Lea

der

s o

f E

CE

Co

nfe

ren

ce,

Sw

eden

Mar

ch 2

014 What does effective learning and

teaching in ECE look like for long term gains in English and Maths?

Prof. Iram SirajInstitute of Education,

University of London

Intro to the EPPE/EPPSE study

Evidence from EPPE/REPEY, EPPNI and MEEIFP

Exploring quality

The short, medium and long term impact of pre-school

This presentation

To compare the progress of children from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds who have differing pre-school experiences.

To separate out the effects of pre-school experience from the effects of primary school.

To establish whether some pre-school centres are more effective than others in promoting children’s development.

To discover the characteristics of pre-school education in those centres found to be most effective.

To investigate the differences in the progress of groups of children, e.g. children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Aims of research on educational effectiveness

25 nursery classes

590 children

34 playgroups

610 children

31 private day nurseries

520 children

20 nursery schools

520 children

7 integrated centres

190 children

24 local authority day care nurseries

430 children

home

310 children

Design of EPPSE : 6 Local Authorities, 141 pre-schools, 3,000 children

Pre-school Provision (3+ yrs)

KS 1

862

sch

KS2

1,128

sch

KS3

739

sch

KS4

700+

sch

●Child assessment (social/behaviour & cognitive) at 3, 4+, 6, 7, 10 ,11 & 14 years (first 16 outcomes in 2009)

●Family background at 3, 6 and 11 & 14

●Interviews/questionnaires with staff

●‘Quality’ rating scales in pre-school

●Case studies of effective pre-school settings

●Pedagogical observations in primary school

●School and classroom climate questionnaires

●Children’s views of school at age 7, 10 & 14

●Teachers’ views on school processes and practice in Yr 5 & Yr 9

Sources of data, so far

Different influences on child outcomes

Child Factors

Family Factors

Home-Learning-

Environment

Cognitive outcomes:English & maths

Social/Behavioural:Self RegulationLikes to work things out for selfPro-socialConsiderate of others feelingsHyperactivityRestless, cannot stay still for longAnti-social Has been in trouble with the law

Primary School

Pre-School

Drawing on evidence from projects:EPPE/REPEY 3-7 (England)EPPNI 3-5 (Northern Ireland)MEEIFP 3-6 (Wales)If children come from disadvantaged backgrounds they are ‘at risk’ of social problems, then high quality pre-school/early years will make an important contribution to improving their social development, esp. boys.

Children with no pre-school experience (the ‘home’ group) had poorer intellectual attainment, sociability and concentration when they started school, even after taking account of home background.

More terms in pre-school (after the age of 2 years) is related to better cognitive and social progress (dose effect).

Children who attend pre-school settings part-time develop as well as those children attending full-time

Effectiveness

. Integrated settings and nursery schools tended to do

better on cognitive outcomes even after taking account of children’s backgrounds.

Integrated settings (which had fully integrated education with care) nursery schools and nursery classes are better at fostering children’s social development

Settings with higher quality provision decreased children’s anti-social/ worried behaviour.

Best Practice in the Foundation Phase (achieved by 10% of the pilots in Wales, all maintained)

4th December, 2006

The best settings in terms of implementing the FP appear to have the following common characteristics:

More detailed, focused planning.

Lead practitioners with good leadership and management skills and the ability to allocate effective roles for other adults whilst planning together for children’s learning

Guided and supported play activities with higher levels of adult-child interaction that support children’s thinking.

Clear and dynamic vision and leadership from setting heads who have a good grasp of effective early years practice and are able to communicate this effectively to FP staff.

Best Practice in the Foundation Phase

4th December, 2006

The best settings did not slavishly adhere to the FP guidance but took it seriously and built the FP into existing good practice.

A move away from over-formal practice in the basics towards a more experiential, child centred and adult guided, play based practice.

The leadership of the setting has a culture of investing in staff development.

Some well trained and qualified staff who have a good understanding of child development and pedagogy and who actively support other staff in working with children.

The short , medium and long term impact of pre-school

Supporting Early Reading: Evidence from EPPSE

The presentation summarises findings related to:

the home on emergent literacy;

pre-school quality/pedagogy on emergent literacy;

the home during KS1 on reading;

12

The family

SES and mothers qualifications level significantly predict children’s decoding and vocabulary at age 5

But so do family practices

13

Early years Home Learning Environment (HLE)

being read topainting and drawinggoing to the libraryplaying with letters/numberslearning activities with the alphabetlearning activities with numbers/shapeslearning activities with songs/poems/nursery rhymes

Distribution of Home Learning Environment (HLE)

Moderate positive association between HLE and parents’ SES and qualifications (r=0.3)

