Registered Charity Number: 1091491
Annual General Meeting 2022
Saturday 19[th] November 2022 at 11.00 am
Venue: Hilton Garden Inn, 1 Brunswick Square, Birmingham, B1 2HW
Chair’s Report on behalf of the Trustees of ASPE – 2021-22
Overview
Once again, it is my pleasure to report on behalf of the Trustees of ASPE for the period 2021-2022. This has been the second year that the work of our association has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequent periods of lockdown.
Enabling school-based research projects has been a real challenge since leaders in schools have had many other more urgent matters to deal with. Some of our events have been able to go ahead, thanks to remote access which has brought with it some added benefits, although the lack of ASPE’s physical presence has seen a knock-on effect which has resulted in a slowdown in the growth of our membership numbers.
Nevertheless, as required by the Charity Commission, Members of our Committee have worked collectively to develop and promote ASPE’s objects.
The work of the Executive Committee
Meetings continue to take place on a regular basis and this year we have managed to meet once again face-to-face in Birmingham. We have also been able to offer remote attendance for those unable to attend. Committee members have continued to pursue the objects of ASPE with great success. We have managed to plan and develop conferences and events and to encourage local research including projects in schools. We have also developed the range of ways to engage with the education community including the introduction of a Twitter account and introduced podcasts. Our website has continued to flourish and be an attractive resource for those who wish to make contact with us. Further details of developments will feature later in this report.
Changes amongst our trustees have been few for most of the year which has created stability within the group. Unfortunately, Danielle Sullivan who joined us last year as had to withdraw from the committee due to other commitments. As a class teacher and middle leader, she brought relevance into conversations and discussions and I would like to thank her for her contributions. Malini Mistry, a long-standing member of the Executive, has unfortunately had to step back from our committee due to changes in her professional work. Her energy will be sadly missed in terms of managing our website and as bulletins editor. Her commitment, over time, has resulted in an outstanding contribution to ASPE. I would like to thank Malini most sincerely
1
for her contribution. However, she will continue as a member of our association and the Education 3-13 editorial board. Finally, Roy Hughes, Vice Chair will be stepping back from this role but has expressed his desire to remain as an Executive member. I would like to thank Roy for his excellent advice and support during his period as Vice Chair.
More recent trustees to join the board include Professor Gary Beauchamp representing HEI, Dr Andrew Joyce-Gibbons also from HEI and Rebekah Gear initially representing the school sector but of late she has secured a position in HEI, but retaining strong links with schools. These appointments have brought with them a range of new ideas and initiatives that are beginning to work extremely well. The nine trustees have been sustained for most of the year and have collectively made an excellent contribution. We are now seeking to replace those colleagues who have had to step back from their duties.
Events:
I’m pleased to report that following the pandemic and the consequence of lockdown period we have now held and sponsored live events. In September, we supported the work of the Education Learning Trust with their conference in Manchester on Curriculum Leadership, based on relevant research. Presenters included Professor Mick Waters, Mary Myatt, and Professor Dominic Wyse, together with an interesting range of workshops, led by research practitioners including members of our Executive Committee. Feedback on this event was excellent. A further event in October, held in London, was at the heart of what ASPE stands for, the theme was Reading - Multiple Perspectives. This was the subject of an Education 3 - 13 special in 2020/21, guest edited by Professor Roger Beard and has subsequently been published as a book. Thanks for our joint effort with Roger the conference was led by each of the authors of articles for the special who are able to disseminate their research to delegates. These included, Professor Greg Brooks, Professor Gemma Moss, Professor Rhona Stainthorp, Professor Victoria de Rijke, Professor Jeff Bezemer, Dr Sinead Harmey and poet Anthony Wilson. This event was an excellent example of bringing research into live presentations for teachers, students/researchers and others.
