This blog is the last instalment in a five-part series written by Matthew Anglesea, Assistant Principal at Durham Sixth Form Centre.  It explores their evolving journey with the Great Teaching Toolkit (GTT), from initial implementation to their current practices and reflections. Durham 6th Form are one of the lead schools using the GTT, and have recently been awarded the status of Great Teaching Centre. As part of this community, Durham Sixth Form Centre now stands as both a beacon and an exemplar. Sharing practice, leading by example, and helping to shape a global movement for sustained, evidence-informed professional learning. 

Year 4 of Living the Policy: Embedding Practice for Impact

In September 2025, we will begin the fourth year of our professional development programme, Living the Policy. This initiative focuses on the what, how and why of effective teaching, asking teachers to invest time in developing the aspects of practice that have the greatest impact on student outcomes.

Part of embedding practice is about maintaining disciplined focus on the things we know make a difference. Our approach has never been about chasing the latest fad, but about honing in and getting better at what matters most. To help teachers embed their understanding, we are committed to keeping our focus on those aspects of teaching that research indicates have the biggest effect on student outcomes. Our job is too important not to do so. The life chances of the young people we work with are shaped by the quality of their education, and that means we have both a responsibility and a drive to continually get better.

Retrieval Practice and Evidence-Informed CPD

The EEF guidance report highlights that embedding practice requires revisiting prior learning. In the first two years of our programme, we concentrated on the fundamentals of our Teaching, Learning and Assessment policy, particularly integrating retrieval practice into curriculum delivery. In the third year, teachers were given the opportunity to specialise and focus in depth on a specific area of their choosing.

This year, we return to the core content delivered in Year 1 & 2, with the aim of strengthening understanding and reinforcing application over time. The programme has been intentionally designed to revisit key ideas, research and techniques, but to do so through two new lenses.

Activating Hard Thinking & Building Adaptive Expertise

The first lens is activating hard thinking: exploring how we can implement our policy in ways that promote deeper cognitive challenge for all students. The second lens is adaptive expertise: revisiting earlier content with the goal of deepening teachers’ understanding of how learning occurs and supporting them to make the right decisions at the right time for the right reasons.

Results continue to improve and remain above the national average, which is particularly significant given the wider narrative of underachievement in the North East of England. Teachers have seen the impact of focusing on strategies that research suggests lead to improved outcomes and have experienced tangible benefits in their summer results. This has created a culture built around a growth mindset. It now feels as though we are pushing against an open door, with teachers motivated by the evidence of what works.

Importantly, our approach has never been about imposing a uniform model of teaching. Colleagues value the autonomy to apply their subject expertise and experience to tailor strategies to their curriculum areas, while still working from a shared understanding of the evidence base. This balance of professional trust and research-informed practice has been key to sustaining engagement.

Sharpening Teacher Decision-Making and Reflective Practice

As we move into Year 4, we are excited to deepen our focus on teachers’ decision-making. We want colleagues to reflect not only on the actions they take but also on the goals they set, asking whether both are rooted in how students learn. By sharpening our collective understanding of how learning occurs, we can strengthen the implementation of our Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy at classroom level. As leaders, we are committed to modelling this same approach, continually refining, reflecting and applying a growth mindset ourselves.

Our systems have evolved alongside this culture. Where we once used Google Forms for target setting, we now use reflective professional development logs to encourage deeper thinking about professional growth. One constant throughout has been collegiality. Teachers work together within and across departments, providing one another with the psychological safety to try new ideas, make mistakes, learn and improve.

Leveraging the Great Teaching Toolkit for Continuous Teacher Growth

The flexibility of the Great Teaching Toolkit platform has been central to this process. It is not a rigid framework but a resource that supports teacher development in multiple ways. It can build knowledge through its courses, motivate staff through improvements in student survey feedback, and support the development of new techniques through video analysis, target setting and action planning. Its continued evolution provides new ways to support teacher growth, and colleagues, this year, are particularly keen to engage with the 360 feedback tools.

Looking ahead, we are excited to build on this progress as we become a Great Teaching Centre. Joining a wider community of schools committed to evidence-informed improvement offers fresh opportunities for collaboration and for driving lasting impact together.

This five-part series has explored our journey with the Great Teaching Toolkit and the EEF’s guidance on effective professional development, from laying the foundations after the pandemic to building knowledge, motivating teachers, developing teaching techniques and embedding practice. The common thread throughout has been a commitment to creating the conditions for every teacher to improve, sustained over time and grounded in evidence.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of this work further, please contact Matthew Anglesea, Assistant Principal, Durham Sixth Form Centre at matthew.anglesea@durhamsixthformcentre.org.uk.