Implementation is making, and acting on, evidence-informed decisions. Yet awareness of evidence does not necessarily result in improved outcomes: implementation is critical for turning engagement with research into tangible changes in school practices and pupil outcomes, including, crucially, for pupils experiencing socio-economic disadvantage.…

An often repeated argument is that young children can not carry out meaningful research. The authors, who are lecturers involved in teacher training and childhood studies, are interested in the impact that children can have on their school lives and believe that it is often underestimated. The Young Researchers Project (YRP) was created in…

This report presents the results of an Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)-funded, independent evaluation designed to investigate the extent to which, and in what ways, Research Schools (RSs) in Opportunity Areas (OAs) had supported schools to enact evidence-based practices in their classrooms. The evidence centred upon the lived experiences of…

Since 2011, schools in England have received funds designated for improving the educational outcomes of students facing socio-economic disadvantages (SED). In response to concerns regarding the effective expenditure of these funds, school leaders have been increasingly required to justify their spending decisions and to demonstrate how decisions…

This exploratory study was commissioned by the Education Endowment Foundation (the EEF). The report presents findings on the challenges facing schools in disadvantaged circumstances (characterised by the EEF as 'Priority Schools'). Priority Schools, which include both primary and secondary schools, have a high proportion of pupils eligible for…

The Coaching Early Conversation Interaction and Language (CECIL) Project, which started in September 2020, has focused on exploring coaching-led approaches to support the effective implementation of early language interventions, especially in Private, Voluntary & Independent (PVI) settings. At the core of the CECIL approach is a way of…

Previous research exploring the causative risk factors of youth violence have determined that a combination of individual, relationship, community and societal factors contribute to the occurrence of this complex phenomenon. Viable solutions must address all of these levels to be effective and to sustainably prevent instances of youth violence.…

A major concern for policymakers around the world is how to design an entire system of education that provides high quality teaching and learning outcomes. This paper aims to make a significant contribution to this debate by looking closely at the middle part of education systems -- the regional, district, and sub-district level -- as a critical…

Practitioners are being placed under increasing pressure to evaluate the success of their outreach activities, both by government and by their own universities. Based in a reductionist doctrine of "evidence-based practice", there is a desire to demonstrate the effectiveness and value-for-money across activities that now account for…

A range of studies has identified barriers to evidence-informed practice in schools, many of which recommend school-university links as a means for removing these barriers. In England, public policy also promotes school-university partnerships, which expects these to have benefits for both schools and universities. Secondary analysis of data from…

The T Level Transition Programme is a study programme targeted at students aged 16 to 19 years (or young people with Education and Healthcare Plans to age 24) who are not ready to start a T Level but have the potential to progress onto one following a tailored preparation programme. The Transition Programme is expected to be a full-time study…

This report is a summary document which explains the rationale for the CECIL (Coaching Early Conversations Interaction and Language) project, delivery within the context of COVID-19, the findings, the learnings, and next steps. The Institute for Employment Studies (IES) led an Implementation and Process Evaluation (IPE), and the University of…

While beneficial, the consistent and regular use of evidence to improve teaching and learning is proving difficult to achieve in practice. This paper attempts to shed new light on this issue by examining the question: "If using evidence to inform teaching practice is rational behaviour, why aren't all teachers engaged in it?" It first…

The Ashford Teaching Alliance (ATA) Research Champion project ("the programme") was a pilot intervention aimed at developing teaching expertise and practice by promoting the use of educational research in decision-making and teacher practice. The programme ran for one academic year (2014/2015) in five schools within the ATA. Delivery was…

Purpose: Whilst beneficial, the use of evidence to improve teaching and learning in schools is proving difficult to achieve in practice. The purpose of this paper is to shed new light on this issue by examining the applicability of a model of rational behaviour as relates to the notion of evidence-informed practice (EIP). Specifically, exploring…