During the project we will be:

• Carrying out an extensive survey of the literature.
• Developing a framework of characteristics and outcome indicators of effective professional learning communities.
• Surveying the headteachers or continuing professional development (CPD) co-ordinators of a national sample of nursery, primary, secondary and special schools and providing staff in these schools with feedback.
• Examining links between characteristics of effective professional learning communities and pupil progress through detailed statistical analysis.
• Carrying out detailed case studies in 16 different types of school settings or clusters and producing accounts of how members of school-wide professional learning communities promote and work to sustain these communities.
• Exploring the impact of being in a professional learning community for pupils, teachers and support staff, both as individuals and across the organisation.
• Bringing representatives from our case study schools together for workshops to share experiences and research findings.
• Disseminating our findings in ways to support those involved in creating and sustaining effective professional learning communities.