ASPE Annual report 2023 – 2024 September 2024 ## **Professor Gary Beauchamp** – Chair of ASPE **Mrs Rebekah Gear** – Vice Chair of ASPE We are pleased to report on the exciting developments which are taking place within ASPE since the last AGM. Building on the core values we developed last year, we have invested in a new website, which will be launched after the AGM today. This is a significant development and we intend to use it to revitalise our membership numbers in all parts of the primary sector, around the UK and beyond. We have also continued to invest in new research projects and these are reported below. ## Website redesign AGM 2024 ASPE is an organisation with a diverse and dispersed membership and thus requires a website that can fulfil many of the functions and expectations that members can reasonably ask of it. Our website is not only a window onto the activities of ASPE, but an important dissemination channel for information for members for research for teachers, and an educational resource. We engaged a professional web developer to redevelop our website who has worked in conjunction with members of the ASPE executive committee. We believe the new platform highlights, celebrates and supports all aspects of our work and has made administration more efficient. Since the last AGM the website has developed in the following ways: - Online membership subscription and e-commerce platform for both invoicing and direct debit is up and running including automated annual billing for membership fees. - A members online benefits area, which includes access to exclusive research in the form of our 'Reaching into Research journal', book discounts and other media which promote the work of ASPE. - A new funding application form is integrated into the website. - Policies have been published on the website. - Previous ASPE bulletins and ASPE podcasts are published and free to access for all. ## Next steps - The ability to promote and purchase tickets and mail newsletters regarding ASPE events via appropriate platforms. - Soft launch and consideration of honorary members and current members. Whilst the redesign and maintenance of the website represents a significant financial and time investment, the executive committee believes strongly that this is the best interests of members to allow access by computer, mobile and other digital means. ## Our Publications and Outputs APSE has two main platforms: _Education 3-13_ and the new biannual publication: _Reaching into Research: Conversations from Primary Classrooms_ – replacing the previous _Bulletin_ . Both of these are peer-reviewed, but _Reaching into Research_ contains shorter research informed articles, published by ASPE as a membership benefit and only available to members on the new ASPE website. The aim of this publication is to encourage practitioners to shift from being consumers of research to contributors by providing a platform that celebrates their work. Reports for each follow: ## Executive Editor’s Report on Education 3-13 ## **September 2024** I am pleased to be able to report that _Education 3-13_ continues to progress very well. The most recent publisher’s report, provided by Routledge, shows that: - once again, submissions continue to rise considerably and are now in excess of 400 per year, with items now being submitted from an everincreasing number of jurisdictions from around the world; - full-text downloads of articles have increased to another record level and are approaching half a million per year; - the citation level of the journal has risen in the past year, meaning that more academic colleagues are quoting work published in the journal. The continually increasing amount of material submitted to the journal does, however, mean that in excess of a quarter of a million words of material needs to be dealt with each year. This causes a perennial challenge in managing the huge inflow of articles, all of which have to be logged into the system, sent out for review and analysed for final decision whether to designate items for publication. As colleagues will be aware, not surprisingly, and despite the fact that reviewers are requested to be very selective, this inflow has also led to a considerable backlog of material awaiting publication and _Education 3-13_ now has well over a year’s worth of work awaiting publication. The process of ‘online first’, which has been employed by Routledge for some time, means that all items that are accepted for publication appear online within a few weeks of being forwarded to the publisher, but authors often have a long wait before publication in paper form. The various institutional and national systems of research monitoring in different countries mean that while some authors are happy for their item to be published virtually, for others only full print publication is acceptable. In the past, Routledge has agreed to increase the number of issues per year and they have risen over time during our collaboration with Routledge from four issues per year to eight. In addition, Routledge has increased the number of items per issue so that each issue is now much longer than was the case in the past. Nonetheless, the increasing popularity of the journal has meant that the challenge of how to deal with the amount of submissions remains constant. We have, as an editorial team, agreed to steadily increase our expectations about the quality of items included, which can also have benefits such as assisting in increasing citation rates for the journal, and we have agreed to carry out occasional moderation exercises in order to ensure that our expectations are all at a similar level. In addition, Routledge has indicated that they intend to make the final issue of 2024 an extra-large issue so that papers and reviews that have been waiting some time can be published. As colleagues will be aware, the editorial team for general issues now consists of Dr Paul Adams, Dr Elizabeth Malone and Dr Peter wood, who help very considerably in carrying the burden of reviews. As a team we are also, of course, grateful for the continued support of our many invited reviewers. Professor Dominic Wyse, Professor