Turning evidence into action through research that is shaped by context, centred on people, and usable in real educational contexts.
What is Close‑to‑Practice Research?
Close‑to‑practice research bridges the gap between research and the everyday realities of educational settings. It’s about helping educators, practitioners and leaders explore questions that matter, test ideas in context, and build knowledge that is both rigorous and practical.
This is not research done to settings. It is research done with them.
Why choose Close‑to‑Practice with Education in First Gear?
Our approach is shaped by my experiences over years as a practitioner‑researcher, ITE mentor, lead mentor, and school development lead. Our collective vision is to ensure we support settings to engage with research in ways that feel purposeful, manageable, and rooted in their own context. This level of experience and passion also resonates with the backgrounds of the associates, who work alongside me.
Close‑to‑practice work with Education in First Gear Ltd is:
- Collaborative, built alongside staff rather than delivered at them
- Context‑sensitive, shaped by your setting’s priorities and people
- Evidence‑informed, drawing on research without overwhelming teachers
- Agency‑driven, empowering staff to lead inquiry, not just participate in it
- Sustainable, designed to build long‑term capacity, not short‑term projects
This is research that builds traction, strengthens professional identity, and supports meaningful, lasting improvement
1. Practitioner Research Support
Helping teachers design and carry out small‑scale inquiries that matter.
- Identifying meaningful questions
- Designing manageable inquiry cycles
- Collecting and interpreting evidence
- Making findings usable in practice
- Sharing learning across teams
2. Research‑Engaged School Development
Supporting leaders to embed inquiry into school culture.
- Building research‑engaged teams
- Developing shared approaches to inquiry
- Aligning research with school priorities
- Strengthening professional dialogue
- Creating sustainable structures for ongoing learning
3. Coaching for Inquiry
One‑to‑one or team coaching for teachers and leaders engaged in research.
- Clarifying focus and purpose
- Navigating challenges and complexity
- Reflecting on findings
- Planning next steps
- Building confidence as practitioner‑researchers
4. CPD Linked to Close‑to‑Practice Work
Training that supports inquiry, including:
- Introduction to practitioner research
- Making evidence accessible
- Designing close‑to‑practice projects
- Using inquiry to strengthen curriculum and pedagogy
Close‑to‑practice research is flexible and responsive, taking the form that best fits your school. Sessions can be delivered online or in person, and every partnership is shaped around your context, your goals, and your people.
Our approach is grounded in principles that ensure research feels purposeful, manageable, and genuinely usable. We work in ways that empower rather than impose, supporting staff to lead their own inquiries with confidence and clarity. We listen before we lead, adapting with intention so the work is rooted in your school’s reality. We prioritise equity over exclusivity, making research accessible to all, and we champion agency over compliance, recognising teachers and leaders as knowledge‑builders in their own right.
This work is designed to build traction, strengthen professional identity, and support sustainable improvement. We will also help you share your learning through a range of outputs, from conference presentations and practitioner toolkits to blogs, case studies, and shareable resources.
What Settings Say…
“It was a pleasure to work with Bekah on preparing and delivering a conference on curriculum design. Her passion for research, learning and sharing knowledge is inspiring and empowering.“
Diverse Academies Trust
“As a member of her research and innovation work group exploring ‘Equity ‘disadvantage’ and ‘Teaching Maths for Mastery’, I was able to change practice across the Flying High Partnership. This included mapping classrooms, to ensure that children from underserved backgrounds are sat near the most articulate mathematicians. It also helped me to develop a Trust wide charter of what makes a good mathematician, thus enabling teachers to allocate competencies to children, allowing everyone to view themselves as a successful mathematician. This has clearly had an impact in maths, as children eligible for Pupil Premium across FHP (82% at ARE in Y6 SATs) outperformed children nationally NOT eligible for pupil premium (79% at ARE).”
Flying High Partnership
“Rebekah’s Close to Practice project fundamentally influenced my approach to practice-based research. Her CtP workshops and collaborative approach shaped my own scholarship inquiry”
Nottingham Trent University
“The CTP partnership with NTU changed my practice in many ways; primarily, it opened my eyes to the value of practitioner led research, both in evaluating my own practice, but also in shaping the practice of others. One of the most pleasing aspects was the breaking down of barriers between academia and practice – before the partnership, there was an element of not seeing your own research as somehow as valid as academic led study, however through working alongside NTU you quickly realised how impactful you could be.”
Maths Faculty Leader
Ready to Research?
If you or your setting is ready to engage with research in a way that is grounded, manageable, and meaningful, we would love to hear from you!
Send us your enquiry below:
Professional learning that strengthens practice across all educational settings
