Engagement with research and understanding effective pedagogies are recognised as core components of professional knowledge in the 16-19 sector.¹⁹ Terms like “research-informed” and “evidence-based” are often used to describe PD content. It’s important to ask what that really means, and whether the content is likely to support the change you want to see.²⁰

For PD leads, using high-quality evidence to inform PD decisions is rarely a straightforward task – especially in the 16–19 context, where robust research is more limited.²¹ With time and resources often stretched, PD leads routinely take a pragmatic approach, interpreting evidence as it relates to their setting and adapting findings to guide PD design and delivery.²²

This recommendation supports that reality. Whether you are selecting programmes, shaping strategy, or refining content, this approach aims to support you to align PD with your goals and context, while still drawing on what works.

In the 16–19 context, where robust research is more limited, informed professional judgment becomes even more important.²³ While research may not always be conducted in your exact context, the best available impact evidence can still guide your decisions.²⁴

Look for robust, high-quality evidence demonstrating the proven impact of an approach or programme, recognising outcomes may vary by context.

For example, you might start with:

• EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit; Guidance Reports; and Trials
• Student access and progression toolkit - TASO
• Youth Employment Toolkit - Youth Futures Foundation
• Preventing Involvement in Violence Toolkit - Youth Endowment Fund
• The Gatsby Foundation
• The Chartered College of Teaching

Why might this approach work?

It can offer a reliable foundation for identifying ‘best bets’- approaches or programmes most likely to improve outcomes based on what has worked elsewhere, using robust research approaches. You can read how Middlesbrough College Group have used the EEF’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit here.

When reviewing research about an approach or programme consider how transferable it is to your context.

• Is it workable, realistic, and deliverable in your context? Would practitioners be willing to adopt or support the approach?
• Has it been delivered in contexts that suggest it could work in yours?
• Are there any descriptive insights available to inform your views, such as:
  • Practitioner reflections
  • Surveys and observations
  • Small-scale studies (e.g. 1-2 settings)
  • Action research

It can be easy to be steered by personal beliefs, assumptions, or preferences. Before finalising your judgement, consider the following questions:

• Am I relying on an approach because it’s familiar, popular, or new – rather than shown to work?
• Have I considered research or data that challenges my usual assumptions?
• What evidence supports this teaching approach beyond my own or others experience or beliefs?

While evidence-informed content may support your intended outcomes, time, cost, and resource demands are consistently cited by PD leads as critical factors that influence whether an approach can be embedded effectively. These are not peripheral concerns and should also be carefully assessed in relation to your organisation’s capacity to embed an approach or programme meaningfully.