1. New EEF early years resources
This year, we released new resources dedicated to the early years, produced in collaboration with early years specialists.
Our updated Early Years Toolkit provides information on average impacts and costs of different strategies, alongside guidance on what to consider when putting a particular approach into practice in your setting.
Our new Early Years Evidence Store, developed to support the Department for Education’s Stronger Practice Hubs, explains and exemplifies how different approaches can be implemented with children in early years settings.
2. Maths Champions evaluation
Earlier this month, we published the independent evaluation of Maths Champions, a low-cost, one-year professional development programmeA programme is a package of support, including professional development, that helps early years educators to improve particular areas of practice and children’s outcomes. to support children in early years settings.
The report found that children who took part in the programme made, on average, three months’ additional progress in both maths and language development.
3. Moving forwards, making a difference: A planning guide
This guide summarises key evidence and research-informed strategies to inform teachers’ and leaders’ choices around how best to invest their resources. It focuses on high-quality teaching, targeted academic support, and wider strategies.
More than 30,000 of you have downloaded it since its launch!
4. The impact of Covid-19 on learning
In December 2022, we published research that took a longer-term look at the impact of the pandemic on younger children (Key Stages 1 and 2).
The findings revealed some positive news showing pupils are, on average, making good progress. However, the socio-economic attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers remains wide, with reading particularly affected.
5. TES Explains
In September 2022, we launched an exciting new collaboration with TES to support teachers and school leaders in putting evidence to use in their practice.
TES Explains answers common questions about education research or explains key teaching terminology.
Look out for the EEF view, which gives an overview of what the evidence says.
6. The reading house
This year, we released a new interactive tool designed to break down the evidence that supports effective literacy teaching. The Reading House shows how the different components of learning to read build upon each other and come together.
Click on each of the rooms to step inside the house, where you will find concise definitions, blogs, resources, and shorter snapshots from our suite of literacy guidance reports.
7. A balanced approach to professional development
In May, we released this animation that shows how the essential mechanisms – or core components – of professional development work together to form a balanced approach.
We hope that this can support school leaders both when designing, selecting and implementing professional development, helping to ensure that any activities into which they invest time, energy and resources achieve our ultimate goal of making a lasting impact on classroom practice a reality.
8. Metacognition: A brief explainer
We also produced this animation to cut through the complexity that surrounds metacognition by providing a clear example of what it looks like in practice. It could be used to start conversations with colleagues and build staff knowledge when designing and delivering professional development on metacognition.
9. Special educational needs in mainstream schools
Our SEND guidance report was one of our top downloads this year, offering five evidence-based recommendations on how best to support pupils with SEND in mainstream schools.
The report provides a starting point for schools to review their current approach, as well as practical ideas they can implement.
10. Evidence into Action
We released six episodes of our Evidence into Action podcast this year.
We’ve covered topics from high-quality talk to adaptive teaching, and spoken with a range of great guests from across the sector.
Catch-up on any episodes you might have missed.