The projectChildren's University (CU) aims to improve the aspirations, attainment, and skills of pupils aged 5-14 by providing learning activities beyond the normal school day. This trial focused on pupils in Years 5 and 6 (aged 9-11), and activities included after-school clubs, visits to universities, museums, and libraries, and 'social action' opportunities such as volunteering in the community. Local CU teams worked with schools to identify opportunities, and organise and monitor the activities. Children volunteered to take part and selected the activities they wished to attend, with the target of completing at least 30 hours of activity per year. Participation in activities was rewarded through credits, certificates, and a 'graduation' event attended by parents. 68 primary schools participated in this efficacy trial from March 2014 until July 2016. 2,603 pupils reported in an initial survey that they would like to take part in the kinds of activities offered, and these 'volunteer' pupils formed the main comparison groups. 1,452 of these pupils were in the 36 schools randomly allocated to receive the CU intervention, and 1,151 were in the 32 schools randomised to the control group. This project evaluated the impact of CU on pupils' reading and maths in Key Stage 2 tests, and on non-cognitive outcomes such as 'teamwork' and 'social responsibility' measured through an attitude survey. Results were obtained for Year 6 pupils after one year and for Year 5 pupils after two years. The headline findings below are based on the results for the 1,258 Year 5 pupils after two years. Surveys and interviews were conducted to explore other aspects of the intervention such as: participants' feedback, challenges of implementation, and control group activity. This trial was jointly funded by the Cabinet Office.
EEF security ratingThe findings for maths and social responsibility have moderate security. The findings for reading and teamwork have low to moderate security. This was an efficacy trial, which tested whether the intervention can work under developer-led conditions. It was a randomised controlled trial conducted at a reasonably large scale. The number of pupils with missing data is low: no school dropped out of the trial, and only 2% of volunteer pupils in the initial survey are missing KS2 scores. Before the trial started, there was reasonable balance of the school background characteristics between the group receiving
Key conclusions1. Children in the CU schools made 2 additional months' progress in reading and maths compared to children in the other schools. The finding for maths has moderate security, and the finding for reading has low to moderate security.2. Children in CU schools made small gains in 'teamwork' and 'social responsibility' compared to children in the other schools. The finding for social responsibility has moderate security and the finding for teamwork has low to moderate security.3. Children ever eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) made 1 additional month's progress in maths, no additional progre...