Research Projects
We continue to develop partnerships with colleagues in universities and schools. ASPE’s policy is to part-fund research projects and help advise and shape the direction of them. We encourage those participating to publish a report on the design and approaches used and outcomes. ASPE also encourages dissemination of the project and its findings through seminars and workshops. Current Projects include: ‘ Exploration of Children’s Experiences of Making Music’ led by Dr Dylan Adams and Cardiff Metropolitan University, in partnership with three primary schools; ‘Haymay in Schools: a remote synchronous collaborative problem project’ , led by Dr Andrew JoyceGibbons from Bath Spa University and Executive Member with four primary schools, and a rather special project on ‘Curriculum and Pedagogy’ in liaison with the Collaborative Research Network, which is one of four networks supported by the Welsh Government. This latter project engages with all nine universities in Wales with research in four contrasting primary schools. I would like to thank Gary Beauchamp who joined the committee last year for helping to initiate these projects in Wales.
Publications
The Journal: Education 3-13 The Editor, Professor Mark Brundrett reports:
I am pleased to provide a brief report on the main developments in Education 3-13 during the last twelve months. I outline the key points below:
- In response to the continued success of the journal and the increasing number of articles we receive, Routledge/ Taylor and Francis agreed that from Volume 50 (2022) each issue would
2
be expanded in order to enable the inclusion of one extra article every time the journal is published. This took place from Issue 1 of this year and each issue is now approximately 70,000 to 80,000 words in length, which provides the equivalent of one additional issue each year, thus adding even greater value for recipients of the journal. Taylor and Francis have recently made a further offer that each issue of the journal can be expanded by up to two more articles if the volume of material requires this.
-
The Deputy Editors of the journal, Professor Dominic Wyse and his colleagues Professor Alice Bradley and Dr Yana Manyukhina, of the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy (HHCP) at University College London, have now begun to develop and publish special issues of the journal. This has been a great development for Education 3-13 and we have no doubt that this will increase the prestige, reach and quality of the journal even further. The first special issue from the team was published this year (Volume 50, Issue 4, 2022) on the topic of Developing Children’s Agency in Theory and Practice with Dr Yana Manyukhina as Deputy Editor and Dr Sara T. Baker and Dr Soizic Le Courtois as editors. Our thanks are extended to Dr Manyukhina, the guest editors and all of those who contributed to this excellent issue on a topic of considerable contemporary interest.
-
Education 3-13 entered its fiftieth year of publication in 2022. A special ‘celebratory text’, based on articles from the journal over the last ten years, has been developed, the full reference for which is: Brundrett, M., Beauchamp, G., Latham, P., Mistry, M., Murray, M., Taylor, B., and Wood, P. (Eds) (2022) Contemporary Issues in Primary Education, London: Routledge. The hardback and e-book versions of the book are now available from bookshops and online. It is hoped that a paperback version will be produced in due course.
-
We were delighted to learn that the excellent special issue on Reading published last year (Volume 49, Issue 1, 2021), developed by Professor Roger Beard, led to a conference sponsored by ASPE which was held in London. This was an issue of outstanding quality and the material has been developed into a text: Beard, R. (Ed), 2022, Reading: Multiple Perspectives, London: Routledge. The hardback and e-book versions of the book are now available from bookshops and online. We thank Roger and the team of writers who produced this significant contribution to the field.
-
Routledge have recently signed a further contract to publish a book based on the special issue on Inquiry-Based Science in the Primary Classroom, Edited by Garima Bansal and Umesh Ramnarain (Volume 49, Issue 3, 2021) which is expected to be available some time in 2023. Our thanks are extended to both the editors and contributors to the special issue and edited text.
-
The latest publisher’s report for the journal, recently provided by Routledge, indicates that the journal continues to develop well. Highlights include:
-
submissions have continued to rise;
-
downloads continue to increase from their already very high volume;
-
author satisfaction with the journal remains high.
All these key indicators are testament not only to the continued success of the journal but also to the commitment of the editorial team as a whole and to the excellent support provided by both the Board and reviewers who give of their time so unstintingly.
Professor Mark Brundrett, Editor.
