Introducing Evidence Champions

The EEFective Kent Project is providing funding and support for schools in Kent to designate and develop their own Evidence Champion.

An Evidence Champion launch session is taking place online on Thursday 10 February 2022 with Durrington Research School, and will provide further information about the role, training, wider support package and the next steps to take if you want to pursue setting up the role in your school. The session aims to develop a strategic understanding of the role for Headteachers and SLT members, however, aspiring Evidence Champions are welcome to attend alongside the appropriate senior leader. Book your place here

Why do schools need an Evidence Champion?

One of the greatest challenges of school leadership is ensuring that we are focusing our time, energy and efforts into the school improvement priorities that will give our children the best possible chance of success. Using the research evidence ensures that the priorities we identify, and the approaches we use, are framed around ‘best bets’ - what the research evidence says is most likely to work. This matters because the education of the young people who come to our schools is too important to be left to chance. Using the research evidence to shape what we do gives us the best possible chance of being successful.

What will an Evidence Champion do?

An Evidence Champion will have a good working knowledge of the best available research evidence and how to access it. They will be supported with this through the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), Durrington Research School, Kingsnorth Associate Research School and a network of other Evidence Champions from across Kent. This will enable them to advise on evidence-based practice in their school, so that decisions around improvement work are shaped by the best available research evidence.

What will my school’s involvement look like?

If you school decides to commit to this role, you will receive fully-funded training by the EEF’s Research Schools Network to develop your Evidence Champion. Following this, participating Kent schools will be eligible for some additional funding from the EEFective Kent Project to embed and sustain this work in their context (e.g. for staff release time or bespoke support from an Evidence Leader in Education).

The Evidence Champion training will comprise three online training modules in  Spring Term 2022:

1. What is an Evidence Champion? Why do schools need an Evidence Champion?
2. What sources of evidence are available and how can we evaluate their usefulness?
3. How can schools effectively mobilise the research evidence and evaluate its impact?

This will be followed with a face-to-face networking workshop in the Summer Term.

We strongly recommend that interested schools ensure that a member of their senior leadership team attends the virtual launch session on Thursday 10 February. If this is not possible, or for any other queries, please contact EEFectiveKentProject@kent.gov.uk. Further information is also available on the EEFective Kent Project webpage. Please note that registration for the Evidence Champion training will open on Thursday 10 February 2022 following the launch event.