EEF-funded interventions improved FSM pupils' literacy outcomes with a pooled effect size of 0.06, equivalent to about one month's progress¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r2 · q3 · i0 negligible
Currency · newest study 2021 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i0 Across 81 EEF trials, the pooled effect size on FSM pupils' literacy outcomes was 0.06 (0.03, 0.08), an equivalent of about one month's progress. → Bilal Ashraf 2021

Evidence¶

Bilal Ashraf 2021¶

Bilal Ashraf, Akansha Singh, Germaine Uwimpuhwe, Tahani Coolen-Maturi, Jochen Einbeck, Steve Higgins and Adetayo Kasim. (2021). Individual participant data meta-analysis of the impact of EEF trials on the educational attainment of pupils on Free School Meals: 2011 - 2019. Education Endowment Foundation. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED625398

q3 · i0 · quant-synthesis · r2

IPD meta-analysis of 81 EEF trials (90,218 FSM pupils) using Bayesian multilevel models on standardised outcomes. The pooled literacy effect "is 0.06 (0.03, 0.08)", which the report equates to about one month's progress; the printed effect size is below d = 0.2.

"The pooled effect size for literacy as either a primary or secondary outcome across 81 trials is 0.06 (0.03, 0.08) (Table 7)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• The simplified IPD model produced a greater pooled literacy effect size than two-stage meta-analysis models — related
• Small group and one-to-one interventions produced larger literacy gains for FSM pupils than whole class or whole school approaches — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Literacy benefits for FSM pupils were greatest in Key Stage 1 (ES 0.09) and Key Stage 3 (ES 0.08) and smallest in Key Stages 2 and 4 — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• EEF interventions showed a small overall narrowing of the literacy attainment gap in favour of FSM pupils, dependent on Key Stage — related
• EEF-funded interventions showed no evidence of positive or negative overall effects on FSM pupils' mathematics outcomes — related
• Mathematics effects on FSM pupils differed by outcome status: near-zero as primary outcome (0.01) and negative as secondary outcome (-0.07) — related
• Passive dissemination of research summaries and evidence-based literacy materials to primary schools showed no evidence of improving pupils' Key Stage 2 English attainment compared with control — related
• The trial found a statistically significant negative literacy impact for FSM-eligible pupils, treated with caution — related
• A year of Learning through REAL Projects had no clear impact on Year 7 pupils' literacy attainment — a narrower finding that bears on this claim