Research School Network: From the big splash to the ripples of everyday practice Investing in teacher expertise as the foundation of an effective Pupil Premium strategy

Professional development can sometimes become preoccupied with the splash rather than the ripples. A September INSET day, a conference, an engaging keynote speaker. These moments matter. They create energy and can act to unite us around shared commitment to supporting improved outcomes for all pupils, and particularly those pupils impacted by socio-economic disadvantage. But these splashes are only the beginning; the real impact lies in the ripples that follow.

Evidence demonstrates that high-quality teaching is the strongest lever we have for improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils (EEF, 2021). This means that the challenges identified through our Pupil Premium strategy should shape not only targeted academic support and wider strategies, but also the everyday classroom experiences of all pupils. The EEF Guide to Inclusive Teaching provides a helpful framework for considering how these priorities can be addressed through universal approaches, adaptations and additional support.

As Peps McCrea reminds us:

Teacher expertise is more than knowing a collection of teaching strategies. It is the combination of understanding learners, drawing on the best available evidence and exercising professional judgement to make responsive decisions in the classroom.

High-quality teaching is a core component of the tiered approach to Pupil Premium spending. For schools seeking to strengthen their Pupil Premium strategy, we might consider how we invest in three interconnected forms of professional knowledge.

Knowledge of learners

Teachers need a rich understanding of their learners, their strengths and the barriers they face in relation to learning, wellbeing and future pathways. The EEF Guide to the Pupil Premium (2025) reminds us that we need to spend sufficient time developing a shared understanding of the unique strengths of our pupils, their families and the wider community.

Callout: The impact of socio-economic disadvantage needs to be understood without allowing it to define expectations.

To support this, we need to identify where valuable knowledge about pupils and families is lost, fragmented, or fails to reach the adults who need it most.

Knowledge of evidence informed pedagogy

Research evidence provides our best bets. It helps teachers understand which universal approaches are important for all pupils, and especially important for those experiencing disadvantage or additional barriers to learning. Approaches such as explicit instruction, scaffolding and feedback form the foundation of high-quality teaching. Developing teachers’ repertoire of these evidence-informed approaches strengthens universal provision and may reduce the number of pupils requiring additional targeted support (EEF, 2026).

Professional judgement

Professional judgement is where expertise becomes visible. Expert teachers continually calibrate their decisions; they draw on their understanding of individual pupils and combine it with evidence-informed approaches and respond in the moment. They notice who is participating, who is struggling to access learning, whose thinking needs extending and which adaptations will reduce barriers without reducing challenge. Teachers become detectives, gathering both quantitative and qualitative evidence to understand the impact of their decisions and refine their practice over time.

Teachers need to feel empowered and trusted to use the information they collect to make a decision about the next steps for teaching that pupil (EEF, 2020). In doing so, we reaffirm teaching as an expert profession that combines evidence, deep knowledge of learners and professional judgement to improve outcomes for every pupil.

Questions for reflection:

• To what extent do the challenges identified in our Pupil Premium strategy shape everyday classroom teaching, as well as targeted academic support and wider strategies?
• How are we developing teachers’ understanding of learners, their strengths, barriers and lived experiences, without allowing labels to define expectations?
  
• How are we building teachers’ repertoire of evidence-informed pedagogical approaches and supporting them to apply these with confidence?
• How are we strengthening professional judgement, so teachers feel trusted and empowered to make responsive decisions based on the pupils in front of them?
• What evidence will tell us that the intended ripples of professional development are visible in everyday classroom practice, and how will we use that evidence to refine what we do next?
  

References

McCrea, P. (2023) Extract: Developing Expert Teaching. Available at: https://www.ambition.org.uk/blog/extract-developing-expert-teaching-by-peps-mccrea/

Education Endowment Foundation (2020) Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools: Guidance Report. London: Education Endowment Foundation. Available at: Education Endowment Foundation – Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools

Education Endowment Foundation (2024) A School’s Guide to Implementation: Guidance Report (3^rd ed.). London: Education Endowment Foundation. Available at: Education Endowment Foundation – A School’s Guide to Implementation

Education Endowment Foundation (2025) The EEF Guide to the Pupil Premium. London: Education Endowment Foundation. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/using-pupil-premium

Education Endowment Foundation (2026) Guide to Inclusive Teaching. London: Education Endowment Foundation. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/inclusive-teaching

Whole School SEND (2024) Teacher Handbook: SEND. 2^nd edn. London: Whole School SEND. Available at: https://www.wholeschoolsend.org.uk/teacher-handbook