Effective professional development in the early years

Supporting the early years sector in their vital work is crucial if we want to see all young children – regardless of their background – get the best possible start in life and go on to achieve their potential.

At the EEF, we are working to increase our focus on the early years, so that professionals working in this sector feel empowered to use evidence to their advantage.

As part of this work, we have produced a new guide to support effective professional development in the early years’, designed to support the DfE’s Early Years Stronger Practice Hub programme and compliment the EEF’s Early Years Evidence Store.

The EEF’s evidence review of professional development included 104 studies, of which a third assessed the impact of PD on staff and children in the early years. These studies consistently demonstrate that PD can change practice and improve outcomes for children. The guide published today is a second resource based on the review which focuses on the early years.