Reflections on an emerging Community of Education, Inquiry and Practice (CEIP)

The catalyst for CEIP

The catalyst for CEIP was the need to create a space where educational innovation could be explored, shared, and developed collectively, rather than remaining confined to isolated pockets of good practice.

As Stef Sullivan, who spearheaded the development of CEIP, explained, individuals from the School of Education (SoE) have been working with colleagues in local schools, colleges, and other educational organisations in “a wide range of innovative and exciting ways to create knowledge and support each other to improve educational outcomes for young people across the region”. However, this tended to be ad hoc and stemmed from personal relationships and connections, with no overarching structure.

There was also a desire to create a democratic community combining academic research and classroom practice “in a reciprocal, non-hierarchical way that respects all practitioners’ expertise” (Rupert). With limited opportunities for educators working in different contexts to “share ideas, solve problems, and learn with and from one another” (Helen Bowhay, CEIP team), CEIP was envisaged as a way to promote professional dialogue across different settings and allow both “spontaneous and more deliberate connections to be made” (Katie Willshire, CEIP team).

The primary purpose of CEIP then lies in:

“bringing people together across different educational contexts, breaking down some of the traditional boundaries and perceived hierarchies between them, and creating a genuinely reciprocal community of inquiry and practice within our local region”. (Helen)

In doing so, CEIP aims to create a ‘meeting of worlds’ which “has the potential to generate new ways of thinking and doing” and provide “new perspectives and opportunities for reflection and innovation” (Katie).

The opportunity to bridge traditional researcher-practitioner divides in this way is critical to both education practitioners and scholars, as Martin Cummings (CEIP team) noted:

“I was drawn to the initiative because it resonates with Lawrence Stenhouse’s (1975) vision of the teacher as researcher, where educational improvement emerges through systematic inquiry and the public sharing of rich tapestries of professional knowledge – not the unidirectional distribution of unquestionable knowledge from academia to school practice”.

From this perspective, our CEIP represents:

“a challenge to both uncritically accepted academic orthodoxies (or what is often referred to as the ‘what works’ agenda) and the persistence of islands of excellence that, while valuable, have limited impact when disconnected from wider educational communities.” (Martin) 

In bringing together colleagues across disciplines and roles in this way, we aim to foster a culture of collaborative inquiry and reflection that enables effective practice to travel, adapt and evolve.

A community of shared learning

At the heart of our CEIP is a commitment to bring together educators, students and stakeholders from across educational settings to explore the questions that matter most to their practice. Rather than imposing a fixed agenda, our vision is:

“to create a democratic scholarly community in which educators, students, and wider stakeholders can collaboratively inquire into practice and drive meaningful educational enhancement.” (Martin)

Photos from the CEIP launch event

Adopting a collaborative model which “values professional curiosity and autonomy” (Katie) enables participants to learn from one another’s experiences and challenges. In this way, issues encountered in one context can be addressed through insights from another, helping to foster “a culture of curiosity, enabling educational innovation to achieve a wider, more sustainable impact both within and across institutions.” (Martin)

CEIP is also about creating a sense of belonging. Katie reflected on the importance of feeling part of “a greater collective” of educators who can work together on common opportunities and barriers. Helen echoed this, describing CEIP as a space where educators have “genuine agency to explore the questions, concerns and challenges that matter to them and to the communities in which they work”, and to use what they learn to bring about meaningful change.

Boundary crossing: learning beyond traditional divides

A distinctive feature of our CEIP, then, is its focus on connecting people across educational phases, sectors and professional roles to facilitate shared knowledge creation. In Stef’s words:

“I think there is a real desire to break down hierarchies and ensure the knowledge and expertise of all involved is recognised and celebrated.”

For Martin, this challenge to the traditional assumption that universities are the primary researchers or owners of knowledge is one of the CEIP’s greatest strengths and central to its commitment to “breaking down silos and preventing effective practice from becoming isolated” within individual institutions.

These partnerships are underpinned by principles of “boundary crossing and learning” (Stef), which encourage participants to engage with different perspectives and ways of working. Rupert emphasised the value of reflecting on both similarities and differences across educational contexts to develop “a better shared understanding of aspects of education” and identify opportunities for collaborative activity to enhance practice.

This relationship between community and innovation lies at the heart of our CEIP. As Helen observed, enabling people to connect through shared interests, questions and commitments, “can generate new thinking, challenge assumptions and support the transfer of ideas and practices between different educational contexts.” And, as the next section indicates, this inclusive approach is already starting to bear fruit.

From conversations to collaboration: CEIP in Action

The diversity of perspectives within CEIP is already leading to new relationships and possibilities which would not be possible in other contexts. Katie reflected on the connections made at the launch event in March and the opportunities for future growth:

“From those conversations, organic connections are made and there is a potential for new professional relationships and collaboration to be forged.” (Katie)

These may develop into formal projects, mentoring relationships, peer support networks, or simply increased confidence in professional networking, and there is already evidence of this happening. Helen reported that recent CEIP sessions have resulted in “a number of embryonic projects” beginning to take shape between people who might never otherwise have met, and some projects are already up and running.

Making a difference for learners and communities

Ultimately, CEIP’s purpose extends beyond professional networking or knowledge exchange – its ambition is to improve educational experiences and outcomes for children and young people.

“Ultimately, CEIP is about making a difference” (Helen), and seeking “localised solutions for learners and practitioners in the East Midlands” (Katie).

Together, these reflections paint a picture of CEIP as more than a partnership or network. It is an evolving community of inquiry: one that values curiosity, collaboration and shared expertise, with the aim of translating collective learning into meaningful change for educators, learners and communities across the region.