The Chess in Primary Schools programme showed no evidence of a positive impact on Key Stage 2 mathematics attainment one year after the intervention ended¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causalr3·q4
Currency · newest study 2016 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q4 i? A large clustered RCT found no evidence that one year of chess lessons raised KS2 maths scores, with an effect size of 0.01 and a confidence interval spanning zero. → Jerrim et al. 2016
Evidence¶
Jerrim et al. 2016¶
John Jerrim, Lindsey Macmillan, John Micklewright, Mary Sawtell and Meg Wiggins. (2016). Chess in Schools: Evaluation report and executive summary. Education Endowment Foundation. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/library/chess-in-schools-protocol/
q4 · i? · causal · r3
Two-armed clustered RCT with 100 schools and 4,009 pupils across 11 English local authorities, analysed by intention to treat. The summary table reports an effect size of 0.01 (95% CI -0.15, 0.16), equivalent to 0 months' progress, with a high security rating.
"There is no evidence that the intervention had a positive impact on mathematics attainment for the children in the trial, as measured by Key Stage 2 scores one year after the intervention ended."
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- Chess lessons were less effective when the class teacher did not actively take part in the intervention — related
- Pupils and school staff held generally positive views of the chess intervention despite the null impact result — related
- The chess intervention showed no evidence of positive impact on Key Stage 2 reading and science scores — related
- The null English trial result contrasts with positive chess effects reported in Italy and Denmark — related
- The chess intervention showed no evidence of a positive impact on Key Stage 2 scores for children eligible for free school meals — related
- Nine light-touch dissemination interventions had no impact on pupils' Key Stage 2 English attainment in a large school-level RCT — related
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