Richard has extensive experience conducting consulting assignments in a wide range of countries, including: Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Brunei, England, Dubai, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Wales, United States.Recent assignments and projects:- Research support to Fusion Education in the USA- Market Analysis Policy Adviser ASEAN FCDO- Leading an evidence-based practice in Sierra Leone as part of the FCDO What Works Hub- Leading a programme of Workload Reduction Research for the Department for Education in England- Leading the Colleges of Excellence Institutional Reviews in Saudi Arabia (TVTC Training Units) [3 months leading a team 32 reviewers]- Programme Director for the DfE's new route into teaching Future Teaching Scholars (0.5)- Global Teacher Prize Varkey Foundation Teacher Ambassadors teacher-led RCTs across the world (in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Columbia, England, India, Lebanon, Malawi, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, South Africa, the United States)- Neuroscience-Informed Teacher-Led Randomised Controlled Trials with the Wellcome Trusthttps://www.educationdevelopmenttrust.com/en-GB/news-and-blogs/news/2017/science-of-teaching. Follow the project on Twitter @teacherled_RCTs- Evidence Based Supervision programme with QRTA (Jordan), for supervisors working with teachers who are teaching refugee children- Supporting the Chief Inspector at the National Inspectorate Board in Ghana to design a new pilot school inspection framework for all schools in Ghana

Expertly unpacks, in an easy-to-read and instantly useable way, what every teacher needs to know about the brain and how we really learn and what that suggests for how they should teach. Foreword by Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE. Everyone is curious about the brain including your learners! Not only can knowing more about the brain be a powerful way to understand what happens when your pupils and, of course, you pick up new knowledge and skills, but it can also offer a theoretical basis for established or new classroom practice. And as the field of neuroscience uncovers more of nature s secrets about the way we learn and further augments what we already know about effective teaching this book advocates more efficient pedagogies rooted in a better understanding and application of neuroscience in education.

Teacher-led research can transform practice and enhance attainment and school improvement. 'Teacher-Led Research' by Richard Churches and Eleanor Dommett equips teachers with the essential knowledge to design their own classroom research projects. With knowledge of scientific method, teachers can conduct their own research into areas of particular interest in their classrooms, taking control of education research and using it to inform their practice. Teachers can, for example, assess the impact of different pedagogies and prove which strategies work, which can ultimately enhance learning and attainment for pupils and drive whole-school improvement. New and innovative approaches led by teaching schools (outstanding schools following the model of teaching hospitals) are beginning to apply the same approaches used in clinical practice to their school improvement focused research work. In Teacher-Led Research you will learn how to apply similar approaches within your own classroom and in collaboration with others across different schools.

Science is regularly providing new and interesting insights into the brain. While some of the latest neuroscientific research on how the brain learns supports what we already know about effective teaching and learning, new knowledge about learning, memory and the classroom environment can help teachers to become even more confident and effective in their work with children and learners. In Learning & the Brain Pocketbook, two neuroscientists and a leading education writer unpack material that will enable teachers to help students learn better. Using cartoons, diagrams, bullets, and other visual devices to make the content accessible and memorable, the book begins by identifying and exploding a few 'neuro-myths'. It goes on to provide information about brain structure and how teachers can benefit from this knowledge. The authors explain how the brain learns and they provide a range of practical classroom strategies to support learning. There are sections on memory and brain development and how to capitalise on what we know in these fields in the classroom. Another section offers tips and techniques to enhance what teachers do with all learners, including those with specific difficulties. Future issues for brain science in the classroom are considered and the authors look at how brain science challenges our thinking and raises some controversial questions. A helpful reflective summary concludes the Pocketbook

Research consistently demonstrates that teacher effectiveness is about engagement, levels of interaction, questioning, positive atmosphere, teacher expectations and degree of challenge. At the heart of all these areas is the ability to communicate effectively. How you do that, not just on a day-to-day basis, but minute by minute and second by second, is fundamental to what children learn and remember and to how they behave. Using cartoons, diagrams and visual prompts to support the text throughout, the book opens with a look at what highly effective teachers do and offers a four-step approach to improving communication skills. It goes on to explain, with examples, how to use influential language patterns to support learning and positive behaviour; the secrets of body language and non-verbal communication; how to communicate to create the right emotional climate; and, effective questioning techniques, etc. A reflective summary helps readers review the key learning.

