Evaluation of the Northumberland Raising Aspirations In Society (NRAIS) Project

This is the Final Evaluation Report for Northumberland’s Raising Aspirations in Society Project (NRAIS). A key concern in writing this document has been clarity of presentation and balance of argument. In seeking to make the report accessible and of interest to the widest possible audience we have framed our presentation of the data through a series of case studies of NRAIS schools. Through these case studies we illustrate themes from both qualitative and quantitative data strands of the evaluation. Although this is the Final Evaluation Report it is important to note that it is presented as part of a process of illumination in the light of data we have collected over the past three years. An important aspect of this process is that it aims to enable those who funded the NRAIS Project and those who participated in it an opportunity to use progressively the findings of this report to inform their work. We are aware that in any evaluation there are likely to be competing claims for any gains or losses identified and we have sought to utilise approaches and methods that will provide rich insights and understandings of the data we have collected, to identify the impact of the NRAIS Project. In undertaking this evaluation: 1. We designed methods that incorporated quantitative and qualitative data streams and endeavoured to compare the messages derived from each at key points in the evaluation. 2. We progressively structured the sample of case study schools to include those with high, moderate and low NRAIS involvement. 3. We progressively focused our research instruments upon the claims made by Headteachers, teachers and parents who had been supported by the NRAIS projects in terms of gains they attributed exclusively to NRAIS. 4. We shared and tested emerging findings from the evaluation during all three phases of the research with all of those who participated in the research. 5. We considered and drew upon OFSTED reports for each of the case study schools. 6. We commissioned additional research where returns from quantitative research instruments were less than optimal. 7. We invited NSP and the NRAIS Steering Group to comment upon the first draft of the final report. We also asked them to respond to our Report-and-Respond survey, requiring their reactions to a series of statements listing the tentative findings of this evaluation. 8. We invited all participants from the case study schools to complete the Report-andRespond survey and to comment upon our description and analysis of their school. x Evaluation of the Northumberland Raising Aspirations In Society (NRAIS) Project We asked schools who had only participated in the first phase of this evaluation to complete the Report-and-Respond survey. 9. We have drawn upon a range of research literature in relation to, ‘formative evaluation’, ‘illuminative evaluation’ and education research, to explore ways in which inquiry and feedback might be combined to provide sponsors with greater confidence in the wider validity of the tentative findings of this evaluation.