EEF-Backed Strategies for Teaching AQA Psychology
Teaching AQA A-Level Psychology can be challenging — not because students aren’t capable, but because the subject demands high levels of critical thinking, retention, and exam application. Fortunately, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) offers evidence-based strategies that align beautifully with effective psychology teaching.
In this article, we’ll explore EEF strategies in education, explain how to apply them to AQA Psychology, and share ready-to-use resources built with these principles in mind.
What Are EEF Strategies in Education?
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) is a UK-based charity that investigates what works in classrooms. Their Teaching and Learning Toolkit summarises the impact of various teaching approaches based on evidence.
Some of the highest-impact strategies recommended by the EEF include:
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Retrieval Practice
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Spaced Practice
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Feedback
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Metacognition and Self-Regulation
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Explicit Instruction
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Cognitive Load Management
These approaches are proven to increase student progress — especially when applied deliberately and consistently across subjects like psychology.
How Can I Use EEF Strategies in AQA Psychology?
Let’s break down each of the most effective EEF strategies and how to use them in your AQA Psychology classroom.
1. Retrieval Practice (Very High Impact – Low Cost)
EEF states that retrieval practice — the act of recalling knowledge from memory — significantly boosts long-term retention. For AQA Psychology, this is gold dust.
How to apply:
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Begin lessons with REK tasks (Recent Existing Knowledge) such as multiple-choice questions, definitions, or mini writing challenges.
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Use Mastery Checkpoint Sheets where students respond to a question, get feedback, then revisit it weeks later to check long-term retention.
Try this: Attachment Mastery Workbook & Tracker Pack – designed for retrieval and spaced revision.
2. Spaced Practice
Spaced learning is about revisiting content over increasing intervals instead of cramming. EEF research shows this improves exam performance.
How to apply:
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Revisit key AQA topics (e.g. Memory, Schizophrenia) weekly through quizzes or flashbacks.
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Set homework tasks that require revisiting last term’s content.
Free Tool: Download our Spaced Revision Planner
3. Feedback (High Impact – Low Cost)
EEF recommends live feedback and structured student response time as best practice.
How to apply:
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Use live marking during retrieval tasks.
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Build in green pen response time in lessons.
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Track student progress using visual trackers.
Included: All Yum Yum Mama Mastery Workbooks contain live teacher trackers and feedback templates.
4. Metacognition and Self-Regulation
Metacognitive strategies help students plan, monitor, and evaluate their own learning — crucial in AQA Psychology where students juggle AO1, AO2, and AO3.
How to apply:
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Teach students how to evaluate their own answers (e.g., through model answers and peer-assessment).
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Ask students to reflect on how they answered a question, not just what they wrote.
Bonus: Each Mastery Checkpoint Sheet includes a student reflection section.
5. Explicit Instruction
EEF encourages breaking learning down into small steps and modelling expectations clearly — especially helpful for lower-ability learners.
How to apply:
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Show students what a strong AO1/AO3 paragraph looks like.
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Scaffold answers using PEEL or PBWC (Point, Because, Why, Counter).
Coming soon: Yum Yum Mama’s AO3 Modelling Pack for Paper 1 Topics.
6. Cognitive Load Management
Psychology students often feel overwhelmed by terminology and dense theory. The EEF recommends reducing cognitive overload by chunking and dual coding.
How to apply:
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Provide visuals like diagrams, timelines, and flowcharts.
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Reduce unnecessary distractions from slides and handouts.
Free Download: Dual Coding Template
What Do EEF Say About Circulating the Classroom?
According to the EEF, effective teaching includes planning a route and circulating with purpose during independent tasks:
“Circulate with a specific goal in mind — to observe, give feedback, and address misconceptions.”
Tip: Use a printed tracker (like the Mastery Monitoring Sheet) to record which students were checked, attempted a challenge, or needed support — without stopping the whole class.
FREE & PAID Resources That Apply EEF Strategies
| Resource | EEF Strategy Used | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Spaced Revision Planner | Spaced Practice | Download Free |
| Dual Coding Template | Cognitive Load | Download Free |
| Mastery Workbook Pack | Retrieval, Feedback, Metacognition |
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FAQs
Q: Do Ofsted recognise EEF strategies in inspections?
Yes — schools that embed EEF-backed practice often demonstrate strong pedagogy during deep dives.
Q: Can these strategies be used across all AQA Psychology topics?
Absolutely. While this article uses examples from Attachment, the same structures work brilliantly for Memory, Psychopathology, Schizophrenia, and more.
Q: Do students need booklets or can these be used as handouts?
Your choice — Yum Yum Mama resources are designed to work as either full booklets or print-and-go sheets.
Final Thoughts
EEF strategies aren’t just buzzwords — they’re research-driven, practical tools that can transform how you teach AQA Psychology. Whether you’re preparing for inspections or improving outcomes, embedding these techniques can lighten your workload and raise attainment.
Ready to start? Grab the Attachment Mastery Workbook & Tracker Pack or explore more Free Psychology Downloads today.
