The 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.
School information sheet Staff privacy notice White Rose trainers privacy notice Parent/carer privacy notice
What is the aim of this research?
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.
Who can take part?
- 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.
What type of research is this?
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.
What does participation involve?
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.
Participating schools will be randomly allocated to one of the two following groups:
- The Intervention group, which will use the WRM Reception Jigsaw programme; or
- The Control group, which will continue with their usual practice.
Reception practitioners and schools will then be asked to undertake a number of tasks, such as submitting pupil and teacher data, completing an observational measure with sampled children, completing teacher surveys, and allowing NFER Test Administrators to visit and administer the endpoint assessment with sampled pupils.
Reception practitioners and schools in the Intervention group will be asked to arrange for staff to attend training and coaching sessions (in school) as well as completing gap tasks and a journal to record reflections and progress.
Further information on the activities participating schools will need to complete can be found in the school information sheet.
How will you benefit from taking part?
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 £250 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 £250 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.
What are the timings for this project?
A detailed timeline of activities for the trial can be found in the school information sheet.
Who can I contact for more information?
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.