Renfrew Action Picture Test and LanguageScreen Pilot
Setting information sheet Letter to parents Settings privacy notice Parent privacy notice
What is the aim of this research?
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to carry out a pilot which will trial the processes for administering the Renfrew Action Picture Test (RAPT) together with LanguageScreen to children aged three to four years old. The pilot will also test the process for capturing and scoring children’s responses to the RAPT.
Findings from the pilot will inform recommendations on how to effectively scale up the use of LanguageScreen and RAPT in a larger trial involving more nursery settings and Test Administrators.
Who can take part?
The pilot is open to up to three nursery settings that are either state-maintained or PVI.
Settings that are already taking part in the Effectiveness trial of Nuffield Early Language Intervention – Preschool, are not eligible to participate.
All 3 to 4-year-old children (as on 31st August 2024) who are in the pre-school classroom are eligible to take part.
What type of research is this?
A small-scale pilot study.
What does participation involve?
The pilot involves each nursery setting identifying eight to ten children aged three to four years old (as on 31 August 2024) and facilitating their participation in the pilot. This will include sharing the Parent Information Letter and Withdrawal Form, and the Parent Privacy Notice with the parents of children who are eligible to participate. Two NFER Test Administrators will visit the settings to administer both the RAPT and LanguageScreen Assessments. Assessments will be carried out on an individual basis and will take a maximum of 30 minutes per child. Staff at the setting will be asked to support the Test Administrator’s visit, for example by providing a suitable space for them to administer tests to children.
How will you benefit from taking part?
By participating in the pilot, settings will help NFER to understand how best to administer the RAPT and LanguageScreen together and to finalise an approach to scoring the RAPT. The findings will be used to inform a larger scale programme of language screening with nursery settings which will take place later in the year.
Each setting will also receive £100 in recognition for their contribution to the pilot.
What are the timings for this project?
Data collection for the project will take place in the week commencing 3 March 2025.
How do you sign up?
A Letter of Agreement will be shared with settings who are interested in participating in the pilot. This sets out the responsibilities of both NFER and the nursery setting during the pilot and should be read together with the Setting Information Sheet and Privacy Notice for Nursery Settings. A link is included at the bottom of the Letter of Agreement which settings can click on to confirm their participation in the pilot and acceptance of the terms.
The deadline to sign up for the pilot is Friday 28 February 2025.
Who can I contact for more information?
If you would like any additional information or have any further questions, please contact the research team at [email protected].