Education should follow this lead from medical research

While the use of experimental design has been a feature of education research for 30 years or more, in the past 10 years we have seen a significant shift to follow in the footsteps of the health sector, including the use of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), However, in 2021 the Medical Research Council guidance for the health sector was updated to prioritise a place-based approach to the development of interventions and evaluations so that local “place” issues are considered.

The place-based approach recognises that for interventions to be effective in improving health outcomes, there needs to be an understanding at the local level, rather than only at the individual level, as to the determinants of poor health.