The teaching profession, at its core, is the business of growing brains – but (most) teachers are not trained neuroscientists! And so every day, teachers enter their classrooms trying to understand the way their students think to best support their learning – and finally there is a resource that will make this job a lot easier. In Neuroscience for Teachers two neuroscientists and a leading education writer expertly unpack, in an easy-to-read and instantly usable way, the latest research on the things thatwill help your learners to learn better.Readers are encouraged to join the Churches, Dommett and Devonshire as learning partners, as they oversee the process of testing laboratory-based theories within the classroom context. The authors are strong advocates for school-based research and provide excellent guidance for teachers to conduct their controlled trials in their own classrooms, using the research presented in the book. As the field of neuroscience uncovers more of nature’s secrets about the way we learn – and further augments what we already know about effective teaching – this book advocates using more efficient pedagogies rooted in a better understanding and application of neuroscience in education, and shares up-to-date information in relation to:- the nature of learning and types of memory- how the right emotional climate boosts learning- catering for individual differences and special needs- improving learners’ metacognitive powers- exposing learners to desirable difficulties- understanding the developing teenage brain. With its worked examples and suggestions as to how to enhance personal effectiveness and improve classroom delivery, Neuroscience for Teachers provides accessible, practical guidance on what every teachers needs to know about the brain and how we really learn – and what that suggests for how they should teach.

Our Evidence-Based Supervision approach, designed by Richard in 2017, is a systematic way to enable teacher growth and improve pupil outcomes. It combines quality feedback through diagnostic lesson observation with access to education research evidence (presented clearly and simply, on ‘intervention cards’). This is combined with GROW model coaching and evaluation. This is the seventh delivery of the programme with previous deliveries in Jordan and Lebanon.

The Future Teaching Scholars programme is a new route into teaching. It aims to select outstanding maths and physics A level students who then commit to a six year support programme during their undergraduate years, ITT training and for two years beyond. A sophisticated assessment centre process has been devised and the programme is aiming to bring into teaching 330 people over three years. Scholars achieve Qualified Teacher Status in association with an outstanding Teaching School SCITT and complete a post-graduate certificate in education evidence (PGCEiE) with Durham University (60 Masters level CAT points). School based support is delivered by 13 Teaching Schools and 26 Regional Training Co-ordinators.

Richard provided support to the Teaching Schools Council and 8 Lead Schools using the DfE Workload Reduction Toolkit to enable them to carry out quantitative research projects exploring the effects of school-led workload reduction strategies. Enabling schools to work together to produce robust evidence about workload reduction and its effects on student attainment, teacher well-being and use of teacher time. Using research methods (including teacher-led RCTs) to produce valid and reliable effect sizes and an overall meta-analysis of the findings to support the use of the toolkit.

Wellcome Trust funded teacher-led RCT programme in partnership with STEM Learning. Initial trials, replication phase and meta-analysis.

In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) heath emergency - Richard is part of the team providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Education in Jordan to support the development of their Education During Emergency Plan (2020-2022). Richard has overall Quality Assurance (QA) responsibility for the plan: ensuring expert quality control and oversight of the highest integrity. The role includes:quality assurance of deliverables and reports, strategic development processes, guidance and project oversight.

Education Development Trust conducted institutional reviews of 25 TVTC Training Units [TVET colleges reporting to TVTC] across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Richard led the team of 32 experienced school inspectors who wrote the individual institutional review reports for each of the Training Units. The programme was part of the CBC+ initiative reporting in to the VRO.

Varkey Foundation Global Ambassadors (teachers nominated in the top 50 of the Global Teacher Prize) were trained by Richard to design and deliver randomised controlled trials. 19 trials were completed in 11 countries (Australia, Chile, Colombia, India, Lebanon, Malawi, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the United States.

Richard led a programme of 34 teacher-led randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and replications. Teachers with prior experience designing RCTs, some with neuroscience or psychology degrees, collaborated to explore the effect of science of learning-translated pedagogy. Teachers designed the trials, looking at areas such as attention, memory, and spaced learning. Overall, positive effects were found over short periods [one to six weeks] (r = 0.15, p < .0001 [d = 0.30], N = 2,157). However, retrieval practice (testing as a learning experience) had differential effects mediated by age, approach, and lesson content. Results suggest science of learning-translated pedagogy needs extensive replication to establish how best to use laboratory evidence according to pupil context and subject areas. Multiple planned replication of teacher-led RCTs has potential as an evaluation tool, combining high levels of mundane realism with strong internal validity and the potential to build cost effective large samples for meta-analysis.

Based in the Ministry of Education in Brunei Darussalam and reporting directly to the permanent secretary Richard set up the National Literacy and Numeracy programme leading a team of 16 expert international consultants. The consultancy team and supporting associates included former National Strategy Directors Alan Howe and Colin Penfold; and Sir Kevan Collins, Claire Buntic and Lucy Crehan.

This programme made a major contribution to the government’s drive towards a self-improving school system and the evidence based teaching profession, paralleling evidence based practice in medicine. Richard led the delivery of large-scale randomised controlled trials in 200 teaching schools and 700 trial site schools in England. The programme also built research capacity in teaching schools by providing training in experimental research methods for use in teacher practitioner research and for school improvement.

