Teacher Observation
The Teacher Observation intervention trained teachers in a structured observation approach. Teachers used software to rate their colleagues across a range of pre-specified components, such as managing student behaviour and communicating with students. Teachers were instructed to conduct a minimum of either three or four observations per year.
Teacher Observation
University of Bristol
Test the impact of structured, peer observation on teachers’ effectiveness.
Project Info
Independent Evaluator
NFER

Pupils
14,100
Schools
82
Grant
£1,180,000
Themes
Cross curriculum
Subject
Key Stage 4
Key stage
EEF Summary
Teacher observation is an integral part of CPD in English schools. A recent US study found that structured lesson observation led to gains in student and teacher performance. The EEF funded this evaluation to explore the impact of structured teacher observation in the English context.
The evaluation did not show any overall improvement in combined maths and English GCSE scores for pupils of the teachers involved.
The total number of teacher observations was much lower than expected: teachers involved in the trial reported that they felt uncomfortable taking time out of teaching to complete observations, and that the level of expected observations was unsustainable. However, even when observations did take place, there was no evidence that schools which did more observations had better pupil results.
It is important to note that many of the comparison schools reported that they were already doing peer observation of some sort. This evaluation does not mean that general peer observation has no impact, but rather that this structured observation programme was not found to have any benefits over the status quo.
Research Results
Evaluation Conclusions
The project found no evidence that Teacher Observation improves combined GCSE English and maths scores.
The project found no evidence of impact of the intervention on the GCSE English and maths attainment of pupils who have ever been eligible for FSM.
The number of observations were below the developer’s initial expectations:teachers had difficulty fitting in the required number of observations because of timetabling and arranging cover, and some experienced problems using the software.
Teacher engagement with the programme varied greatly across schools, and practice ranged from individuals simply recording some observations using the RANDA software to whole-school, collaborative planning, discussion and reflection as part of an integrated CPD programme.
Almost three-quarters of the control group schools were already doing some peer observation prior to the intervention. The lack of impact seen in this study may be because the structured Teacher Observation intervention was no more effective than existing practice rather than because general peer observation has no impact.
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Printable project summary
1 MB pdf - EEF-teacher-observation.pdf
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Evaluation Report
2 MB pdf - Teacher_Observation.pdf
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Project Protocol
330 KB pdf - EEF_Project_Protocol_TeacherObservationInterventionOriginal.pdf
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Amended Project Protocol
335 KB pdf - EEF_Project_Protocol_TeacherObservationInterventionUpdated.pdf
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Statistical Analysis Plan
317 KB pdf - Round_5-_Teacher_Observation_SAP.pdf