Get involved with our research


At Ambition, we aim to create new knowledge for the sector and our programmes by conducting research projects that examine key issues relating to educational disadvantage and school leadership. Below are opportunities to get involved in our work.

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Date published 21 May 2018

Last updated 21 March 2024

School Improvement Research – Deadline 13 June 2018


Did you start a new headship role this year?

We’re looking for headteachers who are finishing their first year in post to help with research into the process of leading school improvement. This could be a novice head, in their first headship, or an experienced head who has moved to a new school and has a track record of school improvement. The research is being conducted in partnership with the University of Southampton and will be used to support novice headteachers as they start their first headships.

What’s involved for you?

We are looking for headteachers and their teams who are willing to share their experience of assessing their school’s improvement priorities, selecting strategies for improvement and monitoring their success. This will involve interviews with the headteacher, other senior leaders and teachers.

How will we use the findings?

We will create anonymous case studies that will inform the development of a diagnostic tool to help novice headteachers with their school improvement journey. We will share a summary of the findings through a free and publicly available research report.

How can you find out more?

If you’re interested in participating or would like more information, please email [email protected] (Research and Evaluation Manager at Ambition School Leadership) who can provide more details about the study. If you are an experienced head, please mention the school in which you were previously posted as well as your current school in your email.

Please share this information with any heads who you think might like to be involved.

MAT Workforce Development and Succession Planning – Deadline 4 June 2018

We’re looking for executive leaders to join the consultative board for our new research into MAT workforce development and succession planning.

What is the research about?

We're working with the Education Policy Institute to learn about MAT workforce development and succession planning. The Education Policy Institute will be analysing the school workforce census to understand the progression of teachers and leaders in MATs and to look at workforce retention and mobility.

Ambition will be reviewing the data and using it to identify case studies of effective or interesting practice. We will then be approaching these MATs to share their practice.

What’s involved for you?

You will join a group of executive leaders with whom we will share the early quantitative findings. We will ask you to identify the patterns of retention and progression which are most interesting to you. We will ask you what you would want to learn from the leaders of those trusts, in order to inform our qualitative research.

How will we use the findings?

The findings will be shared in a free and publicly available research report and will also inform the content of our development programmes.

How can you find out more?

If you’re interested in participating or would like more information, please email [email protected] (Research and Evaluation Manager at Ambition School Leadership) who can provide more details about the study.


This article originally appeared on the website of Ambition School Leadership. In March 2019, the Institute for Teaching merged with Ambition School Leadership to form Ambition Institute.


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