EEF interventions showed a small overall narrowing of the literacy attainment gap in favour of FSM pupils, dependent on Key Stage¶

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 The overall literacy attainment gap was 0.01 (-0.01, 0.04) in favour of FSM pupils, with gap-narrowing greatest at KS1 (0.07, 0.00 to 0.14) and near zero at KS2 and KS4. → 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

Pooled attainment-gap estimate from the sIPD model with a treatment-by-FSM interaction term, reported in the executive summary; the printed gap of 0.01 is below d = 0.2 and its interval includes zero. The report defines the gap as the difference in gain between FSM and non-FSM pupils when both receive the intervention.

"The attainment gap observed for the literacy outcomes was improved in favour of FSM pupils with an overall attainment gap of 0.01 (-0.01, 0.04)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• 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 — related
• EEF-funded interventions improved FSM pupils' literacy outcomes with a pooled effect size of 0.06, equivalent to about one month's progress — related
• EEF-funded interventions showed no evidence of positive or negative overall effects on FSM pupils' mathematics outcomes — related
• Small group and one-to-one interventions produced larger literacy gains for FSM pupils than whole class or whole school approaches — related
• Passive dissemination showed no evidence of improving literacy attainment for the subgroup of pupils who have ever been eligible for free school meals — 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