Alice Bradbury and Dr Yana Manchurian of the Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy, at University College London, continue to oversee special issues of the journal and three such special issues have now been published this year including: - Issue 1, on Reimagining Education after Covid, guest edited by Amelia Hempel Jorgenson and Alice Bradbury (my very great thanks are extended here to Professor Bradbury for completing the development of this work after the very sad death of Dr Jorgenson during the development of the Issue); - Issue 6, on Understanding and Enacting Children’s Voices in Schools, guest edited by John O’Reilly of the University of Limerick; - Issue 7, on Language, Literacy and Literature, guest edited by Teresa Cremin and Helen Hendry. My thanks are extended to all of the guest editors and to the staff of the HHCP for developing and producing three such interesting and informative issues. The process of gathering together a team of writers, overseeing the completion of the articles and collating all the material is very time-consuming and their generous commitment to the journal is to be applauded. Malini Mistry remains our valued Book Reviews Editor and she has worked very hard to ensure that we have a large number of book reviews this year. As many colleagues will be aware, the decision was taken this year to change the titles of the editorial team so that the former Deputy Editors for general issues are now listed as ‘Editors’ and the Editor as ‘Executive Editor’. This not only reflects the common nomenclature in many journals of a similar size to _Education 3-13_ but is also meant as a reflection of the nature of the commitment being shown by all of these colleagues. In addition to the publication of the eight issues of the journal this year the celebratory text for the fiftieth year of the journal was published in 2023 in hardback form, entitled _Contemporary Issues in Primary Education – Fifty Years of Education 3-13_ . I am pleased to report that Routledge have recently produced the same text in paperback form. A further edited text based on articles published _in Education 3-13_ , entitled _Forest Schools: The Research Evidence_ , edited by Mark Brundrett, Elizabeth Malone, and Avril Rowley, has now been submitted to Routledge and is likely to appear early in 2025. As always, my great thanks go to: the Editors and Deputy Editors of the journal, all of the reviewers (who give their time without charge), the guest editors, the writers, and colleagues at Routledge. Special thanks go, as always, to Emma Fitzgerald, the journal Administrator/ Manager, who has to deal with the huge and ever-increasing inflow of material to the journal. In addition, I thank colleagues on the Executive Committee of ASPE for their support. _Mark Brundrett Executive Editor, Education 3-13, 9[th] September 2024_ . ## Reaching into Research Since the last ASPE report two issues of `Reaching into Research’ have been published to replace the previous _Bulletins_ with new format and new review peer process. The first issue focused on the impact of pedagogy on practice and included some articles on pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL). The second issue focused on learning in different ways and even included an article on comparing aspects of Early Years between England and Finland through an international lens. All articles are fully and robustly peer reviewed by members of the executive committee and further support is also offered to authors to help their articles achieve publication. Topics for consideration are broad and varied across Early Years and the Primary sectors and include the dissemination of practical research to more in-depth think pieces that link theory and practice. ## Funded projects A very positive development since the last AGM is the ongoing development of funded projects in Scotland as well as Wales, reflecting our commitment to exploring primary education throughout the different national contexts, policies and curricula around the UK. These grants are up to £5,000 and are open to primary schools, universities with school partners or other members of the primary sector. The application process has been streamlined and moved online as part of the new website. Each bid is reviewed by the Executive committee throughout the year, using the following criteria: - Timeliness of project - Viability of successful completion; - Quality of partnership (if applicable); - Appropriateness of methods quality of analysis; - Potential impact on pupils’ learning and development; - Potential impact of teachers’ development of research skills - Value for money; - Contribution to the study of primary education. One member of the executive committee is allocated as link to each project to ensure clear communication and support. In addition, each project reports back on progress to every executive committee meeting. The expectation is that successful projects will submit a paper to _Education 3-13_ and contribute to ASPE events, such as seminars and conferences. Short reports of new funded projects this year: ## **Augmented Reality in the Primary School** **Project Lead** : Dr Stavros Nikou **Lead Organisation:** Strathclyde Institute of Education, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow ## **School partners:** Holy Cross Primary School St Patrick's Primary School St Helen’s Primary School St Michael’s Primary School ## **Progress Update** - Data collection completed June 2024 - Data analysis currently being undertaken (September 2024) - Plan for Project Lead to present at SERA conference in November - Plan for Project Lead to write journal article and submit to 3-13 - Teachers and project lead to write article for _Reaching Into Research_ ## **"Dyslexia and Wobbly Wellbeing: A Scoping Study"** - **Final Report Summary** _Dr Helen Ross, Dr Peter Wood and Dr Elizabeth Malone_ "Dyslexia and Wobbly Wellbeing: A Scoping Study" explores the relationship between literacy challenges faced by young primary school students, particularly those with dyslexia, and their overall wellbeing. Conducted in Burdon Grove Primary School in the