in school numbers during this period and the impacts of school closures on localities and communities, raised concern across local and national government and education researchers. Change came in 1998 when the new Labour Government ascribed a ‘presumption against closure’ status (DfEE, 1998) to rural (not necessarily small) schools. A similar ‘presumption against closure’

for rural schools (often but not necessarily small) is also present in Scotland (2010) and Wales (2017).

The ‘period of grace’ (Hargreaves ,2009 p117) offered by the ‘presumption against closure’ gave schools some protection. In her pivotal review of published research studies of small primary schools in England, Hargreaves identified several areas for research development. This included research involving pupil and parent perspectives and on school-community interaction. There remains a dearth of research with small schools in the UK. Nonetheless, over this period, policy changes to schooling in England, has increasingly focussed on market-oriented policy and practice including the development of Multi Academy Trusts. In such policy contexts, schools potentially end up ‘free-floating from the communities they serve' (Blunkett, 2014 p5), turning inwards and away from locality and the community. Moreover, changes in school funding arrangements, have resulted in further threat of closure to small schools (Ovenden-Hope, 2021). The impact of these changes calls for sustained and focussed research to recognise and support small schools and inform practice and policy development.

A recent rigorous scoping review of literature from small schools in rural European contexts by Fargas Malet & Bagley (2021) has brought together research published in English since 2000. This study identifies key themes in European research; school leadership, the importance of context (including education policy and school closures/amalgamations), and school-community relationships. A focus on schools in their locality and community contexts is not as evident in research on schools in the UK. Fargas Malet & Bagley (2021) conclude with identifying key areas for future research including ‘meaningfully involving and engaging children in research, actively seeking their views and perspectives’ (p17). They also indicate a case for large-scale quantitative studies and comparative studies between rural/urban and small/large schools and an engagement with substantiating claims about the positive aspects of small schools to learners and localities.

In general there is an urgent need for the co-production of research to recognise, inform and support those involved in leading and learning in small schools; policy makers, local and national governments, school leaders, communities and localities. This workshop aims to jump start this dialogue