Evidence-informed classroom practice with Impact Wales

In this episode, Kate Jones, Senior Associate for Teaching and Learning, interviews Jane Miller and Finola Wilson, former teachers and school leaders and now running Impact Wales, about evidence-informed classroom practices and curriculum. This podcast focuses on the importance of schools embracing an evidence-based approach to curriculum design, teaching and learning. Jane and Finola provide an overview of their careers in education, including their transition from the classroom to launching Impact Wales to support schools across Wales and further afield. Finola discusses how she creates and shares research summaries and sketch notes for teachers. The importance of an promoting an evidence-informed culture across a school is discussed to help teachers make better informed decisions. We cover the challenges and barriers facing teachers and school leaders engaging with evidence. Jane and Finola offer advice for school leaders to consider when thinking about how they can do the best for their children. Kate asks about the Curriculum for Wales and the origins behind the curriculum design and reform. This includes discussion of the curriculum framework, pedagogical principles and implementation plan. Finally, we chat about their latest collaboration with Bruce Robertson as they are teaming up with Bruce to continue to promote evidence informed teaching and learning approaches. You can follow Jane and Finola on Twitter here and find out more about their work with Impact Wales here.   All of our podcasts can be found in our podcast archive, and we have a host of free eBooks, videos and webinars for you in our Resource Library. The Great Teaching Toolkit offers an evidence-based curriculum for teachers’ professional learning. It provides a common professional language and a shared structure for enabling Great Teaching. The Model for Great Teaching is a summary of the best available research evidence on the things teachers do, know and believe that has the biggest impact on student learning. The review serves to help teachers make better and informed decisions about what they can best do to improve the quality of their teaching.