Evaluation of Perry Beeches Academy’s one-to-one coaching initiative – improving reading ability in Year 7 pupils with low reading ability

INTERVENTION: The trial will include two experimental groups: The 384 children will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group 1. One‐to‐one coaching intervention (academic year 2013‐14) Group 2. Wait‐list control (these will receive the intervention in the academic year 2014‐15) Children in group 1 will begin the programme in Sept. 2013; the autumn term of Year 7. Pre‐testing will occur before pupils are randomised to avoid knowledge of the intervention affecting the pre‐test results. After pre‐testing, pupils will be randomised into the two groups within each school. Baseline testing will occur in September 2013 with follow‐up in July 2014. CONDITION: Struggling readers/low literacy levels ; Not Applicable PRIMARY OUTCOME: The paper Short Form of the Progress in English Test (PiE; GL Assessment) will be used to measure reading and writing ability at baseline. The paper Long Form version of PiE will be used to measure reading and writing ability at follow‐up. This latter version also contains open response comprehension questions and writing tasks. All pupils will be tested using PiE at the beginning and end of the intervention, regardless of which study arm they have been allocated to. Baseline testing for this project will occur in September 2013, at the beginning of the new school year. The intervention will continue until the post‐test in July 2014. SECONDARY OUTCOME: No secondary outcome measures INCLUSION CRITERIA: Year 7 pupils that are below National Curriculum level 4c in English and/or below level 4c in reading or writing at the end of Key Stage 2.