This evaluation by The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) of the early years programme Maths Champions suggests that there are long-term benefits on children’s early maths development which may help close the gap in achievement throughout life.
The trial evaluation found that children in settings receiving the Maths Champions programme made an average of 3 additional months’ progress in maths compared to children in settings that did not receive the programme. These results have a very high security rating (5 padlocks, the maximum on the EEF scale).
There were also promising indicative results for pupils receiving EYPP: these pupils made on average an addition 6 month’s progress, compared to children in control settings. This finding should be taken with caution as it was based on a smaller sample, however is a very positive indication that the programme could be more effective for disadvantaged children.
The evaluation found evidence that the programme improved practitioners’ confidence in teaching children maths and delivering maths activities to children, thought to be a key mechanism of impact. Furthermore, the evaluation also found a positive impact on language outcomes for children attending settings who received the programme (the equivalent of +2 months’ additional progress for children receiving the programme).
Key Findings:
- Children in nurseries allocated to the intervention group made, on average, the equivalent of three months’ additional progress in maths attainment compared to children in control nurseries. This result has a very high security rating.
- Children in nurseries allocated to the intervention group made, on average, the equivalent of three months’ additional progress in language attainment compared to children in control nurseries.
- Children eligible for Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) in the intervention nurseries made, on average, the equivalent of six months’ additional progress in maths attainment compared to children eligible for EYPP in control nurseries.
- The results from the implementation and process evaluation support the majority of the components of the logic model, specifically the training and support, the MC and DMC roles, and the action plans, suggesting these should be maintained in the future.
- The implementation and process evaluation found that the commitment of the MC and DMC is crucial to successful implementation and that the roles can be interpreted flexibly depending on the needs of the nursery and the choice of nominated MC and DMC.
- Subsequent analysis was conducted using Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) assessment data from the National Pupil Database (NPD), to assess the potential long-term impact of Maths Champions on children’s attainment. This exploratory analysis found that children in nurseries allocated to the intervention group made, on average, the equivalent of two months’ additional progress in mathematics and language attainment compared to children in control nurseries, as well as being slightly more likely to attain a Good Level of Development (GLD) compared to children in control nurseries (equating to approximately one months’ additional progress).
- Children eligible for EYPP in the intervention nurseries made, on average, the equivalent of six months’ additional progress in mathematics attainment compared to children eligible for EYPP in control nurseries.