Effective Professional Development in 16-19 settings
Published
Reflection and planning tool
Recommendation 3
Practice example – What carefully considering evidence-informed content could look like
A challenge with feedback: Exploring inconsistent learner outcomes, a Sixth Form College conducted a learner survey that highlighted issues with how feedback is given. This was further triangulated with staff feedback and quality assurance data, confirming feedback as an improvement priority. In response, PD and Curriculum leads collaborated to explore evidence-informed approaches and assess their feasibility for implementation.
Start with proven impact
They ask
- What outcome am I aiming for?
- Is there strong evidence that a specific approach or programme can help achieve it?
They respond
Using the EEF Teaching & Learning Toolkit feedback is identified as a high-impact, low-cost approach, with moderate evidence strength.
Using the EEF’s guide to feedback which summarises robust research into practical approaches, feedback works best when it’s actionable, timely, and clear.
Check transferability
They ask
- To what extent is the context of the research or programme similar to my own?
- Could differences create implementation challenges?
- What insights are available to help me better understand how this approach might work in my setting?
They respond
PD and Curriculum leads draw on setting observations – identifying a department/ faculty area where feedback approaches align well with EEF’s guidance. They also use practitioner and learner reflections, and case studies e.g. Powerful Pedagogy: Effective Practice to assess whether the approaches are being delivered in similar contexts or if there are barriers to adoption.
Make a balanced decision
They ask
- 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?
They respond
PD and Curriculum leads use professional judgement to move from robust summary evidence to a context-specific decision. They refer to the Using Research Evidence – A Concise Guide to dig deeper into the strength and relevance of the research, and the CLAIMS
poster to critically assess how reliable the evidence is.
They liaise with a cross-organisation working group to reflect on the evidence. For some, this process challenges assumptions—such as the belief that written feedback is more effective than verbal feedback.
An approach grounded in robust evidence but also tailored to the realities of the college’s context is agreed.