These resources were orginally published on 4 August 2025 and 3 December 2025.

Coming soon

• What Works Best 2025 practical guide – Using data to inform practice
• What Works Best 2025 practical guide – Assessment
• What Works Best 2025 practical guide – Classroom management
• What Works Best 2025 practical guide – Wellbeing
• What Works Best 2025 practical guide – Collaboration

Summary

These resources are part of the practical guide series for What Works Best 2025. They translate the evidence into practice by providing teachers and school leaders with practical ideas for implementing the What Works Best themes in their classrooms and schools.

The practical guides describe not only ‘what’ should be done to successfully implement a theme, but also the ‘how’ and ‘why’. In this edition, the practical guide for each theme will be published as a separate document. Recognising the focus of explicit teaching in Our Plan for NSW Public Education, the What Works Best 2025 Practical guide – Explicit teaching (PDF 1770 KB) is being published first, with the remaining guides set to be released in the second half of 2025.

How to use these resources

School leaders and teachers can read, consider, discuss and implement ideas highlighted in the practical guides and accompanying resources as part of school-developed High Impact Professional Learning (HIPL). The What Works Best 2025 – Evidence guide for excellent schools and What Works Best 2025 illustrations of practice can be consulted for further information about the evidence underpinning the themes and examples of how schools have implemented the themes.

Before engaging with the practical guides, it may be useful to first consider your current practice, and how it influences teaching and learning. What is working well, and which areas could be strengthened? The ideas presented in the practical guides may support you when planning next steps.

School leaders can:

• discuss the practical guides as part of whole-school professional development and/or stage or grade team meetings
• access the What Works Best 2025 – Evidence guide for excellent schools and What Works Best 2025 illustrations of practice to make evidence-informed decisions for leading school improvement and lifting student outcomes
• encourage teachers to share key findings during professional development
• support staff to find connections between What Works Best and the School Excellence Framework
• display the What Works Best 2025 – Evidence guide for excellent schools overview (PDF 657 KB).

Teachers can:

• read the practical guides and reflect on current practice
• access the What Works Best 2025 – Evidence guide for excellent schools to make evidence-informed decisions and the What Works Best 2025 illustrations of practice for examples of implementation
• consider which practices could be implemented in the classroom to lift student achievement, and discuss their thoughts with colleagues
• reflect on the impact of implementation.

Related resources

• The What Works Best 2025 – Evidence guide for excellent schools, lays out the research and data behind each of the 8 themes.
• Access the What Works Best 2025 illustrations of practice for examples of how schools across NSW have implemented the themes.
• Learn more about Explicit teaching for all the What Works Best themes.
• The research, ideas and practical examples profiled in the What Works Best 2025 resources support the vision and goals of Our Plan for NSW Public Education.
• The School Excellence Framework assists school leaders to take a planned and whole-school approach to improvement. The 8 themes closely align with the School Excellence Framework.

Contact

Email feedback about this resource to info.cese@det.nsw.edu.au using the subject line ‘Re: What Works Best 2025 practical guides’. You can also subscribe to the CESE newsletter and connect with us on Viva Engage (DoE staff only).

Alignment to system priorities and/or needs: Our Plan for NSW Public Education and our overarching commitment to creating an equitable and outstanding education system where every student learns, grows and belongs.

Reviewed by: Aboriginal Education and Communities; Curriculum; Inclusion and Wellbeing; Public Schools; Regional, Rural, Remote and Unique Settings; School Excellence; School Leadership Institute; School Workforce; Student Wellbeing Support; Teaching and Learning Support (under the 2025 departmental structure).

Created/last updated: Originally published 4 August 2025.

To be reviewed: CESE publications are prepared through a rigorous process. Resources are reviewed periodically as part of an ongoing evaluation plan.