ISRCTN ISRCTN37208856
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN37208856
Secondary identifying numbers V1.0
Submission date
07/03/2018
Registration date
16/04/2018
Last edited
05/01/2023
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
A global goal of education is to improve standards of literacy (the ability to read and write). In England, the latest national results for children in years 3-6, aged 7-11 (key stage 2) indicate that only 71% of pupils met the expected standard in reading (DfE 2017). As such it is important that research continues to find effective approaches to increase literacy skills.

Who can participate?
Year 1 pupils in participating schools

What does the study involve?
Participating schools are randomly assigned to one of three groups:
Those in the first group deliver a programme (ABRA) to small groups of participants via online software. This is conducted by a specially trained member of staff for four 15 minute sessions per week.
Those in the second group also have four 15 minute sessions per week but the ABRA programme is delivered using a paper based version.
Schools in the control group continue with usual teaching with a small group of pupils (approx. 5 pre-randomsiation) and deliver additional small group teaching similar to that which is being delivered in the intervention schools. The content of this additional small group teaching is completely up to the school but must be literacy based and cannot be ABRA.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There are no direct benefits or risks for those taking part in the study.

Where is the study run from?
201 primary schools in West Midlands, East Midlands, Newcastle, Teeside and Manchester (UK)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
May 2017 to March 2022

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

Who is the main contact?
Kerry Bell, kerry.bell@york.ac.uk

Study website

Contact information

Dr Kerry Bell
Scientific

York Trials Unit
Department of Health Sciences
Faculty of Sciences
ARRC Building
University of York
York
YO10 5DD
United Kingdom

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0001-8461-2183

Study information

Study designPragmatic three-arm cluster randomised effectiveness trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designCluster randomised trial
Study setting(s)School
Study typeOther
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleIndependent evaluation of small group reading support programmes to improve literacy in Year 1 pupils: a three-armed cluster randomised controlled trial
Study acronymABRA
Study objectivesThis study aims to investigate the effectiveness of an ICT based small group reading support programme (ABRA) delivered at scale and an equivalent non-ICT small group reading support programme delivered at scale to pupils in Year 1 on literacy development.

How effective is the ABRA - ICT delivery model compared with an equivalent non-ICT paper-based small group reading support programme (non-ICT delivery model) in increasing the literacy skills of pupils in Year 1?

If the ABRA - ICT and the non-ICT delivery models are found to have similar effects:
How effective is the small group reading support programme (ABRA - ICT and non-ICT delivery models) in increasing the literacy skills of pupils in Year 1?

If delivery models are found to have different effects:
How effective is ABRA - ICT delivery model compared with usual practice in increasing the literacy skills of pupils in Year 1?

How effective is an equivalent non-ICT paper based delivery model compared with usual practice in increasing the literacy skills of pupils in Year 1?
Ethics approval(s)1. Durham University School of Education Ethics Committee, March/April 2018 - submission pending
2. Durham University School of Education Ethics Committee approved the Memorandum of Understanding for Schools (V6:20171218), 10/01/2018, no reference number.
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedLiteracy skills
InterventionParticipating schools are randomly assigned to one of three study arms:
1. ABRA – ICT Delivery: Year 1 children in groups of 3-5 pupils work with a specially trained member of school staff using the ABRA online software for a minimum of four 15 minute sessions per week for 20 weeks during the academic year 2018/2019.
2. ABRA – non-ICT Delivery: Year 1 children in groups of 3-5 pupils work with a specially trained member of school staff using a paper-based version of the ABRA intervention for a minimum of four 15 minute sessions per week for 20 weeks during the academic year 2018/2019.

