Research School Network: It’s the Implementation that counts! What the primary concern of implementation might be.

Due to the upcoming election, the cliché ​“It’s the economy, stupid,” coined by James Carville for Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign in 1992, is frequently bandied about. This phrase implies that the primary concern for voters is the health of the country’s economy.

Far be it from me to suggest that this is an inaccurate summary of the nation’s views, or to impart my own political ideology. Like me, you may be growing weary of listening to political rhetoric. However, this phrase led me to ponder what the primary concern of implementation might be. What cliché would James Carville use to encapsulate the implementation process.

Having a deep dislike for the word ​“stupid,” I was reluctant to use it in this blog. However, it did occur to me that recommendations 1 and 2 are not rocket science and are well within the grasp of most educators. To neglect these recommendations when implementing a new strategy might be considered ​“silly.” Silly is an adjective I am much happier to use, and it’s the one I shall use to describe myself when I omitted to fully consider the contextual factors while implementing a new strategy to support students with special educational needs. But more about that later.

Recommendation 1: Behaviours that underpin the implementation process are fundamental to successful implementation. I have worked with some truly inspirational teachers who can enthuse and excite even the most reluctant and sceptical among us. Without these inspirational individuals and teachers with expert knowledge and skills, new strategies are doomed to failure.

Recommendation 2: Paying careful attention to the systems and structures that support implementation is vital. On more than one occasion, I have been so caught up in the excitement of a new project that I neglected the finer details of the plan. Simple actions, such as scheduling planning time and reflection periods, can make a significant difference in the success or failure of a strategy. Without a plan to review and sustain the strategy from the outset, it is likely to be neglected, less impactful, and may eventually fizzle out.

A Silly Mistake to Make

Some years ago, when I was a deputy head at a special school and before I was well-acquainted with the EEF’s guide to implementation, I identified the following challenge: students with EHCPs in Key Stage 4 were making lower than expected progress in most subjects.

We implemented a comprehensive programme of professional development led by educational psychologists, speech and language specialists, and a highly knowledgeable SENDCo. The aim of this programme was to improve understanding of specific learning difficulties and provide practical help and guidance on how to support students’ attainment in the classroom. Feedback from the training was positive, and staff reported feeling more confident in addressing the barriers to learning for students with more complex needs.

Six months on, we were disappointed that the strategy we had employed was not having a measurable impact on pupil progress. A further learning walk and book scrutiny revealed that while teachers were well informed about specific learning difficulties and knew how to support students with special educational needs, they were not reliably and consistently providing the support materials and scaffolds suggested in the training.

Key Learning

We communicated our aims clearly, united the team around a shared mission, and delivered an effective programme of CPD. However, we failed to address the contextual factors of implementation. Teachers have a never-ending to-do list, and creating support materials and scaffolds sometimes did not make it to the top of that list. We had omitted to develop the necessary infrastructure to deliver the strategy effectively

The new implementation guide highlights the importance of carefully considering the systems and structures that will enable a strategy to be impactful. So, following the theme,

Fortunately, all was not lost. The teaching staff had acquired the knowledge, skills, and expertise to remove barriers to learning. They now required the time and resources. This was remedied, and I am pleased to say that outcomes improved for our most vulnerable children.

Resources:

Find the guidance report here: A School’s Guide to Implementation | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk).

Further Reading:

Find the evidence review here: Implementation in education | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)