Change for Children Award

The new national Change for Children Award has been developed in response to the latest Coalition Government’s educational policy, which focuses on valuing the participation of children and young people as learners, in informing school decision-making, in order to help them achieve more.

This award is ground breaking and unique in respect of acknowledging the good practice in pupil-led action research existing in schools, academies, PRUs, FE and sixth form colleges, throughout the UK, which results in a significant change or improvement, for the benefit of other peers within the educational setting.

The evidence gathering process utilises a straightforward action research
self-review framework, comprising of six core themes, essential for a pupil-led action research team to collectively develop, in order to enable them to become more confident and competent action researchers, within their own educational setting.

The six core thematic aspects on the action research framework include:

1. Responsibility
2. Motivation
3. Team work
4. Decision making
5. Achieving the change
6. Publicising the good practice

The pupils in the action research team gather the appropriate evidence to meet the six good practice descriptors, per core thematic aspect on the action research self-review framework. An action plan needs to be developed which identifies the areas for further development and shows how the key action research tasks have been distributed across the pupil-led research team.

Evidence is required in electronic and multi-media format.  This comprises of the pupils final action research report; the action plan; the completed evidence grids per core theme on the action research self-review framework; the pupils’ reflective surveys; and other key relevant accompanying evidence, all of which is submitted electronically to the external assessor two weeks before the on-site final assessment takes place.  The external assessor will meet with relevant stakeholders during the assessment day to hear about the action research experience and witness the impact and results of the pupil-led action research project first hand.

The award process is usually completed within a nine to twelve month period.  When the external assessor confirms that all six core thematic action research aspects have been fully met, the pupil-led action research team will be presented with a glass plaque, a framed certificate, a digital award logo and a final written report.

The award can be renewed for a further three years, on completion of a new and different pupil-led action research project.

Contact Educational Consultancy & Management (ECM) Solutions if you wish to speak to a consultant about this exciting and inspirational award that empowers pupils.

Please call 07857 605645 or complete the secure on-line enquiry form on the Contact Us page of the website.