White Rose Maths Reception Jigsaw Trial (2025/26)

NFER have been commissioned by the Education Endowment Foundation to independently evaluate the White Rose Maths (WRM) Reception Jigsaw trial across the 2025-26 academic year.

The trial aims to measure the impact of the WRM Reception Jigsaw programme on pupils’ early mathematical understanding. The results will be used to inform future guidance for school leaders.

  •  Schools across selected regions in England
  • Schools who have not had the Reception Jigsaw training in the last two years or have not received the training as part of the previous Reception Jigsaw trial (2020-21)
  • Schools who are not participating in any other EEF reception trials in 2025-26.

This research uses a randomised controlled trial design. This means we will randomly select some schools to use the WRM Reception Jigsaw programme in the 2025-26 academic year, while others will continue with their usual practice. 

Participating schools will be randomly allocated to one of the two following groups:

  1. The Intervention group, which will use the WRM Reception Jigsaw programme; or
  2. The Control group, which will continue with their usual practice.

The WRM Reception Jigsaw programme is a Professional Development (PD) programme for Reception practitioners delivered in schools by WRM specialists. The training will consist of five two-hour twilight sessions and five half-day coaching visits all delivered by the same trainer. Reception practitioners will also be given gap tasks to complete between training sessions and a journal to record their reflections.

All participating schools will be asked to:

  • Provide NFER with pupil data in summer term of academic year 2024-25 for those children who will be in Reception for the 2025-26 academic year (pupil’s first name, surname, date of birth, free school meals status). They will also be asked to provide the names and email addresses of all Reception teachers.
  • Nominate and provide names and email addresses for a key contact (Maths Lead and/or Early Years Lead) and the Headteacher.
  • Complete a short observational baseline measure within two weeks in September 2025 for the sampled children (NFER will sample up to 24 children per school) before schools are allocated to the Intervention or Control groups.
  • Complete a short practitioner survey in September 2025 and again in June 2026. Some schools will be invited to take part in interviews.
  • Allow NFER administrators to come into school and carry out short games-based assessment on 20 sampled children in June 2026.

In addition, intervention schools will agree to:

  • Pay a subsidised rate of £1,437 + VAT (in three instalments) to access the training of which £350 will be returned on completion of all testing and data requirements.
  • Organise for all Reception staff (including support staff) and the Maths Lead to attend the five twilight training sessions at their school. Other year groups are also welcome to attend the early maths training if they choose.
  • Release a lead person/Reception teacher to work with the trainer during the five half-day coaching visits.
  • Complete gap tasks between the training sessions.
  • Complete the journal to record reflections and progress.

Schools in the Intervention group will receive:  

  • Specialist training and support in teaching early mathematics at a heavily subsidised rate. 
  • Exclusive WRM practical resources to use in the classroom. 
  • Improved early years practitioners’ subject knowledge and confidence in teaching early years mathematics. 
  • Improved learning outcomes for pupils in Reception and beyond. 
  • Opportunity to contribute to educational research and become a certified EEF Project Partner School. 
  • A refund of £350 on completion of data, testing and trial.  
  • £250 of White Rose credit that can be spent on any White Rose subscription, resource or CPD. 
  • 12 months free access to any White Rose Education (WRE) webinars in any phase or topic after the trial. 

Schools in the Control group will receive:  

  • Opportunity to contribute to educational research to help inform future guidance for school leaders. 
  • Become a certified EEF Project Partner School. 
  • Receive £350 on completion of all testing and data requirements. 
  • Opportunity to access the WRM Reception Jigsaw training at a 30% discount once the data collection is complete (June 2026). 
  • £250 of White Rose credit that can be spent on any White Rose subscription, resource or CPD. 
  • 12 months free access to any WRE webinars in any phase or topic after the trial. 

Date Activity
February 2025 – June 2026
  • Schools register interest, attend an information event and, if they choose to go ahead, sign a Memorandum of Understanding to commit to the trial.
  • WRE will collect details for a key contact and the Headteacher.

June – July 2025
  • Schools send out letter to parents informing them of the trial and data sharing.
  •  Pupil and teacher information is collected from schools by the NFER.
September 2025
  • NFER sample up to 24 children per school and inform schools of selection. 
  • Reception teachers have approximately two weeks to complete a short observational measure of these sampled children that will be provided by NFER through the secure school portal. 
  • Key contact completes short survey about usual maths practice/provision.
End September 2025
  • Schools are randomly allocated to Control or Intervention group by NFER.
October – May 2026
  • Schools allocated to the Intervention group start participating in the WRM Reception Jigsaw programme.
  • Schools allocated to the Control group continue with business as usual.
  • NFER researchers visit a small number of schools for case studies.
June - July 2026
  • NFER Test Administrators visit schools to complete endpoint testing. 
  • In intervention schools: Reception teachers including Maths/EY lead complete endpoint practitioner survey. Headteacher completes school-level survey.
  • In control schools, key contact completes maths provision survey.

To register your interest, please complete White Rose Education's form at this link.

To find out more about the WRM Reception Jigsaw programme and for information on how to sign up to the trial, please email the White Rose Education team at: [email protected] or call them on 01422 433323 

For general queries about the trial, you can contact the NFER project team at: [email protected]

If you are looking for information regarding the previous White Rose Maths Reception Jigsaw trial (2021/22), then please visit this page.