NatCen to evaluate education programmes

The work will focus on three programmes: Emotion Coaching, Focus4Taps and Mastering Mathematics.

Emotion Coaching helps foster positive relationships between teachers and children through self-regulation and co-regulation.

The evaluation of the programme will be delivered in early years settings and will involve three to four staff members per setting taking part in training.

Focus4Taps is a continuous personal development programme that aims to build primary teachers’ confidence in teaching science and gives them a way to embed formative assessment into lessons.

NatCen’s effectiveness trial will build on the existing evidence base of the intervention’s positive impact on pupils’ science learning.

The final evaluation will focus on Mastering Mathematics, a professional development programme which supports teachers in further education colleges to implement the ‘Teaching for Mastery’ approach in their maths teaching; prioritising content areas identified as most impactful for shifting students towards a GCSE Grade 4.

NatCen will carry out an effectiveness trial to understand how effective Mastering Mathematics is at improving students overall GCSE resit performance.

The evaluations are being carried out by NatCen’s Centre for Children and Families and also its Centre for Evaluation, with funding provided by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).

Gayle Munro, director at NatCen’s Centre for Children and Families, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Education Endowment Foundation, building on the evidence base of education research.

“These research studies are extremely valuable, addressing key challenges for those in the education system and providing evidence-led evaluations on programme impact on children and young people’s long-term outcomes.”

Emily Yeomans, director of research at the Education Endowment Foundation, added: “It’s so important that teachers and school leaders can make informed decisions about the approaches they put in place to improve practice, and boost pupil outcomes.

“We are excited to be working with NatCen on these new research projects, which will build up the evidence of what works in key areas of teaching and learning – and hopefully, offer educators strong options to consider when making changes to their provision.”