Some parents with high SES and qualification provide a home environment low on the HLE

Some parents low SES and qualifications that provide a home environment high on the HLE

Gender differences exist in the HLE

Girls have higher HLE

1.Decoding (phonological awareness and letter recognition)

2. Vocabulary

Emergent literacy has two components:

Pre-school

Attendance and quality predicted emergent literacy (pre-reading)

18

Pre-reading at school entry

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

Low duration High duration

Effe

ct s

ize

Low quality High quality

Attendance & quality: emergent literacy age 5

ECERS-RBased on observation 7 sub-scalesSpace and furnishingsPersonal care routinesLanguage reasoningActivitiesInteractionProgramme structureParents and staffHarms, Clifford & Cryer (1998)

ECERS-EBased on observation 4 sub-scalesLiteracyMathematicsScience and environmentDiversitySylva, Siraj-Blatchford & Taggart (2003)

Measuring quality

Care-giver Interaction Scale – 26 item scale that measures: Positive Relations, Punitiveness, Detachment and Permissiveness

ECERS-E item: Sounds in words (Literacy)

Inadequate Minimal Good Excellent

1 3 5 7

1.1 Few or no rhymes or poems are spoken or sung

3.1 Rhymes are often spoken or sung by adults to children

5.1 The rhyming components of songs or rhymes are brought to the attention of children

7.1 Attention is paid to syllabification of words (Ex. through clapping games, jumping)

3.2 Children are encouraged to speak and/or sing rhymes

5.2 The initial sounds in words are brought to the attention of children

7.2 Some attention is given to linking sounds to letters

Quality

Settings in the state educational sector had children who make (comparatively) more progress than those in the private/voluntary sector.

In the EPPE sample, nursery schools and centres that integrated education and care tended to be rated highest on quality, (e.g. ECERS and Caregiver Interaction Scale).

Good quality and better cognitive outcomes for children are associated with higher quality as defined by the ECERS R and E

In the most effective settings, staff had 1. better knowledge of the curriculum and child development2. engaged more in ‘sustained shared thinking’ with children3. Supported children in talking through and resolving conflict Adults had warm, responsive relationships with children. Set clear educational goals, starting with children’s interests. Have recognised early years qualifications. Trained teachers are amongst the staff. Parents are supported in involvement in their children’s learning.

Complex value-added model: the effect of pre-school’s quality on children’s cognitive progress

Pre-reading

Early number concepts

Language

Non-verbal

reasoning

Spatial awarene

ss

ECERS-E

Average total positive* positive positive

Literacy positive* positive

Maths positive

Science/Environment positive#

Diversity positive# positive positive

ECERS-R

Average total

Space and furnishings

Personal care

Language and reasoning

positive#

Activities

Interaction positive

Programme structure

Parents and staff positive#* When change of centre is not in model # verging on statistical significance

Complex value-added model: the effect of pre-school’s quality on children’s social-behavioural development

Independence and concentration

Cooperation and Conformity

Peer Sociability

Anti-social/ Worried

ECERS-E

Average total positive# positive#

Literacy positive#

Maths

Science/ environment

positive#

Diversity positive# positive#

Pre-reading at school entry

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

Low duration High duration

Effe

ct s

ize

Low quality High quality

Short Term impact- Aged 5 (entry to school)Reading

Short term impact – Aged 5 (entry to school) Social-behavioural

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

Cooperation andconformity

Independence andconcentration

Peer sociability

Effe

ct s

ize

Caregiver Interaction Scale (Arnett)

• Positive relationships is a subscale made up of 10 items indicating warmth and enthusiasm interaction with children by the caregiver.

• Punitiveness is a subscale made up of 8 items indicating harsh or over-controlling behaviour in interaction with children by the caregiver.

• Permissiveness is a subscale made up of 4 items indicating avoidance of discipline and control of children by the caregiver.

• Detachment is a subscale made up of 4 items indicating lack of involvement in interaction with children by the caregiver.

Pre-reading

Early numberconcepts

Independence & Concentration

Co-operation & Conformity

Peer Sociability

Positive relationships + + + + +

Punitiveness

- - -

Permissive

- - - -

Detachment

- - - -

Impact of quality as measured by the Caregivers Interaction Scale on cognitive and social behaviour outcomes

Early Years HLE: de-coding skills at age 5

Impact of prior attainment, child, parent, home environment and other composition of intake measures on code-related progress over the pre-school period.

