Practice makes permanent: The four Ts for professional development in 16-19 settings: Time, Trust, Tools and Tracking

26 January 2026

Mandy Senior is Assistant Principal at Thomas Rotherham College (TRC), Trust Improvement Partner at Inspire Learning Trust, and Partnership Director for the EEF 16–19 Evidence Partnership.

Mandy Senior

Assistant Principal at Thomas Rotherham College (TRC)

Mandy believes in the power of teaching, and understands that high-quality professional development and a culture where teachers are encouraged to reflect and innovate underpin the mission of education to be an engine of social change.

TRC is a sixth form college in Rotherham with over 1,600 learners, offering A Levels, Vocational and T Level qualifications, and dedicated to providing learners - many of whom come from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds - with an inclusive, aspirational education rooted in evidence-based practice. The college champions excellence and opportunity for every student.

We often hear “practice makes perfect.” Would it not be more accurate to say, “practice makes permanent”? What we rehearse - whether effective or ineffective - becomes embedded in our habits, our classrooms, and ultimately, our culture.

In the whirlwind of curriculum reform and accountability, it’s easy for professional development (PD) to become reactive rather than responsive. While well-intentioned, one-off PD sessions, a PowerPoint-heavy INSET day, or a generic webinar rarely lead to sustained change.

If professional development doesn’t change what happens in the classroom, is it really development?

Why it matters most for socio-economically disadvantaged learners

The Sutton Trust (2014) reminds us: “The effects of high-quality teaching are especially significant for socio-economically disadvantaged learners”. When we get practice right, we don’t just improve teaching for all - we transform outcomes for those who need it most.

The EEF’s KEEP framework within their Effective Professional Development guidance for 16-19 settings offers a refreshing shift, placing practice at the heart of meaningful teacher development.

By focusing on practice, strategies shift from theory to habit. Think of it as moving from knowing to doing, and from doing to doing well.

Our response at Thomas Rotherham College was a decisive shift to prioritise practice and make practice our priority.

What we did: 4 T’s for practice to become effective and permanent

The 4 T’s integrate opportunities for practitioners to accurately develop techniques (execution) and embed delivery (practice) - prioritising approaches that are most relevant to the needs of our context.

Time: Time is not only a luxury; it’s the lever for change. Utilising existing structures was key. Instead of adding more, we made better use of what we already had. By repurposing and protecting time in our PD calendar, we created space for teachers to rehearse and reflect.

  • We streamlined PD sessions by reducing input to ease cognitive load and create space for rehearsal and peer discussion on subject specific application, barriers, and adaptations.
  • Reflection time was built into every agenda for colleagues to share interpretations, ideas, and implementation plans.
  • PD was embedded into faculty workplans, making it frequent and allowing themes to be revisited regularly in subject-specific contexts.

Trust: We created a safe environment where staff feel supported to take risks and grow. Without trust, practice becomes compliance - not growth.

Feedback became reflection focused. Leaders at all levels and our teaching, learning and assessment (TLA) coaches were trained (through rehearsal) in facilitating professional learning conversations which we framed using the GROW model (Whitmore, 1992).

Tools: We used evidence from the EEF’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit to inform our practice and guide PD.

By grounding our work in evidence-informed approaches, we’ve kept our focus on strategies that drive real improvement.

Tracking: Tracking isn’t about accountability; it’s about learning what works.

When monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of PD we asked: “Do our teachers engage in professional development or are they developing as professionals?” This helped us to reframe our thinking and move from intent to impact.

In short, we shifted PD from an event to a process.

Call to action for leaders

If you’re a college leader, ask yourself:

  • How can practice be scaffolded over time, not just in one-off sessions?
  • Are your PD systems designed for compliance or growth?
  • Do staff have the time and mechanisms to practise what they learn?

The answers to these questions will help you to determine whether your professional learning culture is one of transformation - or stagnation.

Practice isn’t the end of professional development — it’s the engine that drives it.

References

Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) KEEP: Key Elements of Effective Professional Development. https://educationendowmentfoun... (Accessed: 20 November 2025).

Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) Teaching and Learning Toolkit. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoun... (Accessed: 20 November 2025).