The EEF is conducting a systematic review of professional development, which will underpin a Guidance Report on professional development to be published in Autumn 2021.

It will map the studies that exist in the experimental literature on professional development, before answering whether professional development interventions are effective at improving pupil attainment (considering whether this varies according to study characteristics and pupil-level disadvantage). It will then attempt to answer which forms of professional development are associated with the greatest effects on teacher practice and pupil achievement.

A review of current practice will also be undertaken, in addition to a review of the implementation and process evaluations of a sub-section of studies.

The systematic review is being led by Dr Sam Sims of UCL and Harry Fletcher-Wood of Ambition Institute, supported by the EPPI-Centre, colleagues at UCL and Ambition Institute, and CfE Research.