Learning to learn in primary schools

INTERVENTION: The trial involves 30 schools with a minimum of two‐form entry. Typical class sizes in the schools are between 25‐30. Classes are randomly allocated into two arms: intervention (ReflectED) and control (business as usual) The intervention consists of a year‐long trial of a training process (ReflectED) to enable children to learn better how to be aware of learning and how they can improve their learning. There are a total of 28 lessons in the materials. These lessons both introduce the children to reflection via various different tasks and introduce them to the process. For example, in the first lesson children are encouraged to think about when they learned something new and then taught to juggle or do origami. Throughout this lesson they are talking about how the instruction helps them to learn, but also about learning in stages and practising. The process also includes the use of the software Evernote to record the children’s reflections into a tagged database. A number of lessons in the first term focus on both getting the children to understand how to reflect, but also to record this using the Evernote software. As the year progresses teachers encourage pupils to use Evernote to record their reflections on a regular basis, ideally several times a week, across different subjects. CONDITION: N/A ; Not Applicable PRIMARY OUTCOME: 1. Reading attainment; 2. Mathematics attainment; 3. Reading attitudes; 4. Mathematics attitude ; ; All of the measures are based on a comparison between the children’s Key Stage 1 (KS1) scores at the end of Year 2 when children are either 7 or almost 7, and their scores on the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) InCAS test conducted at the end of the trial (after 12 months). InCAS measures for Reading, Maths, Reading attitudes and Mathematics attitudes and a similar measure from KS1 tests was used as a baseline. SECONDARY OUTCOME: Gains in academic progress for children:; 1. Eligible for free school meals; 2. With English as an additional language; 3. With Special Educational Needs INCLUSION CRITERIA: Year 5 children in primary schools in the UK, ages 9‐10