Carrickfergus Grammar School to host internationally renowned research conference

On Saturday, September 28, Carrickfergus Grammar School will host a day of talks featuring world-renowned experts, and local practitioners, helping teachers bridge the gap between research and practice.

ResearchED, which was founded by Tom Bennett in 2013, has organised events around world including in London, Amsterdam, Philadelphia, Cape Town, Chile, Melbourne and Toronto. ResearchEd Belfast, organised by Carrickfergus Grammar School, in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, will be the first event of this kind in the region.

Alex Quigley, bestselling author and specialist in education research and literacy, will be one of ReseachEd Belfast’s keynote speakers, with many other exciting names to be announced soon.

Tickets are expected to be available on sale via Eventbrite in March 2024. To keep up with future updates, follow Twitter/X handle: @researchEDBelf.

In January 2021, Carrickfergus Grammar became the first school in Northern Ireland to appoint a Director of Research. Recently, as founding members of the Cognitive Science Network, teachers at the school have worked with prominent experts in the field of education research, including Kate Jones, Tom Sherrington, Bradley Busch and Peps Mccrea.

James Maxwell, Principal of the school, said: ‘We are delighted to be hosting ResearchED Belfast on September 28, 2024. When the event was held in Dublin, there were always a large contingency of Northern Ireland’s teachers and educationalists travelling down. It is tremendous that ResearchED is now coming to Northern Ireland for the first time.

"Carrickfergus Grammar School has built up strong links with educationalists from across these islands and further afield, and it will be very satisfying to welcome them back to share their expertise. We also hope to have many local speakers to place ResearchED Belfast within a Northern Ireland context.’

Mark Roberts, Director of Research at Carrickfergus Grammar, said: “Being selected as the host of ResearchEd Belfast is a massive privilege. The conference will play a significant role in helping Carrickfergus Grammar support schools in Northern Ireland to develop their understanding of evidence-informed teaching and learning.”