P4C effects on Cognitive Abilities Test scores were mixed by starting year group, with only a small overall improvement¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2015 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Pupils who started P4C in Year 5 showed a positive CAT impact, but those who started in Year 4 showed no evidence of benefit; overall the results suggested a small improvement that should be treated with caution. → Gorard et al. 2015

Evidence¶

Gorard et al. 2015¶

Stephen Gorard, Nadia Siddiqui and Beng Huat See. (2015). Philosophy for Children: Evaluation report and Executive summary. Education Endowment Foundation. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED581147

q3 · i? · causal · r2

CAT4 gain-score analysis for both year groups of the randomised trial (3,159 pupils pre-tested; CAT attrition 10%). The report states the combined results suggested a small improvement in CAT scores, but that this should be treated with caution, and that FSM-eligible pupils did not appear to benefit on this outcome.

"Results on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) showed mixed results. Pupils who started the programme in Year 5 showed a positive impact, but those who started in Year 4 showed no evidence of benefit."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• All of the CAT gain from P4C came from the verbal subscale, with little difference on quantitative, non-verbal and spatial elements — related
• A year of weekly P4C improved Key Stage 2 progress in reading and maths relative to business-as-usual — related
• Teachers and pupils reported that P4C benefited wider outcomes such as confidence to speak, listening, and self-esteem — related