Changing mindsets to improve pupil attainment

ISRCTN	ISRCTN14702744
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN14702744
Secondary identifying numbers	N/A

Submission date: 07/06/2016
Registration date: 01/07/2016
Last edited: 07/05/2021

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Other

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
The Changing Pupils’ Mindsets project is testing the theories that children hold about their intelligence, in particular whether it is a ‘fixed entity’ or a ‘malleable’ quality that can be developed. Research with 12-14 year olds in the US has found that those who agreed with the idea that “You can always change how intelligent you are” outperformed those who believed that “You have a certain amount of intelligence and you can’t do much to change it”. Other US research found that mentoring pupils with a Changing Mindsets approach led to improvements in standardised tests. This study is testing a model of changing the way pupils think about themselves and their intelligence. Specifically, the intervention aims to support schools in encouraging “growth mindsets” in their pupils (the belief that intelligence can be developed, rather than being a fixed trait).

Who can participate?
Teachers and Year 6 pupils at primary schools in the South East, South West, Midlands, North East and North West (UK)

What does the study involve?
Participating schools are randomly allocated to either receive the intervention straight away or to carry on with business as usual and receive the intervention two academic terms later. Teachers receive training that introduces them to mindset theory and evidence and provides them with tips for how to embed the approach in their classrooms/schools (e.g. how to communicate incremental beliefs to pupils through feedback/praise). To supplement these suggested changes to everyday practice, teachers are given the materials/training to run an 8-week programme (up 2.5 hours a week) of weekly lessons and activities.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The possible benefits of participation are an increase in growth mindset, increased pupil resilience to challenge and failure in learning, increased pupil attainment (literacy and numeracy), improved pupil self-regulation and self-efficacy. The risks of participating are loss of time spent on other curriculum areas having a negative impact on attainment in those areas. This risk is mitigated by teachers selecting the time of delivery that limits this risk, e.g. delivery coming outside of core curriculum delivery times.

Where is the study run from?
National Institute of Economic and Social Research and University of Portsmouth (UK)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
February 2016 to January 2018

Who is funding the study?
Education Endowment Foundation (UK)

Who is the main contact?
Dr Cinzia Rienzo

Study website

Contact information

Dr Cinzia Rienzo
Scientific

2 Dean Trench Street
Smith Square
London
Sw1P 3HE
United Kingdom

ORCID ID	0000-0002-5931-8270

Study information

Study design	Interventional school-level cluster randomised controlled trial; the participants are not blinded, but the outcome measurement is
Primary study design	Interventional
Secondary study design	Cluster randomised trial
Study setting(s)	School
Study type	Quality of life
Participant information sheet	Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet
Scientific title	Changing mindsets to improve pupil attainment: a randomised trial in schools
Study objectives	Testing whether teacher-led sessions can encourage pupils to adopt a “growth mindset”
Ethics approval(s)	University of Portsmouth, Science Faculty Ethics Committee (SFEC), 04/02/2016, Ref: SFEC 2016-007
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Academic performance end of Year 6
Intervention	Treatment: Teachers will receive training that introduces them to mindset theory and evidence and provides them with tips for how to embed the approach in their classrooms/schools. Schools will pay £500 to receive the intervention. Control: Business as usual and payment of £500 to receive the intervention two academic terms later.
Intervention type	Behavioural
Primary outcome measure	Literacy and numeracy as measured by the national Key Stage 2 tests at the end of the first year
Secondary outcome measures	Non-cognitive skills, measured through the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ; Pintrich & Van De Groot, 1990), self-efficacy and self-regulation subscales
Overall study start date	01/02/2016
Completion date	31/01/2018

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Other
Age group	Child
Sex	Both
Target number of participants	100 schools, with an estimated 40 students per school
Key inclusion criteria	The study comprises primary schools in the South East, South West, Midlands, North East and North West. Within each school, the trial focuses on year 6 pupils. Recruitment is on a school basis. Inclusion criteria is any school that is: 1. English state primary schools that are able to send their Year 5 and Year 6 teachers to one of up to 20 INSETs in 7 regions across the UK 2. Schools that have not carried out any formal Mindset intervention at the stage of recruitment 3. Schools that have not used a systematic mindsets programme with their Year 6 cohort 4. Schools should also be able to attend one of the training dates provided by Portsmouth If there is a high degree of interest from schools then schools with a high number of FSM pupils, or schools were there was a significant gap between FSM and non-FSM pupils will be prioritized. As a condition of being entered into the randomisation schools will need to provide the following: 1. Confirmation that parent opt-out consent forms have been sent out 2. Pupil data form including UPNs for all year 6s 3. Baseline teacher questionnaire
Key exclusion criteria	1. Independent schools 2. School that have used a systematic mindsets programme with their Year 6 cohort
Date of first enrolment	22/02/2016
Date of final enrolment	16/06/2016

Locations

Countries of recruitment

England
United Kingdom

Study participating centres

National Institute of Economic and Social Research

SW1P 3HE
United Kingdom

University of Portsmouth

PO1 2DY
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

Education Endowment Foundation (UK)
Charity

9th Floor
Millbank Tower
21-24 Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
United Kingdom

Website	https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/about/contact/
"ROR"	https://ror.org/03bhd6288

Funders

Funder type

Charity

Education Endowment Foundation (UK)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date	31/05/2018
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not expected to be made available
Publication and dissemination plan	We will publish an Evaluation Report in Spring 2018 (by end of May 2018), which will include the impact estimates for the primary and secondary outcomes. This will be published on the study page of the Education Endowment Foundation website.
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Funder report results		11/07/2019	07/05/2021	No	No

Editorial Notes

07/05/2021: Publication reference added.