Victoria Junior School in Barrow-in-Furness has been piloting an after-school research club to teach children what makes valid and reliable research.
This pupil-led project has been developed by Barrow Excellence Cluster, which works in partnership with Lancaster University to fund a full-time researcher working with local schools.
The initiative aims to teach children how to develop arguments and opinions based on proper academic research, so that they can approach adults and figures of authority and challenge them with arguments based on solid research.
The scheme also helps to boost confidence, improve speaking and listening, writing, reading and public speaking. The school is now introducing these research techniques into the classroom and across the curriculum due to its success.
