(WLGA 2023-25)

Arad conducted an evaluation of the National Music Service. This is a £15 million investment from the Welsh Government to support music education in schools and communities across Wales and ensure equality of opportunity in accessing musical experiences and activities. Arad developed a logic model and evaluation framework to support the overall evaluation and worked with local authority music services across Wales to assess the progress and impact of the NMS. One of the main aims of the evaluation was to assess the impact of accessing music experiences on the wellbeing of learners in schools and community groups across Wales.

(EESW 2022-2023)

Arad evaluated the STEM Cymru 2 project funded by the ESF, which brings STEM engagement activities to schools, including the Formula One Challenge and Girls into STEM, in partnership with universities and employers. The evaluation included desk research of monitoring data and consultations/focus groups with students, teachers, project staff, participating employers, and industry representatives.

HEFCW (2023)

The main objectives of Arad’s research were to provide HEFCW with insights and understanding of the issues faced by PGR students. The research covered key aspects of this experience including academic support, development and training opportunities, community building among PGR students and representation at the institutional level. The methodology involved a combination of qualitative interviews with HEIs and wider stakeholders and focus groups with PGR students from eight HEIs in Wales.

(Welsh Government, 2016-18)

Arad undertook an evaluation of the Pioneer School Model, which is developing a new curriculum for Wales (including digital competency and professional development). The Pioneer Schools model is an innovative approach that involves collaboration between national and regional partners and schools. The evaluation provided real-time feedback to Welsh Government on how the model is being delivered and capturing any learning that can inform subsequent stages of delivery. The evaluation involved in-depth fieldwork over two years with over a hundred pioneer schools and key stakeholders.

(Voice 21, 2018)

The evaluation was driven by the need to develop oracy benchmarks and to support how Voice 21 assess their work and that of the schools they work with. A further focus for the evaluation was to establish the enabling conditions for oracy in schools, which would allow schools to assess progress themselves. It was also expected that evaluation findings would be transferable to other Voice 21 programmes and partnership working. The evaluation involved surveys and interviews with teachers and programme staff.

(Teach First, 2016-18)

Arad was commissioned to evaluate Teach First’s careers and employability initiative, which provides an intensive leadership course to teachers across England, as well as CPD sessions across England and Wales, to improve careers and employability strategies in schools. The evaluation aimed to assess the effectiveness of the training on improving careers and employability provision in schools and involved fieldwork with training providers and schools.