Chair’s response:
Mark has, without doubt, continued to make an enormous contribution to the world of educational research, through the commendable task of producing our journal Education 3-13, which this association proudly owns. I am greatly indebted to Mark, the editorial board, and his
3
assistant Emma Fitzgerald for their continued commitment to quality research into primary education worldwide. I would like to endorse Mark’s comments on the appointment of Professor Dominic Wyse and his team for taking on the role Deputy Editorship and the further developments of special issues. Not only will these issues be in safe hands, but the new arrangements will trigger greater liaison and partnership between the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy and our association.
It is also important to acknowledge that royalties from the sales of Education 3-13 worldwide enable ASPE to fund its activities to being together research and practice.
The ASPE Bulletin.
Since the launch of the ASPE Bulletin in January 2019, we have published 38 issues. Topics this year include Learning Environments, Primary Foreign Languages, the Impact of Mindfulness, Science and Emotions in Learning. The Bulletin is a great source of easy to read well researched themes of relevance and interest to all primary practitioners. I would like to thank Malini Mistry, our Bulletin Editor, for her support and for helping to make the Bulletin initiative such a success. ASPE plans to implement seminars based on a selection of these bulletins so that the authors can discuss with teachers and others how their findings were drawn together reinforcing impact.
Podcasts
Our podcasts aim to bring our publications, particularly our Bulletins and Education 3-13, closer to our followers. My thanks to Rebekah Gear for taking this forward and for creating a draft policy for this activity. I see this as being a major project during the forthcoming year.
Website and social networking
We have continued to improve our website in order to make it more relevant and appealing. I would like to thank Malini Mistry for her work in liaising with our publisher and others, in order to keep the website up-to-date. Our Twitter account has seen more activity. My thanks to the efforts of Rebekah Gear and Andrew Joyce Gibbons, for heightening the profile of ASPE within the education community and beyond.
Broader Representation
This has been a successful year in developing networks and extending influence within the education community. Our partnerships with HHCP and the Primary Umbrella Group (PUG) continues. These networks opportunities offer an opportunity to inform others about ASPE activities
Membership
Our Membership Secretary will provide a full report later in this meeting. ASPE has a loyal core of members, some having supported the association for many years. We have an active PO Box and dedicated email address to enable membership enquiries. The general email address is aspeinfo@aol.co.uk I would like to thank Michelle Murray and her team at the Education Learning Trust for the regular work that has taken place throughout the year in dealing with many enquiries, essential communications, coordinating our membership enquiries, supporting events, chasing payments etc. and for the administration and publication of our Bulletin. It is with deep regret that Michelle will be stepping back from this role as a result of the growth and development of her Trust. I would like to pay tribute Michelle in supporting ASPE over several years. Michelle will nevertheless continue as an Executive member.
Finances
Our Treasurer will outline later in her report on our current finances. We continue to be in a very strong financial position. We are continuing to ensure that royalties received from Education
4
3 -13 are spent on events and other activities that promote the overall objects of ASPE, as outlined in our commitment to the Charity Commission. I would like to thank our Treasurer, Jill Adams for her work in keeping our finances in very good order, throughout the year.
ASPE Constitution
Our current constitution has been in place since 2001 and it has been decided to improve and update it in the light of changes and developments. I would like to thank our committee for their contributions and to Gary Beauchamp for his work in coordinating the changes. There will be an opportunity later in this meeting for the new draft constitution to be formally adopted.
Conclusion
As an association we are quite small but are very active indeed. We continue to maintain our commitment to our core purpose, established over 40 years ago. We strive to lead the way in encouraging practitioners to develop learning opportunities based on good evidence, professional dialogue and the very best of classroom practice.
As Chair of this association for some seven years, the time has come for me to step back from this role and allow others to take our work forward. I have enjoyed seeing the confidence of new trustees grow and the wide range of ASPE activities develop during a time of turbulence in education particularly in the changing face of university teacher education and in the way schools are now managed. Now is the time to allow others to take ASPE forward with new life and vigour. I have been a member of the Executive Committee of ASPE for over 30 years and have witnessed enormous changes and challenges. We are now delivering on the objects set out in the constitution more successfully than ever before. I have enjoyed every minute of my time leading ASPE and it is my wish to continue working as a committee member.
