We are proud to have set up Education Datalab, whose mission is to be the UK’s centre of excellence for quantitative research in education.

Turn curiosity about education into quantitative analysis

Education Datalab brings together an expert team of academics, researchers and statisticians specialising in the analysis of large-scale administrative and survey datasets. Led by Dr Rebecca Allen, Education Datalab produces independent, cutting-edge research that can be used by policy makers to inform education policy, and by schools to improve practice. By working collaboratively with research partners, the Education Datalab ensures that published research is accessible to policy makers and schools.

We also believe that it is important that Education Datalab has an independent editorial voice, so that we can collectively turn curiosity about education into quantitative analysis that shapes the way we think about schools and colleges, teachers and learners.

FFT has joined up with No More Marking Ltd to develop a new method for measuring and tracking pupil progress.

The FFT Proof of Progress tests use comparative judgement to set a baseline in Year 7 with subsequent tests in Years 7 to 10 measuring progress in relation to other pupils nationally.

A new way of measuring progress

The tests are built with the new reformed English and Maths GCSEs in mind – they are open ended with no right or wrong answers reflecting the new emphasis on mathematical literacy and extended writing. They also use the new GCSE 9-1 scale to measure progress and set targets, vital in a life without levels where pupils will enter Year 7 with new KS2 scaled scores.

We are part of the DfE team delivering the OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018.

TALIS is the first and only international survey that focuses on the teaching practices and the working conditions of teachers and their headteachers in England and over 40 other countries.

The international survey of teachers & school leaders

FFT has partnered with UCL Institute of Education and RAND Europe to form the National Centre delivering the TALIS survey in 2018.

TALIS has taken place every five years since it was first carried out in 2008. England participated for the first time in 2013, focussing on lower secondary (KS3) teachers and their headteachers.

For TALIS 2018, England will survey primary (KS1 & KS2) and lower secondary (KS3) school teachers and their headteachers.