Research evidence tells us that teachers are the most influential within-school factor in determining children and young people’s academic attainment. We also know that professional development has the potential to significantly improve teacher effectiveness, which can in turn help to close disadvantage gaps.

That is why the EEF is committed to ensuring that teacher professional development in England is underpinned by the best available evidence.

Since 2019, the EEF has been working to support reforms to national teacher development programmes led by the Department for Education. Performing the role of an independent ​‘evidence guardian’, the EEF has ensured that statutory and non-statutory policy frameworks are underpinned by robust evidence and that this evidence is applied according to research findings.

Independent evaluations

Also, to generate evidence on the implementation of the reforms mentioned, the EEF has commissioned several independent evaluations with external organisations who have generated data on the successes and challenges of operationalising such reforms at a national scale.