How to introduce retrieval practice in primary teaching

Get to grips with retrieval practice: a pedagogical strategy that focuses on strengthening pupils’ ability to recall knowledge, so that your teachers don’t have to re-teach as much material. Primary teacher and senior leader Alex Beauchamp explains what retrieval practice is, what it looks like in the classroom, how to get your staff on board with it, and how to evaluate how well you’ve embedded it in your school.

Last reviewed on 5 February 2025
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 50082
Contents
  1. Watch our on-demand talk 
  2. Resources for this talk 
  3. Alex's recommended further reading and resources 
  4. Meet our speaker 

Watch our on-demand talk 

This video offers 'bite-sized' CPD for teachers, with accompanying handouts/resources.

It represents the speaker's role and approach (and where relevant, their school/trust's approach) at the time it was recorded, but still serves as both a source of inspiration and practical tips for you to use in practice.

Please note: any commercial providers, products or resources mentioned in this talk, and relevant links here, are on the speaker's own recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.

 

Resources for this talk 

How to introduce retrieval practice in primary teaching: key points PDF, 254.0 KB
Download
How to introduce retrieval practice in primary teaching: note-taking template DOCX, 68.0 KB
Download

Alex's recommended further reading and resources 

Meet our speaker 

Alex Beauchamp is a senior leader, lead practitioner and teacher at Hunter's Bar Junior