Age 16-18
National education charity launches Evidence Partnership for the 16–19 sector
New City College has been awarded funding to become a founding member of the Education Endowment Foundation’s (EEF) new Evidence Partnership for the 16–19 sector, ensuring that young people get the very best opportunities in further education.
As an Evidence Partner, New City College will support other general FE and sixth-form colleges in their region and across England to help translate robust research into practical teaching improvements.
Already, just weeks since the announcement, New City College’s work in professional development for teachers has already been highlighted as best practice and published on the EEF’s website (see case study below).
Other ways that NCC will support the EEF includes:
- Increasing awareness of the EEF within the 16–19 sector
- Sharing evidence-based resources and approaches
- Converting evidence into actionable practice via case studies, blogs, videos, and other formats
- Building strong regional networks with providers and partners to foster collaboration
A key goal of the Partnership is to help address the persistent attainment gap affecting socio-economically disadvantaged learners – by the end of secondary school, they experience average learning gaps of 19.1 months, compared to their peers.
New City College is one of the six founding Evidence Partner Colleges. The full list is:
- Thomas Rotherham – Thomas Rotherham College
- New City College – New City College | Ofsted Outstanding – Enrol Now
- Exeter College – Exeter College : Your First Choice Ofsted Outstanding College
- East Lancashire Learning Group – Homepage – ELLG – East Lancashire Learning Group
- Middlesbrough College – Middlesbrough College | Further & Higher Education in Teesside
- Truro and Penwith College – Truro & Penwith College | Go Further
The appointment of the Evidence Partners – through a competitive application process – marks an important step in the EEF’s expanded focus on the 16–19 sector.
The EEF will oversee the development, support, and quality assurance of the work of each Evidence Partner College, ensuring the partnership delivers real impact for teachers and learners across the sector.
Emily Yeomans, co-CEO of the EEF, said: “The 16–19 phase is a pivotal stage for young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, as they work towards achieving their full potential and securing vital qualifications.
“There is clear appetite across the sector for stronger evidence that speaks directly to the challenges colleges face – enabling them to use their resources more effectively and better support their learners. By building a collaborative partnership, where members can share practice and embed evidence use, we aim to help reduce the entrenched inequalities that many young people still experience across the country.
“We are delighted to be working with New City College and our other partner colleges to launch this new evidence partnership.”
Case Study: New City College
Building a culture of evidence-informed practice at New City College
‘At New City College, professional development revolves around a culture of deliberate, evidence-informed enquiry. Rather than relying on isolated training sessions or one-off initiatives, staff engage in structured, three-term cycles of professional learning. These are grounded in challenges and shaped by both internal evidence and external research.
Each enquiry begins with an issue identified through a combination of achievement data, self-assessment reports, or learning walk observations. For instance, the Construction Directorate focused on improving the learning environment for vulnerable learners taught by industry-based staff, an initiative that ultimately led to a 14-point increase in achievement. Whether addressing subject-specific needs or broader pedagogical themes, the emphasis is on testing and refining approaches over time.
The professional development team guides staff to seek external research with demonstrated impact before choosing their intervention. Influential sources include the EEF, as well as John Hattie’s meta-analyses. Teams are encouraged to critically reflect: are they choosing an approach because it’s familiar or popular, or because it is supported by robust evidence? This ethos helps challenge assumptions and promotes thoughtful decision-making.
Support is also provided to develop staff evidence literacy. The professional development team helps staff access, interpret, and apply research. At the end of each year, a college-wide teaching and learning conference enables teams to present their findings, facilitating cross-college learning and embedding a culture of continuous improvement.
By aligning professional development with internal insight and external research, New City College ensures its teaching practice evolves in ways that are deliberate, collaborative, and impactful.’
