Raising Educational Achievement for Students with Special Educational Needs: Perspectives on Evidence-Based Interventions from Educational Practitioners

The prevalence of students with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is rising, emphasising the importance of evidence-based interventions to support their educational progress. However, how educators use evidence to guide their intervention approaches, and the role of school context, remains unclear. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 primary and secondary educational practitioners in England from a variety of school types (mainstream and specialist provision). Participants were asked to reflect on the intervention strategies they employ to support students with SEND, the factors shaping their intervention choices, and the types of evidence they use to implement and assess the effectiveness of these strategies. Findings indicated a limited awareness of rigorous scientific methodologies like randomised control trials. Instead, most relied on personal experience or word of mouth as evidence of effective interventions. Participants preferred designing their own interventions or using flexible, piecemeal approaches rather than standardised methods. School type and level impacted intervention choices, with primary and specialist schools favouring flexible interventions with short, frequent sessions, and secondary and mainstream schools prioritising easy-to-train programs, often constrained by cost and resources. Intervention fidelity was influenced by student characteristics, resources, and training. These findings highlight current practices and suggest areas for improving SEND support. Practical implications are discussed.