Before working with the Schools Research and Evaluation Unit (REU), many schools are managing large volumes of information without a clear framework for making sense of it. Attendance figures, attainment outcomes, inclusion data and benchmarking all exist, but they often sit separately. Leaders and governors are left asking important questions, without always having the confidence that they are looking in the right place or asking them in the right way.
Gwen Sinnott, Head of the Schools Research and Evaluation Unit, believes the challenge is not technical. It is conceptual. Schools do not just need better data – they need help developing a shared understanding of what that data is for, and how it should inform decision-making.
REU’s role is to act as a thinking partner. Drawing on deep expertise in performance, evaluation and school context, the service works alongside schools to translate complex information into meaningful insight. The focus is not on producing more reports, but on helping leaders and governors develop a clearer, more confident approach to understanding performance across their school.
At the heart of this work is a simple but powerful question: what is your line of enquiry?
From reporting data to developing insight
Rather than encouraging schools to look at everything at once, REU helps them slow down and focus. Gwen believes schools often feel overwhelmed because they are trying to hold too much information at the same time. When schools want to go further, REU can take a more consultancy-based approach, reframing the conversation – starting with what the school is trying to understand, and then using data purposefully to explore that question.
This might involve working with senior leaders, assessment leads or governors to interpret performance information together, test assumptions, and identify what matters most. It builds confidence not just in the numbers themselves, but in the thinking that sits behind them. Over time, schools develop stronger internal capability to interrogate data, spot patterns, and use evidence to guide improvement planning.
This approach is particularly valuable in governance conversations. REU provides an independent, objective view of performance that supports more constructive challenge. Governors are able to engage with data confidently, without it feeling defensive or opaque. Leaders spend less time explaining spreadsheets and more time discussing priorities, risks and next steps.
For some schools, this intelligence is enough on its own. For others, it becomes the starting point for deeper enquiry – using data not just to report performance, but to shape strategic thinking and improvement.