In-Class Intervention: A Smarter Approach to Meeting Needs Without Increasing Workload

The Early Career Framework states that teachers should learn how to... Meet individual needs without creating unnecessary workload, by considering carefully whether intervening within lessons with individuals and small groups would be more efficient and effective than planning different lessons for different groups of pupils.

In today’s classrooms, teachers are under constant pressure to personalise learning, raise standards, and close attainment gaps—all while juggling increasing workload demands. Understandably, many teachers fall into the trap of over-preparing for every perceived pupil need by designing different lessons for different groups. While this approach is well-intentioned, it is rarely sustainable and, in many cases, not even effective.

Instead of creating multiple lesson plans, teachers should reflect on whether targeted in-lesson interventions with individuals or small groups might be a more efficient and impactful way to meet learner needs. This approach, rooted in responsive teaching and supported by educational research, allows teachers to focus on depth rather than difference, providing real-time support and challenge without increasing planning time.

The Problem With Over-Differentiation

Traditional differentiation practices have often encouraged teachers to produce multiple versions of the same task to cater for “low,” “middle,” and “high” attainers. While this might seem like good practice on the surface, it can lead to:

• Unsustainable workload

• Unhelpful labelling of pupils

• Reduced expectations for certain learners

• Inequitable access to the curriculum

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) cautions against excessive “differentiation by task”, warning that it can lead to a narrowing of the curriculum and prevent pupils from accessing rich, challenging content (EEF, 2020). What’s more, the burden on teachers to continually produce bespoke materials is a key driver of burnout and attrition (DfE, 2019).

Instead, the focus should shift from creating different lessons to teaching the same high-quality lesson more flexibly—with timely and targeted support during the learning process.

Responsive Teaching Over Pre-Planned Differentiation

Responsive teaching, sometimes called adaptive teaching, is about adjusting instruction in real time based on pupils’ needs and responses. Rather than designing separate paths for different groups, the teacher delivers a shared learning experience and then responds dynamically—through questioning, clarification, scaffolding, or challenge.

Tom Sherrington (2020) emphasises that effective differentiation is not about preparing multiple lesson plans, but about using techniques such as live feedback, flexible grouping, and scaffolded questioning during the lesson. He argues that “the most effective teachers teach the same thing to all pupils but vary how they support them to access and succeed with it.”

This aligns with Rosenshine’s (2012) research-backed principles, which highlight the importance of checking for understanding and providing guided practice before independent work. Teachers who regularly circulate, listen in on group discussions, and intervene where necessary are more likely to spot misconceptions and offer timely support that prevents learning gaps from forming.

In-Lesson Intervention: What It Looks Like

In-lesson intervention is the practice of offering real-time support to individuals or small groups during the course of a lesson. This might involve:

• A quiet prompt or clarification to a pupil who looks stuck

• A brief explanation to a group struggling with the same task

• Sitting alongside a pupil to model a process

• Pairing up learners for peer support based on momentary need

• Providing an extension question or deeper challenge to push thinking

Crucially, this does not require separate resources or a distinct lesson plan. It is about being strategic with your time and presence, ensuring that pupils receive what they need to succeed during the lesson—not after it, and not through an entirely different task.

This approach is particularly effective for pupils with SEND or those with lower prior attainment, who may need frequent but short bursts of adult support. When teachers can anticipate moments in a lesson where support might be needed—and build in opportunities to address those—it creates a classroom culture where all pupils are included in the main learning experience but receive tailored support as and when needed.

Efficiency Without Compromise

One of the major benefits of in-lesson intervention is its efficiency. By dealing with difficulties as they arise, teachers can avoid:

• Having to mark and correct avoidable misunderstandings later

• Planning re-teaching sessions for groups that didn’t grasp content the first time

• Creating an ever-growing bank of “catch-up” or “differentiated” resources

This approach also helps to keep expectations high for all learners. Rather than removing pupils from the main activity or simplifying their tasks, the teacher intervenes to scaffold success within the shared task. As Mary Myatt (2020) argues, “High challenge, low threat” is the optimal condition for learning, and well-timed in-class intervention helps maintain that balance.

Routines and Structures That Support In-Lesson Intervention

To make in-lesson intervention sustainable, it must be supported by strong routines and lesson structures. Some practical ways to do this include:

1. Planning “pause points” where you deliberately stop to check understanding across the class and offer support to those who need it.

2. Using mini whiteboards or hinge questions to quickly identify who needs support.

3. Training pupils in self-regulation, such as using traffic light cards or help stations, so they can indicate when they’re struggling.

4. Allocating your teaching assistant (if available) to support “floating” needs, rather than being tied to a single pupil.

5. Building routines around peer teaching or small group collaboration, so pupils can access help without always waiting for the teacher.

These practices help to create a classroom culture where support is dynamic, timely, and part of everyday learning—rather than a bolt-on or an afterthought.

Avoiding the Myth of “One Size Fits All”

Of course, not all pupils will thrive with the same level of support, and some will require additional, pre-planned interventions outside of the main lesson. However, this should not be the default.

As Wiliam (2018) notes, “The curriculum should be common, but the routes to success should vary.” Effective teaching ensures that the same high-quality curriculum is accessible to all, but the journey through it is flexible. In-lesson intervention enables this journey to be adapted in the moment, without fracturing the learning experience or burdening the teacher.

Conclusion: Teach Once, Intervene Often

Meeting individual needs does not mean writing a different lesson plan for every learner. It means using your expertise to teach well the first time, to everyone—and then using smart, focused in-lesson intervention to close gaps, resolve misconceptions, and stretch understanding.

This approach empowers teachers to remain in control of their workload while maintaining inclusive, high-quality instruction. It also affirms a simple but powerful truth: you don’t need different lessons—you need different questions, different scaffolds, and timely support.

In short, effective teaching is not about doing more—it’s about doing what matters, when it matters, for the pupils who need it most.

References

• Department for Education. (2019). Teacher Workload Survey.

• Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). (2020). Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools.

• Myatt, M. (2020). Back on Track: Fewer Things, Deeper Learning. John Catt Educational.

• Rosenshine, B. (2012). Principles of Instruction. American Educator, 36(1), 12–19.

• Sherrington, T. (2020). Teaching Walkthrus: Five-Step Guides to Instructional Coaching. John Catt Educational.

• Wiliam, D. (2018). Creating the Schools Our Children Need. Learning Sciences International.