Factors Effect Size

Prior Verbal Attainment .89

Prior Non-verbal Attainment .34Gender girls vs. boys

.21

Ethnicity Minority group 3 vs. White

.70

No. of siblings 3+ vs. none

-.15

English as an Additional Language EAL vs. English as mother tongue

.34

Birth weight low vs. average/above average

-.19

Free school meal eligibility eligible vs. not eligible -.12

Mother’s qualification level degree vs. no degree .25

Family SES unskilled/semi-skilled manual vs. professional non-manual -.27

HLE Item 4: Playing with letters/numbers daily vs. never .36

HLE Item 5: Learning activities with the alphabet 4-7 times per week vs never .51

Duration of pre-school .33

% of children in centre 1SD below GCA mean .19

% of children in centre with mothers who have a degree or higher .24

Factors Effect SizePrior Verbal Attainment 1.52Prior Non-verbal Attainment .34Ethnicity Minority group 5 vs. White

-.59

No. of siblings 3+ vs. none

-.17

English as an Additional Language EAL vs. English as mother tongue

-.24

Mother’s qualification level degree vs. no degree

.24

Family SES semi-skilled manual vs. professional non-manual

-.23

lHLE Item 1: Being read to daily vs. rarely

.27

HLE Item 3: Going to the library fortnightly vs. never

.18

HLE Item 7: Learning activities with songs/poems/nursery rhymes 3 times per week vs. never

.20

HLE Item 8: Playing with friends at home 3-7 times per week vs. never

-.13

Duration of pre-school .14% of children in centre with mothers who have a degree or higher .19

Early Years HLE : vocabulary & comprehension age 5

Impact of prior attainment, child, parent, home environment and other composition of intake measures on oral language progress over the pre-school period.

READING at key stage 1, social class and pre-school experience

WRITING at key stage 1, social class and pre-school experience

Medium Term Impact – Aged 7 (end of KS 1 ) - Reading and Writing

1.8

2.0

2.2

2.4

2.6

2.8

Professional Skilled Un/semi skilled

Social class by occupation

Me

an

ye

ar

2 r

ea

din

g le

vel

Pre-school

Expected minimum

No pre-school

1.6

1.8

2.0

2.2

2.4

2.6

Professional Skilled Un/semi skilled

Social class by occupation

Me

an

ye

ar

2 w

ritin

g le

vel

Pre-school

Expected minimum

No pre-school

1.8

2.0

2.2

2.4

2.6

2.8

Professional Skilled Un/semi skilled

Social class by occupation

Me

an

Y2

ma

ths le

ve

l

Pre-school

Expected minimum

No pre-school

MATHEMATICS at key stage 1, social class and pre-school experience

The contribution of social class and

pre-school to mathematics attainment (age 7)

The impact of Pre-school Quality (ECERS-E:

Educational aspects) on English and Maths

Pre-school quality is associated with Key Stage 2 performance in both English and Mathematics.

Also medium or high quality pre-school is associated with significantly enhanced attainment compared to no pre-school or low quality pre-school, and the effects are comparable in size to the effects of gender and FSM.

The Combined Impact of Pre-School Quality

and Primary School Effectiveness (Value add) –

Mathematics

Reference Group: No Pre-School and Very low / low Primary School Effectiveness

0.34 0.33

0.480.47 0.470.50

0.53

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

no pre-school low medium high

very low / low

medium / high / very high

Effect of Pre-School Quality and Primary School Effectiveness on Mathematics at Age 10

Eff

ect

Siz

e

Primary School Effectiveness (English):

Reference Group: No Pre-School + very low / low effective primary school

Pre-School Quality

Long Term impact – Aged 10 Pre-school Quality and Self Regulation

• Self regulation is highest in children who have attended medium or high quality pre-schools

The impact of Pre-school Quality (ECER-R: Social/Care

aspects) on Hyperactivity and Pro-social Behaviour

• Children who attend high quality pre-school display higher pro-social behaviour and lower levels of hyperactive behaviour

• Home children show significantly reduced levels of positive social behaviour relative to children who attended pre-school regardless of quality, however, they also show reduced levels of Hyperactivity

Hyperactivity Pro-social

The impact of Pre-school Quality (ECERS-R: Social/Care

aspects & ECERS-E: Educational aspect) on

Self-regulation and Pro-social behaviour

Children who attended medium and high quality pre-schools had higher levels of ‘Self-regulation’ in Year 6 than others.

‘Home’ children were rated by teachers as having less ‘‘Pro-social’’ behaviour relative to children who had attended pre-school, although the difference is most marked for those who attended high quality.

For further information about EPPSE visit our website at:

http://eppse.ioe.ac.uk

Principal Investigators: Kathy Sylva (Oxford) Edward Melhuish (Birkbeck), Pam Sammons (Oxford), Iram Siraj & Brenda Taggart (IoE)

Researchers: Kati Toth, Rebecca Smees and Wesley Welcomme (all at IoE)

38