Maths Through Picture Books (MTPB) is a targeted intervention to improve maths attainment among reception-aged children identified as being at risk of not developing a secure understanding of number before they move to Key Stage 1. It equips teachers and teaching assistants (TAs) with improved knowledge of how children learn number and operations. Moreover, teachers and TAs gain the knowledge and skills to engage a small group of targeted children in sustained multi-turn conversations about number and operations using picture books and the ShREC (Share attention, Respond, Expand, Conversation) approach. Consult our findings in the Pilot Report.

In this blog we summarise a chapter published in the International Encyclopaedia of Education. We look at the triple promise of tertiary education, that is individual thriving, workforce development, and social cohesion. We ask what are the risks that can prevent massification of tertiary education in low- and middle-income countries from achieving these promises.

“Intensive training and practice” (ITAP) will be a required part of all initial teacher training (ITT) in England from 2024. ITAP is expected to provide a bridge between the theory of teaching and classroom practice, and there are different ways to interpret and implement the Department for Education’s guidance.

The National Institute of Teaching funded a pilot to support future delivery of high-quality ITAP, trying out four different models of ITAP. We (Oxford MeasurEd) carried out a formative evaluation of the pilot to investigate how the four models were designed and delivered and assess how feasible, promising and scalable they were. We aimed to contribute to the evidence base on ITAP and offer lessons on how to best support trainee teachers during ITAP that might inform future delivery as the policy comes into practice.