Both ABRA programmes focus on teaching a balanced reading curriculum to improve attainment. Essential elements of the intervention are:
• A systematic and structured approach to reading
• Evidence based skills learned through a variety of activities linked to real books
• Technology
• Small group work and discussion
• Development of a rich language environment
• Valuing and using pupils’ reflections

3. 'Business as usual’ Approach: Schools in the control group are asked to continue with usual teaching with Year 1 pupils in 2018/2019. Schools are asked to select a small group of pupils (approx. 5 pre-randomsiation) and deliver additional small group teaching similar to that which is being delivered in the intervention schools. The content of this additional small group teaching is completely up to the school but must be literacy based and cannot be ABRA.

Participants are assessed at baseline and 1 year follow up, with tests administered by an independent administrator blinded to allocation.
Intervention typeBehavioural
Primary outcome measureReading ability is assessed using the Progress in Reading Assessment (PiRA) test at baseline and 1 year follow up.
Secondary outcome measuresThe following secondary outcomes are collected on a sub-sample of participants (approximately 1800 participants):
1. Reading ability is assessed using the Diagnostic Test of Word Reading Processes (DTWRP) at 1 year follow up.
2. Ability to sound out single letters and letter combination is assessed using the Letter Sound Test (LeST) at 1 year follow up.
3. Reading attitudes are assessed using a survey at 1 year follow up.
4. Long term academic outcomes may be collected from the National Pupil Databse, for example KS1 outcomes at 2 year follow up.
Overall study start date10/05/2017
Completion date31/03/2022

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Other
Age groupChild
SexBoth
Target number of participants201 clusters (schools) with approximately 27 pupils in each cluster. Approximately 5400 pupils in total
Total final enrolment4007
Key inclusion criteria1. Year 1 pupils in participating classes at participating schools
Key exclusion criteriaNo exclusion criteria
Date of first enrolment01/09/2018
Date of final enrolment30/12/2018

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

Schools recruited from West Midlands, East Midlands, Newcastle, Teeside and Manchester
-
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

University of York
University/education

Co/ Micheal Barber
York Science Park
University of York
Heslington
York
YO10 5DD
England
United Kingdom

Phone +44(0)1904 435154
Email michael.barber@york.ac.uk
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/04m01e293

Funders

Funder type

Charity

Education Endowment Foundation
Private sector organisation / Trusts, charities, foundations (both public and private)
Alternative name(s)
EducEndowFoundn, Education Endowment Foundation | London, EEF
Location
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date30/09/2022
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryStored in repository
Publication and dissemination planA final report will be submitted to and published by the study funder Education Endowment Foundation.
IPD sharing planThe datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study will be deposited in the EEF Data Archive (in association with the Fischer Family Trust). Enquiries to FFT’s Datalab can be made via educationdatalab@fft.org.uk. Participants are made aware that data will be placed in the repository. Both an anonymised, and pseudonymised dataset are uploaded. Pupil Matching Reference (PMR) is provided to allow pupil data to be matched to the NPD for long-term follow-up of educational attainment. Unique Pupil Numbers are not uploaded. Data should be available in the repository 1 month after submission of final report.

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Protocol file 11/07/2019 18/08/2022 No No
Statistical Analysis Plan version 1.0 03/06/2019 18/08/2022 No No
Funder report results 22/09/2022 05/01/2023 No No

Additional files

ISRCTN37208856 ABRA_Protocol_1.2 11Jul2019.pdf
ISRCTN37208856 SAP v1.0 03Jun2019.pdf

Editorial Notes

05/01/2023: Publication reference added.
18/08/2022: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. Uploaded protocol (not peer-reviewed) as an additional file.
2. The statistical analysis plan was uploaded as an additional file.
3. A contact was removed.
4. The intention to publish date was changed from 30/05/2022 to 30/09/2022.
18/03/2021: The following changes have been made:
1. The overall trial end date has been changed from 31/03/2021 to 31/03/2022 and the plain English summary has been updated accordingly.
2. The intention to publish date has been changed from 30/05/2021 to 30/05/2022.
25/11/2020: Total final enrolment number added.
24/11/2020: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The overall trial end date was changed from 31/05/2020 to 31/03/2021.
2. The intention to publish date was changed from 30/05/2020 to 30/05/2021.