Evaluation of the Parent Academy programme aiming to improve attainment of pupils aged 7 to 11 by motivating and educating parents

ISRCTN ISRCTN42518213
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN42518213
Secondary identifying numbers N/A
Submission date
20/03/2015
Registration date
30/09/2015
Last edited
19/01/2018
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
This study will test the hypothesis that educating parents in how to support their child’s learning can improve the attainment of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, focusing on children in Key Stage 2 aged 7-11. It focuses on the added value of intervening with parents, and investigating the effect of incentives in motivating and engaging them. If successful, the project may lead to a further study of more complex incentive structures.

Who can participate?
Parents of a pupil attending a school participating on the study.

What does the study involve?
The Parent Academy is delivered over 8 months. There are approximately 20 parents in a class and each class meet every fortnight, totalling 13 sessions across the 8 months. The classes last an hour and a half and follow a curriculum aligned with the learning of the pupils at school, so that similar topics are being taught at both simultaneously. The design is a three arm study (two treatment groups and a control group) individual-level randomised control trial. Within each school, parents of pupils in Years 3 to 6 will be randomly allocated to one of three groups:
1. Control group (‘business as usual’)
2. Intervention group
3. Intervention group (with incentives for attendance)
Take-up in the two intervention arms is expected to be less than 100%, so we will analyse outcomes according to the original treatment allocation of the parents (intention to treat).

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Benefits of participating in the study are that parents may be able to engage better with the school and other parents. There are no specific risks of participating in the study, although parents may feel under pressure to take part in the evening classes.

Where is the study run from?
16 schools in disadvantaged areas in Middlesbrough (8 schools) and Camden (8 schools).

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
September 2013 to December 2015

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

Who is the main contact?
Dr Fatima Husain

Contact information

Dr Fatima Husain
Public

NatCen Social Research
35 Northampton Square
London
EC1V 0AX
United Kingdom

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0003-3419-546X

Study information

Study designInterventional, randomised, three-arm controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised parallel trial
Study setting(s)School
Study typeOther
Scientific titleA three-arm randomised controlled trial of offering (incentivised and unincentivised) parents Maths and English classes in order to improve attainment of pupils aged 7-11
Study objectivesOffering Maths and English classes to parents will improve attainment for pupils within a year. Incentivising parents to attend will have a greater effect.
Ethics approval(s)National Centre for Social Research Ethics Committee, 15/08/2014.
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedEducation trial
Intervention1. Intervention 1: Unincentivised. Parents of pupils aged 7-11 are offered the opportunity to participate in the Parent Academy programme, where they are given lessons in Maths and English, covering a syllabus similar to that received by their children. Parents of pupils in years 3 and 4 are taught separately from parents of pupils in years 5 and 6.
2. Intervention 2: Incentivised. Parents are offered the same intervention, but are financially rewarded for each session they attend.
3. Control: Parents are not offered to attend the Academy.
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measureTest scores of the InCAS standardised assessment modules Maths and Literature. Tests are conducted in schools.
Secondary outcome measuresAttendance rates of parents.
Overall study start date01/09/2013
Completion date15/12/2015

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Other
Age groupAdult
SexBoth
Target number of participants3000
Key inclusion criteria1. Parent of a pupil who attends a school participating in the trial
2. Parent's pupil is in school year 3-6
Key exclusion criteriaN/A
Date of first enrolment20/08/2014
Date of final enrolment20/09/2014

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centres

London Borough of Camden
5 Pancras Square
London
N1C 4AG
United Kingdom
Middlesbrough Council
PO Box 500
Middlesbrough
TS1 9FT
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

Education Endowment Foundation
Charity

Millbank Tower
21 – 24 Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
United Kingdom

Phone 0207 802 1676
Email info@eefoundation.org.uk
Website http://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/03bhd6288

Funders

Funder type

Government

Education Endowment Foundation

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date15/12/2015
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination plan
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Funder report results results No No

Editorial Notes

19/01/2018: Publication reference has been added.