Ymchwil gymdeithasol Social research Number: /2010 Appetite for Life Action Research Project 2008-2010 Research Report 1 Appetite for Life Action Research Project 2008-2010 Research Report Paul Pivcevic and Dr Sue Porter Centre for Action Research in Professional Practice, University of Bath Views expressed in this report are those of the researcher and not necessarily those of the Welsh Assembly Government For further information please contact: Name: Janine Hale Department: Social Research Division Welsh Assembly Government Cathays Park Cardiff CF10 3NQ Tel: 029 2082 6539 Email: [email protected] Welsh Assembly Government Social Research, year ISBN © Crown Copyright year Acknowledgements Our special thanks go to the pupils and staff of all nine pilot schools whose welcome and enthusiastic participation made this study possible. We would like to thank all the public servants who gave time to participate in the research Governance Groups, the Assembly Government for seeing the potential for using action research and commissioning this study, and our research team who worked hard with constrained resources for two years, in particular Dr Mike Catling, Children and Young People's Partnership Manager for Neath Port Talbot whose in depth background knowledge and contribution of reference materials was invaluable, and our supervisor Professor Peter Reason. The research team included several members with experience of using learning history as an approach, including one member who had used this as a basis for her doctoral research1. We are indebted to their contribution to the design of the study. We acknowledge the input of the Steering Group who commented on the report. Any remaining errors are the responsibility of the authors. Research team: Dr Sue Porter Paul Pivcevic Michelle Williams Dr Margaret Gearty Christina McDonagh Dr Mike Catling Carole Bond Arthur Turner Liz Brown Judith Gill Dr Louise Earll 1 Gearty, M. (2009). Exploring Carbon Reduction through Tales of Vision, Chance and Determination: Developing Learning Histories in an Inter-Organisational Context. PhD Thesis, Centre for Action Research in Professional Practice, University of Bath, Bath. 2 Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................5 1. Background ....................................................................................................................... 14 1.1 Background to the A4L Action Research Project .......................................................... 14 2. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 20 2.1 Aims and objectives of the research project .................................................................. 20 2.2 Approach taken in this study.......................................................................................... 21 Guidelines ........................................................................................................................ 21 Action research groups..................................................................................................... 21 Stakeholder workshops .................................................................................................... 23 Capturing the learning from the project ........................................................................... 23 2.3 Sample sites.................................................................................................................... 24 3. Methods ............................................................................................................................. 26 3.1 Research activity ............................................................................................................ 26 3.2 The research process ...................................................................................................... 27 School based groups......................................................................................................... 27 Governance groups .......................................................................................................... 31 3.3 Data collection and validation........................................................................................ 31 The Learning Histories..................................................................................................... 32 4. Results ............................................................................................................................... 34 4.1 Schools ........................................................................................................................... 35 4.1.1 FOOD...................................................................................................................... 35 4.1.2 PHYSICAL and SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT ........................................................ 43 4.1.3 CHOICE.................................................................................................................. 51 4.1.4 AWARENESS to inform behaviour change ........................................................... 56 4.1.5 RELATIONSHIPS.................................................................................................. 61 4.1.6 LEADERSHIP AND SCHOOL CULTURE .......................................................... 68 4.1.7 CANTEEN BUSINESS CULTURE....................................................................... 77 4.1.8 ENGAGING FAMILY AND HOME CULTURE ................................................. 82 4.2 Transition ....................................................................................................................... 90 4.3 Special Schools .............................................................................................................. 97 4.3.1 Food ....................................................................................................................... 98 4.3.2 Choice and awareness ............................................................................................. 99 4.3.3 Physical environment ............................................................................................ 101 4.3.4 Relationships ......................................................................................................... 103 4.3.5 School leadership and culture ............................................................................... 104 4.3.6 Catering service culture ........................................................................................ 105 5. Discussion ....................................................................................................................... 106 5.1 Partnership working ..................................................................................................... 106 5.2 The educational and liberational process of action research........................................ 108 5.3 Multiple levels of learning ........................................................................................... 112 5.4 Benefits and challenges of using action research......................................................... 115 Benefits .......................................................................................................................... 115 Challenges ...................................................................................................................... 115 5.5 Limitations of the study, difficulties encountered ....................................................... 117 Working at a system level .............................................................................................. 117 The symbolic role of the Draft Guidelines..................................................................... 117 Issues relating to the resourcing of the study ................................................................. 118 Specifics for special schools .......................................................................................... 119 Specific limitations of this study.................................................................................... 120 3 6. CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................. 120 6.1 Complex interconnections ........................................................................................... 121 6.2 A business or not a business?....................................................................................... 122 6.3 School food as education ............................................................................................. 123 6.4 Leadership .................................................................................................................... 125 7. Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 128 References .......................................................................................................................... 131 Appendix 1. Pen Pictures of Schools ………………………………………………… 104 Appendix 2. Research visits to project schools ............................................................ 138 Appendix 3. Governance Group Visits to Project Areas ............................................. 143 4 Executive Summary 1. Following the launch of the Appetite for Life Action Plan in