Evaluation of the University of Oxford improving numeracy and literacy programme

ISRCTN	ISRCTN20621819
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN20621819
Secondary identifying numbers	N/A

Submission date: 26/09/2013
Registration date: 15/10/2013
Last edited: 24/01/2017

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
'Mathematics and Reasoning' is a numeracy intervention that develops childrens understanding of the logical principles underlying mathematics. 'Literacy and Morphemes' is a literacy intervention that sees children being taught about morphemic spelling, which aids children's spelling and also their reading comprehension. The lessons are all delivered through electronic resources, including PowerPoint presentations (which the teachers use for whole class teaching) and online games (that the children can access at school and at home).

Who can participate?
Pupils aged 6 and 7 years in year 2 of infant/primary school

What does the study involve?
Each of the two programmes requires teachers to be trained for one day in the approaches prior to the intervention starting. The programmes last for 12 weeks, with children receiving one hour of instruction per week. Participating schools are randomly allocated to one of the three groups: either one of the two interventions or their normal lessons in literacy and numeracy. Pupils' literacy and numeracy ability are tested before allocation and again at the end of the school year to determine the impact of the interventions.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The programme may improve pupils' literacy and numeracy ability.

Where is the study run from?
The study is being run by National Foundation for Educational Research, Slough, UK. Many schools are expected to be in the Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire counties. However, adverts have been placed in the national press, so any school fitting the criteria and that approaches the National Foundation for Educational Research is eligible.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2013 to September 2014

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

Who is the main contact?
Jack Worth
j.worth@nfer.ac.uk

Contact information

Mr Jack Worth
Scientific

The Mere
Upton Park
Slough
SL1 2DQ
United Kingdom

Phone	+44 (0)1753 637392
Email	j.worth@nfer.ac.uk

Study information

Study design	Cluster randomised trial
Primary study design	Interventional
Secondary study design	Cluster randomised trial
Study setting(s)	School
Study type	Other
Participant information sheet	Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a patient information sheet
Scientific title	Evaluation of the University of Oxford improving numeracy and literacy programme: cluster randomised controlled trial
Study objectives	The use of 'Literacy and Morphemes' and 'Mathematics and Reasoning' teaching programmes increase Year 2 pupils' development of literacy and numeracy ability respectively.
Ethics approval(s)	National Foundation for Educational Research Code of Practice Committee
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Educational attainment
Intervention	Participants are randomised into one of three groups: 1. Literacy intervention: 20 schools and 800 pupils receiving the literacy programme over 12 weeks 2. Numeracy intervention: 20 schools and 800 pupils receiving the numeracy programme over 12 weeks 3. Control: 20 schools and 800 pupils receiving normal lessons in literacy and numeracy
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure	1. Total test scores from the Progress in English test (for the literacy intervention) 2. Progress in Maths test (for the numeracy intervention)
Secondary outcome measures	1. Test the impact of the interventions on pupils of differing abilities 2. Analyse the differential impact of the interventions on free school meal (FSM) and non-FSM pupils, and English as an additional language (EAL) and non-EAL pupils 3. Analyse the impact of the interventions on end of Key Stage 1 reading, writing and maths 4. Analyse the impact on specific domains of the tests where the interventions are thought to have a particular effect: specifically, Grammar and Reading non-narrative and Solving routine problems 5. Analyse any transfer effects, testing the impact of the numeracy intervention on literacy test scores, and of the literacy intervention on numeracy test scores
Overall study start date	01/06/2013
Completion date	15/01/2015

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Child
Lower age limit	6 Years
Upper age limit	7 Years
Sex	Both
Target number of participants	60 schools
Key inclusion criteria	Pupils aged 6 and 7 years in year 2 of infant/primary schools from the South of England
Key exclusion criteria	Parental opt-out
Date of first enrolment	01/06/2013
Date of final enrolment	15/01/2015

Locations

Countries of recruitment

England
United Kingdom

Study participating centre

National Foundation for Educational Research

Slough
SL1 2DQ
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

The Education Endowment Foundation (UK)
Charity

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

Phone	+44 (0)20 7802 1676
Email	info@eefoundation.org.uk
Website	http://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/
"ROR"	https://ror.org/03bhd6288

Funders

Funder type

Charity

The Education Endowment Foundation (UK)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination plan	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	results			Yes	No

Editorial Notes

24/01/2017: Publication reference added.