The EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit: A Practical Guide for Schools
The Education Endowment Foundation’s (EEF) Teaching and Learning Toolkit is a free online resource designed to help schools make informed decisions about teaching and learning. It summarises research on a range of approaches and presents the findings in a format intended to support discussion and planning.
The Toolkit is widely used by teachers, school leaders and education professionals in England and beyond. It can help users explore what research says about different strategies, but it is not a list of guaranteed solutions. Its findings need to be considered alongside professional judgement and the needs of each school community.
What does the Toolkit include?
The Toolkit brings together evidence from research reviews covering approaches such as feedback, phonics, metacognition and collaborative learning. For each approach, it provides a summary of the evidence and information intended to help schools assess its potential relevance.
Entries typically describe:
- Average impact: an estimate of the average effect found in the studies reviewed, often expressed as additional months of progress.
- Evidence strength: an indication of how much evidence is available and how secure the conclusions are considered to be.
- Cost: an estimate of the resources that may be required to put the approach into practice.
- Implementation considerations: factors that schools may need to consider when introducing or developing an approach.
What does “months of progress” mean?
One of the Toolkit’s best-known features is its use of “months of progress” to communicate average impact. This is a way of translating research findings into a measure that may be easier to interpret. It does not mean that every pupil will make that exact amount of additional progress, or that a school can expect the same result simply by adopting a particular strategy.
Research findings are based on studies conducted in particular settings, with different pupils, teachers and implementation conditions. Results can vary, and estimates should be treated as guides to the evidence rather than predictions for an individual classroom.
How can schools use the Toolkit?
The Toolkit is most useful as a starting point for professional discussion. A school might use it to explore an area of interest, compare possible approaches and identify questions to investigate further. Staff can then consider how the evidence relates to their pupils, curriculum, existing practice and available resources.
A thoughtful process might include:
- Identify a specific need. Start with evidence about pupils’ learning and the school’s priorities, rather than choosing an approach simply because it appears highly rated.
- Explore the research. Read the Toolkit entry and follow links to further evidence where available. Pay attention to evidence strength, variation in findings and implementation notes.
- Plan carefully. Decide what the approach will look like in practice, who will be involved and what support staff may need.
- Check progress. Agree how the school will evaluate whether the approach is working for its pupils, and be prepared to adapt it in response to what is learned.
Why context and implementation matter
An approach supported by research is not automatically effective in every setting. Its impact can depend on how well it is understood, how consistently it is used and whether it addresses the learning needs of the pupils concerned. Staff training, leadership support, time and suitable materials may all influence implementation.
Schools should also consider how an approach fits with existing teaching and avoid treating Toolkit estimates as a simple ranking. A strategy with a high average impact may not be the right choice for every school, while a less prominent approach may be valuable when it responds directly to a clearly identified need.
A useful resource, not a substitute for judgement
The EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit offers an accessible way to engage with educational research. Its summaries can help schools ask better questions and make evidence-informed decisions. They cannot replace detailed evaluation, professional expertise or knowledge of pupils and their circumstances.
Used carefully, the Toolkit can support a culture of enquiry: one in which schools examine evidence, test ideas thoughtfully and learn from the results. The aim is not to follow a rating mechanically, but to use research as one part of making teaching and learning more effective for every pupil.
Understanding the EEF Toolkit: Key FAQs and Insights
- What are the 7 steps to writing EEF?
- What is a toolkit in education?
- What are the 4 stages of EEF?
- What does EEF stand for?
- What are the 7 stages of writing EEF?
What are the 7 steps to writing EEF?
The EEF does not set out one official “seven steps to writing” method; its resources focus on evidence-informed teaching and implementation. As a practical approach to writing an EEF-informed article or report, you could define the purpose and audience, identify the relevant evidence, plan the key points, organise them into a clear structure, write a first draft, revise it for accuracy and clarity, and proofread the final version. These are general writing steps, rather than a framework formally prescribed by the EEF.
What is a toolkit in education?
In education, a toolkit is a practical resource that brings together research, guidance and strategies to help teachers and school leaders make informed decisions. The EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit, for example, summarises evidence on approaches to teaching and learning, including their estimated impact, evidence strength and cost. It is intended to support professional discussion and planning, rather than provide a one-size-fits-all answer: schools should consider the evidence alongside their pupils’ needs and local context.
What are the 4 stages of EEF?
The EEF’s implementation process has four stages: **Explore, Prepare, Deliver and Sustain**. Schools first explore the need and whether a proposed approach is suitable; prepare by planning the change and supporting staff; deliver it while monitoring how it is working; and sustain effective practice over time. The stages are intended to help schools introduce evidence-informed approaches thoughtfully, adapting them in response to their context and what they learn.
What does EEF stand for?
EEF stands for the Education Endowment Foundation, an independent charity in England that works to improve educational outcomes for children and young people facing disadvantage. It produces the Teaching and Learning Toolkit, which summarises research evidence to help schools make informed decisions about teaching approaches.
What are the 7 stages of writing EEF?
The EEF does not prescribe one official set of seven stages for writing. A commonly used writing cycle is to plan, draft, share, evaluate, revise, edit and publish a piece of work. These stages help pupils develop and improve their writing, but they need not always happen in a fixed order; teachers can adapt the process to the task, pupils’ needs and the writing strategies being taught.