Finally, I would like to thank all members of the Executive Committee for their excellent work throughout the year. Increasingly, the burden of day-jobs, very busy private lives and the need to give time generously to support ASPE activities are becoming difficult to reconcile. Nevertheless, every single member of the Executive Committee, all of whom are volunteers, undertake their duties in a very professional and committed way. This is because they care about education. They care for the academic staff working in colleges, teachers in schools ensuring they model themselves around the ASPE objects fashioned nearly half a century ago and which are relevant today in order that pupils can achieve in schools. This is very commendable! I am deeply appreciative to all of those who work tirelessly to steer practice in this direction. We are the only association that promotes, solely as its main purpose, researched practice in Primary Education. Under new leadership, I am confident that ASPE will continue to strive to achieve in this direction.
Finally, I would like to thank all ASPE members for their continued loyalty. Please help us to recruit and spread the good word to your friends and colleagues.
As always, if you have any comments to make about anything raised in this report, please let us know at aspeinfo@aol.co.uk
Paul Latham Chair of ASPE
6 November 2022
5
Association for the Study of Primary Education No (if any) 1091491 Receipts and payments accountspts and payments accountsts and payments accountspayments accountsayments accountsyments accountsments accounts CC16a
Receipts and payments accountspts and payments accountsts and payments accountspayments accountsayments accountsyments accountsments accounts
For the period Period start date Period end date To from 01/08/2021 31/07/2022
Section A Receipts and payments
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Subscriptions |
1,995 | - | - | 1,995 | 1,605 | ||||
| Interest | 47 | - | - | 47 | 8 | ||||
| Royalities - Informa UK | 66,473 | - | - | 66,473 | 53,619 | ||||
| Conference Sales | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | 68,514 | - | - | 68,514 | 55,233 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | |||||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
|||||||||
| 55,233 | |||||||||
Committee Travel |
2,071 | - | - | 2,071 | 26 | ||||
| Administration Services | 1,690 | - | - | 1,690 | 6,266 | ||||
| ASPE Chair Expenses | 4,500 | - | - | 4,500 | 1,500 | ||||
| 3-13 Publication & Bulletins | 30,791 | - | - | 30,791 | 27,169 | ||||
| Research Projects | 4,850 | - | - | 4,850 | - | ||||
| Insurance | 379 | - | - | 379 | 374 | ||||
| Committee Meetings | 2,244 | - | - | 2,244 | - | ||||
| Conference Costs | 765 | - | - | 765 | 2,500 | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 47,291 | - | - | 47,291 | 37,836 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
|||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | |||||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
|||||||||
| 37,836 | |||||||||
| 21,223 | 17,397 | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| 21,223 | 17,397 |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| CCXX R1 accounts (SS) Categories B1 Cash funds |
1 Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Bank Reserve Account Bank Current Account Liabilities |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 116,165 250 23,667 92,748 Agreement Error |
Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - OK |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| 18/01/2023 OK |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
Details Details Details Details Royalities in Advance Subscriptions in Advance Signature |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) 22292 - 1375 - - - - Print Name JamesPaul Latham |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Date of approval | |||
| JamesPaul Latham | 19.11.2022 | ||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
18/01/2023
2
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
| Report to the trustees/ members of On accounts for the year ended Set out on pages |
Charity Name Association for the Study of Primary Education |
Charity Name Association for the Study of Primary Education |
Charity Name Association for the Study of Primary Education |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 July 2022 | Charity no (if any) |
1091491 | |
| No additional sheets (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) |
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/ / 07 / 2022
Responsibilities and basis of As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in report accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
-
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
-
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
| Signed: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: |
S Carpenter | 17 Nov 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Simon Carpenter | ||
| N/A | ||
| 219 Washington Avenue | ||
| Hemel Hempstead | ||
| Herts HP2 6LT |
1
Oct 2018
IER
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
nothing to report
2
Oct 2018
IER