Tripp’s Critical Incident Methodology states that “. . . a critical incident is an interpretation of the significance of an event. To take something as a critical incident is a value judgment we make, and the basis of that judgment is a significance we attach to the meaning of the incident” (1993, 8). Incidents do not have to be charged; they are “typical” (2011, 25) events that become critical when an individual analyses the underlying concepts of the situation and reflects on the situation to inform and develop their teaching practice. A critical incident includes two stages: the “what” part in which the incident is seen and recorded, and the “why” part in which the incident’s meaning is explained (Tripp 2011, 25; Joshi 2018, 85) using learning theories to develop an insight into the reasons why the event occurred and detail a teacher’s next steps/researched responses. A critical analysis of these events is integral to the progress of reflective practice in teaching, and it can improve all aspects of the learning environment for learners.
	This critical evaluation will first look at the role of critical reflection and its link to the developments made in the teaching practice and to the role of teachers. Following this section, a summary of the school and classroom in which the critical incident was observed will give context to the critical incident. There will then be a detailed analysis of the critical incident and its connection to Donaldson’s Four Purposes (2015) which are cemented in the Curriculum for Wales Framework (2020). The literature review that follows will critically engage with two research areas in education that arose from the critical incident, and it will offer guidance on how the research could affect teaching practice. After this section, there will be an examination of the use of reflective models during a teacher’s reflective practice, the connections made to the research reviewed and its valuable impact on a teacher’s development, and the next steps/researched responses that will allow for professional growth and individual development.