• summarising evidence. Reviewing the best available existing evidence on teaching and learning and presenting this in an accessible way – for schools, teachers, parents and others;
• creating new evidence. EEF funding rigorous independent evaluations of programmes and approaches that aim to raise the attainment of children and young people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds; and
• putting evidence to use. Supporting education practitioners, as well as policymakers and other organisations, to use evidence in ways that improve teaching and learning.

The EEF funds the production of new studies to show what is likely to improve learning and educational attainment, especially for the most disadvantaged pupils. As confidence increases in the effect of an intervention, EEF scales up its delivery, whether in schools, nurseries or colleges. It works at with projects / interventions at four stages of development:

• Pilot studies. These are conducted in a small number of schools, or early years / post-16 settings (e.g., three or more), where a programme is at an early or exploratory stage of development. They are evaluated through qualitative research to develop and refine the approach and test its feasibility in schools, nurseries or colleges. Initial, indicative data will be collected to assess its potential to raise attainment
• Efficacy trials. These test whether an intervention can work under developer-led conditions in a number of schools, or early years / post-16 settings, usually at least 50. Impact is assessed using an independent and rigorous quantitative impact evaluation. At this stage, challenges to delivery are identified and an indicative cost of the intervention is calculated
• Effectiveness trials. These test whether an approach can be delivered at such a scale that means the original developer does not need to be closely involved in delivery. These trial usually involve at least 100 schools or nurseries, across at least three different geographical regions. Again, a quantitative impact evaluation is used, challenges for delivery at scale are identified, and costs are calculated
• Scale-up. This is when a programme which has been shown to work in a rigorous trial, and has the capacity to deliver at scale, is expanded to work across a bigger area delivering to a large number of schools, or early years / post-16 settings

The Good Giving List uses EEF’s effectiveness trials.

EEF’s efficacy and effectiveness trials (evaluations) are mostly randomised control trials (RCT). This is where a group of settings (like schools) are allocated at random between:

• a group that will run the intervention. This group is called the treatment group; and
• a group that will not run the intervention. This is called the control group.

After the intervention, outcomes in the two groups (e.g., pupils’ learning levels) can be examined and statistically compared, to see whether there is any change, and if so, whether it is positive or negative. The comparison uses statistical techniques to see whether any differences in outcomes is simply down to chance or results from the intervention.

Using RCTs is not a guarantee of good quality evaluation – care is needed in how they are set up and evaluated. But when they are well done, they can be a reliable indication of the effects of a programme.

Each recommendation on The Good Giving List which come from EEF’s studies includes a link to the relevant EEF studies. This is the best place to start if you want to understand more about how it was tested.