Research School Network: Engaging with and in Research – On the Maths-Whizz Journey Our Experience of Being Involved in an EEF Trial

At the Spencer Academies Trust, our values of aspiration and partnership encourage a strong culture of utilising and participating in quality research. This culture has helped develop high standards of teaching and learning for our children. So, when we were approached by Whizz Education to consider participating in their Interactive Tutoring Programme Efficacy Study, we seized the opportunity to learn more. As we navigate the Maths-Whizz Efficacy Study over the next year, we’ll be sharing our experiences and insights about the process, the learning and the impact on our pupils. This blog captures our starting point and what it’s like to be involved in an EEF trial.

In January 2024, I met with the Whizz Education Global Partnership Director, Emma Ringe, after spotting the opportunity on the EEF website. I was filled with enthusiasm as I learnt more about the benefits of being involved in the project and the impact this could have for our children’s maths attainment over 2024 and 2025. Following our conversation, I invited teachers from eligible Spencer schools to meet with Emma to find out more.

The Whizz Education research trial, in partnership with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), aims to assess the impact of the Maths- Whizz Interactive Tutor on the mathematics outcomes for years 2- 5.

Emma demonstrated the Maths-Whizz Interactive Tutoring Programme for the team in more detail. The platform provides children with interactive lessons, assessment and opportunities to revisit errors as well as regular retrieval exercises. This online learning tutor allows for children to have more regular feedback and specific work adapted to address gaps in their learning. Emma also shared some of the data it collects and analyses. The idea is that teachers use this data to blend the programme with other methods for greater learning outcomes.

• Interest was strong following Emma’s demonstration. After further consideration and eligibility checks, three schools joined the research trial. Those who did not join were either already involved in other research projects, unable to support the technological requirements, or felt that their current curriculum provision already responded to the children’s needs well.
  
  The three schools who joined the trial all felt that this was a point in their curriculum development journey where they felt they were ready and able to support research beyond their school, and ​‘give back’ to the education community.
  
  They also:
• expressed a desire to be at the forefront of good practice and part of the bigger picture of education
  
• were currently in the ​‘explore’ stage of the EEF implementation cycle and examining ways they could deepen their curriculum offer for their most vulnerable learners
• had experienced success with interactive tutor programmes designed for other subjects.
  
  As part of the trial schools are assigned either arm one (years two and four), or arm two (years three and five). The other year groups act as the control group to allow comparison and assess the impact of the Maths-Whizz programme.

The trial requires schools to use Maths-Whizz Interactive Tutor at least 60 minutes per week. They state that by using the programme in this way a child’s Maths will improve, on average, by 18 months within a year. This time commitment was initially a concern for some of our schools. With an overcrowded curriculum and the real struggle of teachers to ensure their timetable meets its requirements, staff are often nervous about adding in more. This was compounded in our year two classes where many of our schools are already committed to teaching another highly successful KS1 Programme, from which they are seeing a real impact.

Using the time and support allocated to schools from Maths ‑Whizz, we are starting to overcome this implementation challenge. Different schools in the Trust are doing this in different ways, depending on their individual contexts. For example:

One school has decided to set aside one Maths lesson a week and dedicate it to using the Maths-Whizz Interactive Tutor Programme. They are also running adult led interventions alongside. This has been well-received by teaching staff who are excited and enthused to start the project.

Another school has taken a more cautious route, with the intention of waiting for further information, including which year groups will be in the study, to ensure staff are fully informed when the project is discussed with them.

This flexibility of approach in the implementation of the research project is ensuring that a well-considered, child-centred approach is forefront.

Although not part of my initial considerations when promoting the study within the trust, it is clear that being part of the study offers a CPD opportunity for our Maths leaders. Over the course of the research process, they will understand and interact directly with the strategic and scientific process set out for educational research. I ponder the possibilities this has for them in their future careers. Will they interact with research in a more critical and curious way? Will their leadership become more evidence based and more reflective to ensure the successful development of future implementation processes? Will it empower them to engage in their own wider educational research in future years? I can’t say, but I know I’m excited to see what happens.

As Lead Practitioner for Mathematics within the Spencer Academies Trust, I’ve been delighted to see how the schools and teachers involved in the research project are relishing developing the provision of Mathematics for the wider education community. Although the project inevitably brings nerves, implementation complexities, and professional development needs, it’s been fantastic to see these natural concerns be addressed upfront and planned for within the project as a whole. This approach ensures that as educators, we are able to keep the current focus on the children and their learning needs, whilst also planning for the future. I am eager to see the impact the trial has on our children.

We’re looking forward to our next blog post halfway through the project as we unpick more the benefits for us around why we should engage in research and track the impact on our learners.