Lead author drafting the UAE Professional Teaching Standards and Professional Leadership Standards as part of a team based at the Ministry of Education in Dubai, prior to the standards going out for consultation.The UAE carried out major reform of its education system with teacher and leadership standards seen as a central policy leaver aimed at driving up standards. Richard drafted the Professional Teaching Standards Framework and the Professional Leadership Standards Framework and provided support in the preliminary consultation and piloting phase, working with the project team to develop the Teacher Policy Documents.

The Ministry of Education in Kuwait commissioned CfBT Education Trust to design a framework for the external review of all private in Kuwait. Richard designed and delivered the training for all ministry employees who will carry-out the schools visits with support from a CfBT experienced inspection team leader.

Providing research adviser support for 30 Teaching Schools and Teaching School Alliances carrying out practitioner action research into effective language teaching. A final report with an introduction by Richard was published in March 2013

This was the first major teacher development programme commissioned by Tatweer (a government agency set up by King Abudullah in 2008). Richard was the design lead based in Riyadh for the start up of the national New Teacher Development Programme. He led the team of 17 consultants, writers and experts who produced the first draft of 2,100 screens of online learning, primary and secondary teacher effectiveness textbooks and materials and training programmes. The initial programme aimed to provide initial teacher training for 32,000 new teachers supported by 500 trainers and 2,500 local supervisors.

Following the election of the coalition government, the National College for School Leadership was asked by Michael Gove (Secretary of State for Education) to redesign the English headteacher qualification. Based at the National College for two months, Richard drafted the framework and programme architecture document for the new qualification. The DfE approved the new programme design in April-May. This work included capturing views from consultations across the country, defining the national strategic delivery issues implicit in various models, scoping options and recommendations, together with synthesising evidence from extensive reviews of international school leadership provision, MBA programmes and market research.

Richard was the UK professional lead advising LSIS on the start up of the Financial Capability Support Programme, 14-19. This programme’s implementation was unique because it was delivered across the entire UK. This included, initially, the strategic leadership of all professional delivery and writing teams within England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the strategic overview of the start up development of professional delivery and two websites. For one year, the programme delivered innovative local events and opportunities through four consortium partners (National Skills Academy for Financial Services, Scotland’s Colleges, Educational Guidance Service for Adults; National Training Federation for Wales).

Richard led the design, commissioning and writing of all professional development for Fast Track Teaching, the world’s first accelerated leadership development programme in education. At its height, Richard was responsible for the professional quality and impact of 6,000 coaching sessions per year, online learning resources and 2,500 two and three-day residential training events. This included the productions of DVDs and CDROMs containing video examples of good practice in coaching, discussions and a full-length documentary. Richard led 75 consultants (including 25 Trainers and 50 Personal Leadership Tutors who were managed by a team of 9 Lead Tutor direct reports

Andrew Adonis launched the London Leadership Strategy during his time as Minister for London Schools. Richard designed, commissioned and led the Coaching Programme for Senior and Middle Leaders across London Schools and the Consultant Leaders Programme for EBD (Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties) Schools and PRUs (Pupil Referral Units). Both programmes were unique in their time for bringing into education ideas about people, leadership and change from the wider private and public sectors. The Consultant Leader Programme also included the production of training videos in coaching skills (on which Richard appeared as the expert presenter) as well as the innovative use of the MBTI, FIRO-B and SDI personality questionnaires.

As managing editor, Richard led a team of 13 internationally respected expert writers for two years. Over 6000 aspiring headteachers in England used the editions produced during Richard’s tenure as managing editor to support their achievement of the qualification. This role included maintaining effective relationships with all government departments to ensure that the materials were completely up-to-date with government policy. As well as editorial oversight of the materials, Richard was the author of two of the sixteen revised units: Understanding the characteristics of good teaching and learning; Securing good teaching and effective learning.

Working closely with the senior team at QCDA and the Director of the National Strategies (Alan Howe), Richard designed with subject associations the reform solution implemented across all secondary schools in England targeting 50,000 Foundation Subject Leaders and all 152 local authorities in England. Once designed he led the team of 10 National Subject Leads (employees of the major Subject Associations) and teams of 350 Regional Subject Advisers who were organised by subject area and region. His team also included a National Local Authority Lead and 19 Local Authority New Secondary Curriculum Advisers. Richard was commissioning editor for all the web based materials for the Foundation Subject areas including 50 video case studies (Art, Citizenship, Design Technology, Geography, History, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, PE, PSHEe, RE).

Advised government client on the solution to increase the amount of learning which took place outside the classroom across all England’s primary and secondary schools. This included advising on the revision of HASPEV (Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits) and the commissioning of 70 writers from across the sector. Materials were free to access for all 400,000 English teachers.

The Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB) of KHDA was established by Decision 38 of The Executive Council of the Government of Dubai in 2007. DSIB provides comprehensive information on the standard of private school education in Dubai, which helps to inform improvement planning at school and policy level. Education Development Trust have delivered these inspections on behalf of DSIB since it was established. Richard was part of the team that selected, trained and accredited inspectors.

Team member on Ofsted inspections in England.