Southwest of England, this research explores young people’s self-perception, experiences of literacy in the , and school policies that impact their wellbeing. The study reveals that literacy-related anxiety, particularly around spelling, is a significant source of stress for young learners at Burson Grove Primary School. Learners in this study struggled with feelings of inadequacy, which negatively affects their self-concept and emotional wellbeing. Writing was also identified as a source of anxiety, with poor performance often linked to a negative outlook. Furthermore, the research underscores the importance of adaptive teaching approaches and flexible learning spaces, such as outdoor areas, in fostering a positive educational environment. Students valued opportunities to learn in spaces outside traditional classrooms, which helped alleviate stress and build confidence. This was supported by the use of tools like affirmation and regulation stations within classrooms. Despite the challenges of identifying dyslexia early due to limited resources, the study highlights the importance of early intervention and adaptive teaching, which were found to boost both academic performance and emotional wellbeing. The project’s findings suggest that a holistic approach to literacy difficulties and wellbeing is essential in supporting students’ long-term academic and personal development. The project also highlights the importance of further work, in a wider range of settings to gain deeper insight into connections between young people’s experience of literacy in school, whether they have literacy-specific challenges or otherwise, and the links between these experiences and students’ wellbeing more broadly. ## Future projects and events: The Executive Committee regularly review new proposal and we will update you each year. We will be organising seminars based on previously funded projects in the coming year and these will be free to members. ## Expanding membership Last year we lowered membership rates to acknowledge the challenging times we live in. A key focus on the coming year will be a major recruitment drive now that our new website is up and running, which will allow a streamlined joining and payment system. We hope that all members of ASPE will share this link: https://aspe.org.uk/become-a-member-of-aspe/ to revitalise our membership. ## Conclusion We remain committed to enhancing existing activities and involving ASPE members from around the UK. This remains an exciting time for ASPE and, as last year, we continue to evolve to meet new challenges and opportunities. We look forward to working with you and new members to take our work forward for the benefit of all those involved in primary education. _Gary and Bekah._ ## **ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF PRIMARY EDUCATION** |||**INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT**|**INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT**|**INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT**|**INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT**|**INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT**|||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024**|||||||| ||||||||||| ||||**2024**||||**2023**||| ||||||||||| ||**INCOME**|**£**||**£**||**£**||**£**|| ||||||||||| ||Subscriptions|600.00||||1,375.00|||| ||Interest|2,345.73||||1,004.65|||| ||Royalties - Informa UK|82,712.02||||84,780.16|||| ||Conference Sales|0.00||85,657.75||664.50||87,824.31|| ||||||||||| ||**EXPENDITURE**||||||||| ||||||||||| ||Committee Travel|2,038.36||||1,880.70|||| ||Administration Services|1,452.40||||387.76|||| ||Website costs|2,909.01||||2,121.60|||| ||Equipmentpurchases|2,113.20||||0.00|||| ||Reimbursement Humanities 202|0.00||||919.82|||| ||ASPE Chair Expenses|0.00||||1,500.00|||| ||3-13 Publication & Bulletins|31,542.43||||28,504.25|||| ||Research Projects|9,036.30||||3,350.00|||| ||Insurance|437.81||||389.54|||| ||Committee Meetings|3,047.00||||1,395.78|||| ||Conference Costs 2022/23|0.00||52,576.51||6,496.16||46,945.61|| ||||||||||| ||Profit for the Year|||33,081.24||||40,878.70|| ||||||||||| ||||||||||| ||||||||||| ||||||||||| ## **ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF PRIMARY EDUCATION** ||||**BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 JULY 2024**|**BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 JULY 2024**|**BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 JULY 2024**|**BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 JULY 2024**|**BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 JULY 2024**|**BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 JULY 2024**||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||||||||||||| |||||**2024**||||||**2023**||| |||||||||||||| ||**CURRENT ASSETS**||**£**||**£**||**£**||||**£**|| |||||||||||||| ||Cash at Bank|||||||||||| ||Reserve Account||183,504.92||||150,643.68|||||| ||Current Account||250.00||183,754.92||250.00||||150,893.68|| |||||||||||||| ||**CURRENT LIABILITIES**|||||||||||| |||||||||||||| ||Royalties in Advance||16,667.00||||16,667.00|||||| ||Subscriptions in Advance||380.00||17,047.00||600.00||||17,267.00|| |||||||||||||| ||||||166,707.92||||||133,626.68|| |||||||||||||| |||||||||||||| ||REPRESENTED BY:-|||||||||||| |||||||||||||| ||Accumulated Fund as at 1|Aug2023|||133,626.68||||||92,747.98|| ||Profit for the Year||||33,081.24||||||40,878.70|| |||||||||||||| ||||||166,707.92||||||133,626.68|| |||||||||||||| |||||||||||||| |||||||||||||| |||**BANK RECONCILIATION**|||**STATEMENT AS AT 31**|||**JULY**||**2024**||| |||||||||||||| ||||||**£**||**£**|||||| |||||||||||||| ||Balance asper Bank Statement||||||183,504.92|||||| |||||||||||||| |||||||||||||| ||Add: OutstandingLodgements||||0.00|||0.00||||| |||||||||||||| |||||||||||||| ||Less: Unpresented cheques||||0.00|||0.00||||| |||||||||||||| |||||||||||||| ||Balance asper cashbook||||||183,504.92|||||| CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WAIES Indep•ndent examln•rfs report on tho accounts Section A Indwnd•ni Ex*nln•i'• R•pon 10•1491 IW •ny} diw TnAllfw th• 2011 (IM kn.) 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