Plain English Summary
Background and study aims
This study evaluates the effectiveness of a primary school maths programme called the Same Day Intervention (SDI). Teachers are trained to adapt their classroom approach to maths teaching, for example using frequent modelling and an 'I do, you do' approach in class teaching. This involves the teacher demonstrating how they go about solving the problem, then the students practise by copying the teacher's approach.The aim of the study is to explore whether the intervention has an effect on key outcomes of interest. The primary outcome will be maths attainment as measured by a maths test at the end of Year 5. The secondary outcomes will include a measure of teacher workload, as we might expect to see a reduction in this due to marking being completed rapidly during the school day.
Who can participate?
Year 5 Teachers and their students in schools in the North of England will be included in the trial.
What does the study involve?
Schools will be randomly allocated to one of two groups. In the intervention group, Year 5 teachers will be trained in the SDI maths teaching technique and will use it in all Year 5 maths classes for the duration of the school year. In the control group, teachers will continue to teach maths as before. At the end of the school year, students will be asked to take a maths test, and we will compare levels of maths attainment for the treatment and the control students. We will also ask teachers about their workload and their perception of their students’ confidence in maths, and compare results in treatment and control schools..
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
SDI is designed to help maths learning and prevent students from falling behind in their understanding. There are no potential risks.
Where is the study run from?
National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) (UK)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
The study started in 2018 and will finish in 2020.
Who is funding the study?
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) (UK)
Who is the main contact?
Daniel Phillips, Daniel.phillips@natcen.ac.uk
Trial website
http://www.natcen.ac.uk/taking-part/studies-in-field/evaluation-of-same-day-intervention
Contact information
Type
Scientific
Primary contact
Mr Daniel Phillips
ORCID ID
Contact details
35 Northampton Square
London
EC1V 0AX
United Kingdom
0207 549 7184
daniel.phillips@natcen.ac.uk
Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
Nil known
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Nil known
Protocol/serial number
P12509
Study information
Scientific title
Same Day Intervention – the effects of introducing new maths pedagogy on Year 5 students’ maths attainment, teacher workload and teachers’ perceptions of students’ confidence in maths’
Acronym
SDI
Study hypothesis
Primary research question:
What is the impact of SDI on maths attainment of Year 5 pupils in England and how does it differ by FSM eligibility?
Secondary research questions:
To what extent does participation in SDI affect teachers’ workload?
To what extent does participation in SDI affect teacher perception regarding students’ confidence in maths?
Additional analysis:
What is the impact of SDI on the size of the gap between higher-achieving and lower-achieving Year 5 pupils?
Ethics approval
Approved 18/01/2018, National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) Research Ethics Committee (35 Northampton Square, London EC1V 0AX; 0207 250 1866; info@natcen.ac.uk), ref: N/A
Study design
Two-arm cluster randomised controlled efficacy trial with random allocation at school level
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Cluster randomised trial
Trial setting
Schools
Trial type
Quality of life
Patient information sheet
Not available in web format. Please use contact details to request an information sheet.
Condition
Year 5 pupils learning maths
Intervention
The study is a two-arm cluster (school-level) randomised controlled trial, with schools randomly assigned to intervention (Same Day Intervention [SDI]) or control (business-as-usual maths classes).
Teachers in intervention schools receive training and access to resources and support and, where possible, teaching assistants will be trained to support. In addition, the Senior Leadership Team will create the structural change to the school day as needed. Teachers demonstrate a topic, before pupils are given five or six diagnostic questions to complete independently. There is then approximately 15 minutes 'pit stop', during which teachers mark pupils’ work, and pupils either attend a short assembly or are led in an activity by a teaching assistant. After the break, pupils are grouped according to their diagnostic activity performance and there is an intervention session designed to target pupils who need extra teaching, address common misconceptions and embed learning. All regular maths classes will be replaced with SDI maths classes. The total number of classes per week may vary slightly by school. The intervention started in late October 2018 and finishes in early June 2019.
Students in control groups will receive maths classes as usual.
Intervention type
Behavioural
Phase
Drug names
Primary outcome measure
Year 5 student Maths attainment, as measured by GL’s Progress Test in Maths, which will be taken in June-July 2019 (i.e. at the end of the intervention)
Secondary outcome measures
1. Teacher workload (teacher time spent marking maths work)
2. Teacher's perceptions of student self-confidence in maths
These measures are being collected using a bespoke teacher survey in June-July 2019.
Overall trial start date
01/10/2017
Overall trial end date
30/03/2020
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
School:
1. Based in Yorkshire and Humber and surrounding areas
2. School has at least one class of Year 5 students. Mixed year-group classes are not eligible.
3. Has not been involved in any SDI projects previously, though it could have employed other Shanghai methodologies or been involved in a Maths Hub project
4. Mainstream non-selective and non-special school
All students in Year 5 classes of schools that met the criteria above were eligible.
Participant type
Mixed
Age group
Child
Gender
Both
Target number of participants
73 schools with varying numbers of Year 5 classes. The trial targets around 3,900 pupils
Participant exclusion criteria
School does not meet inclusion criteria
Recruitment start date
01/01/2018
Recruitment end date
31/05/2018
Locations
Countries of recruitment
United Kingdom
Trial participating centre
Natcen Social Research
35 Northampton Square
London
EC1V 0AX
United Kingdom
Sponsor information
Organisation
Education Endowment Foundation
Sponsor details
5th Floor
Millbank Tower
21-24 Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
United Kingdom
020 7802 1676
info@eefoundation.org.uk
Sponsor type
Charity
Website
Funders
Funder type
Charity
Funder name
Education Endowment Foundation
Alternative name(s)
EEF
Funding Body Type
private sector organisation
Funding Body Subtype
Trusts, charities, foundations (both publically funded and privately funded)
Location
United Kingdom
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
A protocol for the study is available on the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) website (https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-evaluation/projects/same-day-intervention/ ). A Statistical Analysis Plan will be published on the same site in Spring 2019. The final report will be published on the same site in Spring 2020.
IPD sharing statement:
The data sharing plans for the current study are unknown and will be made available at a later date.
Intention to publish date
31/03/2020
Participant level data
To be made available at a later date
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list