Since Clips from the Classroom first launched in July 2024, the videos have collectively been viewed around 45,000 times. This impressive figure demonstrates the reach and popularity of the videos. But what do we know about how the clips are being used? Are they supporting school leaders and teachers to implement evidence-informed practice in their settings? Are they enhancing professional development (PD)?
To uncover some of the stories behind the statistics, I spoke to two Research Schools about how they’ve used the existing collection over the past year.
Jen Ogden, Assistant Director of Town End Research School, Sunderland
Town End Research School’s Clip from the Classroom video, ‘Modelling Mathematical Motivation and Independence’, exemplifies a teacher modelling her own thinking to develop pupil independence.
How have you been using your ‘Modelling Mathematical Motivation and Independence’ video?
I’ve been using the video as a resource in both internal and external PD sessions. The video helps to illustrate what high-quality modelling looks like in real classroom contexts. It’s a powerful tool for starting conversations around embedding metacognition and motivation into practice, particularly for less experienced teachers.
How do you maximise the value of the video when using it for professional development?
I pause the video at key moments to pose targeted questions that prompt participants to connect the video to their own classroom experiences. This fosters deeper reflection and encourages collaborative analysis. In some trust-wide PD sessions, I have incorporated follow-up tasks where participants plan to trial a strategy from the video in their own classrooms, followed by a reflection or feedback loop.
Are you aware of any other uses of your video?
I’ve heard of the video being used in a range of professional contexts, for example, by the Great North Maths Hub. It has also been recommended as a resource for use within the Leading Primary Maths NPQ materials. Colleagues from other schools and organisations have mentioned seeing it in cross-school PD and collaborative planning meetings.
Have you received any feedback about the video?
Many teachers have commented that the video made the abstract idea of ‘modelling motivation and independence’ much more tangible. One mentioned that they appreciated seeing how explicit modelling of thinking could help pupils take more ownership of their learning. Others have said that they have gone back to re-watch the video after sessions to help reinforce their understanding and to remind themselves of practical strategies they could try.
Claire Williams, Director of Alexandra Park Research School, Stockport
Alexandra Park Research School have been using the Clip from the Classroom created by East London Research School, ‘The ShREC Approach: Interactive Reading’, to support their work on ‘Stockport Speaks’, a partnership seeking to improve local outcomes around communication and language in the early years.
How have you been using the ShREC video?
We’ve integrated the ShREC video into our in-school PD offer, significantly refining how we provide feedback to our team. It has created a shared language for professional discussions, shaping how we reflect on and improve practice. For example, we became more attuned to which children need additional physical space at the start of an interaction or how to read and respond to individual verbal and non-verbal cues. This has been particularly powerful when targeting children who need extended time with skilled adults to support sustained back and forth interactions.
We’ve also used the video as part of the Liverpool PEIA PD Programme, which engaged 60 schools across Liverpool through a DfE-funded initiative. We used the ShREC video to exemplify what high-quality interactions look like in the context of recommendation 1 from the EEF’s Preparing for Literacy report: Prioritise the development of communication and language.
How has the ShREC video supported your work on the Stockport partnership?
The ShREC video provided a shared starting point in early meetings of our partnership development group, helping us explore what evidence-informed practice looks like in real classrooms. Crucially, the video offered a reference point and shared language, which is particularly helpful as terms such as oral language were not widely used. We also incorporated the video into our training for newly appointed Oral Language Leads, using it to exemplify how vocabulary can be meaningfully extended through responsive interactions.
Have you noticed any positive outcomes from use of the video?
All participating schools in the Liverpool PEIA PD Programme reported that they had used the video to either increase their own knowledge and understanding or had used it within their teams as part of their PD offer within their schools. Many leaders reported that it was very useful when working with non-EY specialists as it clearly and succinctly showed the approach in practice.
At Alexandra Park Primary School, the video has enhanced how we prioritise, monitor, and improve the quality of our interactions. It has helped us develop a shared and collective understanding of each child, ensuring that every member of the team is equipped to provide responsive, effective interactions and support for each child.
You can discover the Clips from the Classroom collection here.