Research School Network: Keeping people at the heart of Implementation Audio version available

If you prefer, you can listen to this blog here.

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) recently published an update to its guidance report, ​“A School’s Guide to Implementation,” which has become a key document for many schools. The previous guide encourages us to treat implementation as a process not an event, and supports us in implementing interventions effectively and sustainably.

The updated report goes further and emphasises how the quality of the implementation process itself significantly impacts the effectiveness of interventions in schools.

In the new report, the number of recommendations has decreased from six to three. Previously separate recommendations (1, 3, 4, 5, and 6) are now unified into a single, comprehensive recommendation. This encourages schools to use a structured but flexible implementation process, focusing on doing it well rather than following a rigid formula.

People Drive Effective Implementation
The first recommendation is now focused on behaviour, and with good reason: it is at the heart of effective implementation. Interventions do not implement themselves; they rely on the efforts and motivations of individuals, each with their own habits, beliefs, knowledge, and skills.

The EEF’s guidance underlines how implementation is a collaborative and social process, heavily influenced by how individuals think, behave, and interact. Coordinating the actions of these numerous individuals presents a complex challenge.

Behaviour and the COM‑B model
This thinking isn’t new, and it doesn’t come as a surprise. As a Research School, when we have worked with leaders over the past few years, we have always encouraged them to consider the people within their schools using the COM‑B model. This outlines three broad behaviour drivers:

1. Capability: Are individuals knowledgeable about the changes they need to implement?
2. Motivation: Are they motivated to make these changes?
3. Opportunity: Do they have the necessary resources, time, and support?

This leads leaders to consider things like:

• Laying the groundwork
• Supporting people
• Sharing the ​‘why’
• Nudging behaviour
• Making sure people have time to do what they were asked to do
• Training people
• Getting people onboard
• Providing necessary resources

The updated report goes beyond this and is explicit about the behaviours that drive implementation.

Cross-Cutting Behaviours: Engage, Unite, Reflect
The guidance identifies three cross-cutting behaviours crucial for successful implementation: engage, unite, and reflect. These behaviours should permeate all implementation strategies and actions.

Engage
Engagement is all about bringing people into the process in meaningful ways. Effective engagement transforms passive participants into active contributors.
Effective engagement includes:

- Influencing Change: Make sure everyone’s voice is heard. Create opportunities for students, families, and staff to share their perspectives and influence the direction of change.
- Collaborative Processes: Set up structures like implementation teams to foster collaboration and solve problems together. This ensures that everyone is working towards common goals.
- Clear Communication: Keep everyone in the loop with clear, consistent communication. Actively guide and steer the implementation process to keep everyone aligned and motivated.

Ultimately, people are much more likely to feel motivated to do something if they feel part of it. It’s important to take the views of colleagues into account, and its best to do this during the planning process.

The goal of any implementation process if for people to enact the core components routinely, rather than just when someone is in the room with a clipboard monitoring what they’re doing!

Unite
Uniting staff around shared values, knowledge, and skills is vital. When values, understanding, and practices are aligned, the implementation process becomes more cohesive and effective.
For example, if you decide that it’s important for everyone to embed retrieval practice into lessons, this could mean a whole range of things. Do you mean every lesson? Does it matter when? Do you want people to ask questions? Should these be open, closed, or multiple-choice questions? Does it matter? Can teachers make their own decisions about when and where to introduce retrieval practice, or will this be prescribed at a school or department level?

​“Doing retrieval practice” could mean different things to different people. This needs to be defined and agreed upon. People have to understand why they’re doing it and what it means. They might even be able to help you decide what it means, which will help engage them in the process from the outset.

Reflect
Reflection is the cornerstone of evidence-informed decision-making and continuous improvement.

The guidance emphasises the importance of:

- Data-Driven Decisions: Harness the power of evidence and data to guide every step of your implementation process.
- Ongoing Learning: Encourage staff to continually reflect on their practices and make necessary adjustments, fostering a culture of continuous growth.

Evaluation, and learning from the process, are crucial aspects of successful implementation. Without these, we risk falling into a cycle of short-lived initiatives and ineffective practices.

This guidance is not just about following steps but about embedding a culture of thoughtful, evidence-based implementation that ultimately benefits all students.