: Evidence-informed: More than just a buzz-phrase The difference between using evidence and using it well.

“You can find evidence to back up anything if you want to”

This was the initial response I once got from a member of staff when I introduced a new evidence-informed initiative. Many teachers who I’ve worked with over the years share this view and there is some truth in it. Although the quality of much of the ​‘evidence’ used to justify decisions is questionable, the comment highlights a more fundamental issue: are we engaging with evidence in the right way?

In the Education Endowment Foundation’s (EEF) Engaging with Evidence (2024) survey, 94% of school leaders reported using research evidence. But how often do we allow robust evidence to shape our decisions, rather than using it to justify choices we have already made?

At a time when the education sector is so evidence-rich and everyone is talking about being ​‘evidence-informed’, we might expect educational inequalities to be narrowing. Yet the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers remains stubbornly persistent. While there are many factors that contribute to this challenge, it is worth considering whether the way we engage with evidence influences the impact in our classrooms.

Professor Becky Francis suggests that ​‘superficial engagement with evidence is the biggest threat to our education system’. If that is true, then perhaps the next step for the profession is not simply to engage with more evidence, but to engage with evidence well.

So what does it mean to engage with evidence well? When I work with teachers and school leaders, I suggest engaging with evidence in the following three ways.

1. Cautiously
Do not believe everything you read. In an age of blogs, social media threads and AI-generated content, it is easier than ever to find evidence that appears convincing. However, evidence-informed practice requires us to be discerning consumers of evidence, not simply enthusiastic ones. Confirmation bias can cause us to seek out evidence to confirm our current beliefs. Always ensure the evidence you engage with is high-quality, robust and reliable. You can use the EEF’s CLAIMS model to help you consider the reliability of a piece of evidence.

But having high-quality evidence at our fingertips is not the only answer.

2. Deeply
It is important that we develop a deep understanding of what the evidence is telling us. Having only a superficial understanding can lead to poor implementation, and what some researchers describe as ​“lethal mutations”. This is where an approach is altered so significantly that the mechanisms responsible for its success are lost. For example, retrieval practice can become a lethal mutation when it is reduced to low-level recall activities without the feedback, spacing or careful curriculum design that underpin its effectiveness.

Take the time to fully explore the evidence. The EEF’s Using research evidence – A concise guide can help you to understand how to build a rich evidence picture along with the EEF’s Combining Sources Poster.

3. Intelligently
We are intelligent professionals with a wealth of experience and school-based evidence to apply to decision-making. Being evidence-informed is not just doing what the evidence tells us. When making decisions in our schools, we must ensure we apply our professional expertise and knowledge of our unique context, alongside the best available evidence. This Venn diagram perfectly captures this approach.

Just because an approach has led to improved outcomes in one setting, it doesn’t mean it will in another setting. Understanding the research, and the context in which it was conducted, can help you make better-informed decisions in your own school or setting. You can also use the EEF’s Explore Tool to help you consider if an approach is suitable for your setting.

Summary
If we want to make a meaningful difference in our settings, we need to look beyond the buzz-phrase ​‘evidence-informed’ and think carefully about what it means in practice. Engaging with evidence is not simply about finding research to support our decisions. It is about engaging with evidence cautiously, intelligently and deeply.

The next time you encounter a new piece of evidence, ask yourself three simple questions:

- Is it reliable?
- Do I fully understand what the evidence is telling me?
- What does it mean for my setting?

Surely, the real measure of an evidence-informed profession is not how much evidence we consume, but how well we understand and apply it, and the impact it has in our classrooms.

References
Education Endowment Foundation (2024) Engaging with evidence: A survey of teachers and leaders. London: Education Endowment Foundation. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoun…;(Accessed: 24 August 2026).

Education Endowment Foundation (2024) CLAIMS: Evaluating the trustworthiness of research. London: Education Endowment Foundation. Available at: https://d2tic4wvo1iusb.cloudfr…;(Accessed: 24 August 2026).

Coldwell, M., Greany, T., Higgins, S., Brown, C., Maxwell, B., Stiell, B. and Willis, B. (2017) Addressing the challenges of using evidence in education. London: Education Endowment Foundation. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoun…;(Accessed: 24 August 2026).

Education Endowment Foundation (2024) Explore tool: A school’s guide to implementation. London: Education Endowment Foundation. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoun…;(Accessed: 24 August 2026).

Education Endowment Foundation (2024) Using research evidence: A concise guide. London: Education Endowment Foundation. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoun…;(Accessed: 24 August 2026).

Education Endowment Foundation (2024) Combining sources: Building a rich evidence picture. London: Education Endowment Foundation. Available at: https://d2tic4wvo1iusb.cloudfr…;(Accessed: 24 August 2026).