Shift Learning Case Studies
While some of Shift’s work was confidential, we are grateful to have received client permission to share the following case studies of projects we completed.
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- Awarding organisations
- English Language Learning and International Education
- Public sector and not-for-profit
- Publishing, media and EdTech
- Schools
- Universities, HE and FE
Digital Learning Insights
A national museum was undergoing an extensive modernisation project – influencing the transformation of its digital services for learners and educators. As a part of this process, the museum wanted to gauge how schools currently use digital resources to engage with cultural institution offers, how the museum and its offering are perceived, and how the museum can better meet educators’ and learners’ needs.
Public sector and not-for-profit
Employer engagement in technical education
The Science Council wanted to increase engagement with science-based employers around technical education, supporting the link between the classroom-based and work-based elements of apprenticeships and T Levels. They aimed to build stronger connections between employers and technical education more broadly. Shift was commissioned to engage with a representative group of these employers.
Public sector and not-for-profit
Cognitive testing for the School Sports Survey
In preparation for their 2026 survey, Sport Wales commissioned Shift to undertake a series of cognitive testing and qualitative research activities with pupils aged 7-16. The aim was to explore the key constructs, questions, response options and sports included within the participation component of the survey.
Public sector and not-for-profit, Schools
Cognitive interviews with seldom-heard participants living in Wales
We partnered with NatCen on a cognitive testing project for a client based in Wales. The client is designing new questions on lived experiences and wanted to ensure that respondents consistently understood the survey questions.
Public sector and not-for-profit
Race Equality Charter Survey
Advance HE’s Race Equality Charter helps institutions in their work to identify and address the barriers facing Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff and students, while also providing a framework for action and improvement. The REC survey is a key tool for achieving this aim. Advance HE recently updated the charter and redesigned the survey to ensure it was well understood. This included reducing the number of questions, adapting and creating new ones and providing more guidance around terminology. Shift conducted two phases of research to help Advance HE better understand how the updated REC survey was received and understood by participants and institutions.
Public sector and not-for-profit, Universities, HE and FE
Youth Engagement Research
British Red Cross (BRC) launched their new brand strategy, with the strapline ‘The power of kindness’, aiming to position the BRC as a movement in which everyone who wants to share their kindness can take part. This research aimed to enhance the BRC’s understanding of young people (especially those who have no current connection to the BRC) in this context, as well as of the people who influence them.
Public sector and not-for-profit
Skills shortages
Together the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and UK Theatre represent 500 of the UK’s leading theatre producers, venue owners and managers, and performing arts centres, alongside 1,350 professional theatre makers across the UK. A 2020 report by the Policy Evidence Centre found that 42% of employers in the creative industries faced skill shortages. Shift were commissioned to investigate where and why skills gaps exist within off-stage technical roles in the theatre industry and how these can be addressed.
Public sector and not-for-profit
Provider perceptions of communication and engagement approaches
Over the last 18 months, the Office for Students (OfS) has made changes to its engagement and communication channels with higher education providers in England. The OfS commissioned Shift to explore providers’ perceptions of these changes, to understand what is working well and what could be improved. This follows on from a previous wave of research, which explored providers’ perceptions of the OfS more broadly.
Public sector and not-for-profit, Universities, HE and FE
Adoption of digital assessment globally
RM, in partnership with the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA), were looking to publish a research report exploring the adoption of digital assessment across the world. We worked with both organisations to design and deliver this research, the result of which was a white paper, considered to be one of the first examples of comprehensive research into attitudes to digital assessment across sectors.
Public sector and not-for-profit
Influencers’ perceptions of green apprenticeships
The MCS Foundation wanted to understand teachers, parents/carers and career advisers’ perceptions of both apprenticeships and green jobs, to understand what influences might prevent young people from choosing these routes. The research aimed to generate findings that could be used to evidence intervention areas and improve messaging around technical routes into green careers.
Public sector and not-for-profit
Support for mid-career researchers
We conducted mixed-methods research for MRC, NIHR and Wellcome to better understand the pressures that contribute to poor support for academic trainees and mid-career researchers.
Public sector and not-for-profit, Universities, HE and FE
FIRST® LEGO® League Sage Evaluation
Shift was commissioned by the IET to evaluate the impact of their whole-school FIRST® LEGO® League in the North East, sponsored by Sage. This programme particularly focuses on supporting schools in higher deprivation areas, who would not otherwise get access to these opportunities.
Public sector and not-for-profit, Schools