Education Endowment Foundation:New report finds pilot to support evidence-informed school improvement shows promise

The pilot project, a partnership between the EEF, West Somerset Research School, and Bristol City Council, was delivered from June 2020 to September 2022.

It included a package of training, support, and resources that took a staged approach to helping schools apply the processes set out in the EEF’s 2018 Implementation guidance report. The programme integrated the recommendations for effective implementation using these processes, with practices related to the effective leadership and deployment of teaching assistants, as set out in the EEF’s Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants guidance report.

Experienced system leaders were recruited and trained as regional implementation leads, who provided direct support to schools. 71 schools across Bristol took part in the project. Each school was asked to identify a school implementation lead, who was a senior leader, to participate in the programme and to establish a school implementation team.

The independent evaluation of the pilot, led by a team from Sheffield Hallam University, aimed to find out how feasible the approach was and if it was ready for a larger scale-up.

- They found that: School implementation leads’ knowledge and understanding of the skills in using evidence-informed processes (e.g. implementation) and practices (e.g. teaching assistant deployment) increased considerably in most schools.

- Many schools made progress in aligning their use of teaching assistants with the EEF’s guidance report, which resulted in attitudinal gains for teaching assistants.

- Providing a sustained, integrated programme of training and support that focuses on implementation can (help) embed evidence-based practices in some schools.

- However, changes in practice varied across schools. Progress in aligning with the EEF Implementation guidance report was slower where knowledge of implementation processes tended to reside solely with the school implementation lead. Support from wider senior leaders in participating schools was key.

- There were some indications of evidence-informed processes and practices being championed and shared across Bristol and embedded in Bristol City Council’s educational strategies and practices. However, the extent of change was limited.

- The approach has the potential for scale-up, with some refinement and further development of the Regional Implementation Lead role, and the support of key regional influencers who can bring all schools on board.

- Some schools may require a period of preparation before they can engage effectively with the demands of the programme.

- Supporting schools, early years settings, and colleges to implement evidence-informed practices and processes is a key part of the EEF’s mission. The findings from this pilot will play a part in informing the next phase of the EEF’s regional strategy, which aims to foster sustained partnerships with local authorities and multi academy trusts.

Read the full report here.