Evaluation of professional development programme for early career teachers (ECTs) who are teaching key stage 1 (KS1) pupils in schools in disadvantaged areas cvonducted for the Education endowment Foundation (EEF), which aimed to enhance ECTs' knowledge and use of evidence-informed practices and to retain ECTs in the profession. The mixed methods theory-based evaluation gathered data from interviews, focus groups and surveys of participants and stakeholders to examine evidence of promise and the plausibility of the theory of change. ECTs' knowledge and understanding of approaches to teaching disadvantaged students, self-efficacy, confidence and research-use increased and they made changes in their classroom practice. The absence of a comparison group means that it is not possible to estimate the level of improvement that may have occurred without the programme. Most ECTs perceived that RETAIN was beneficial to their professional and career development and none left the profession during the pilot. Overall, RETAIN was positively received. ECTs found it easier to apply the learning from RETAIN in schools which were open to changing existing school practices and willing to support ECTs in implementing new approaches. Qualitative evidence indicates that the most important components of RETAIN were the taught sessions underpinned by research evidence, coaching by an external coach and peer collaboration, which combine to achieve positive outcomes
