This pilot was recruiting, and is now full.

F4L is a CPD programme for teachers and their teaching assistants (TAs) which aims to improve science attainment by scaffolding how teachers and pupils approach working scientifically and other multi staged tasks in science.

F4L can be integrated into the existing curriculum, and supports teachers to develop and deliver lessons which optimise the amount of information children must process at once (cognitive load), whilst building on pre-existing knowledge and understanding (schema development) using a ​‘Frame’ scaffold. The programme aims to increase pupils’ recall, knowledge, and understanding in science, so that children are ​‘on task’ and focused on: a) the intended learning activity and, b) the learning objectives of the task.

The CPD programme is for teachers and their TAs who deliver science lessons to Year 5 pupils. Training involves three days of blended CPD spread across the year at a local venue, and online. There are intersession tasks to engage with and apply the approach in the classroom, and a dedicated F4L online community forum, virtual and hard copies of all F4L resources and guidance.

The F4L programme has been developed and is delivered by Sheffield Hallam University (SHU). SHU is experienced in the provision of innovative education programmes for young people aged 4 – 18 years, with expertise in science education and the provision of CPD for teachers.

As part of the Department for Education’s Accelerator Fund, the EEF is commissioning a number of evaluations of programmes that show promise for increasing pupil attainment.

Approaches used in F4L are identified in EEF’s Evidence and Practice Review in Cognitive Science in the Classroom, which suggests there is consistent evidence that well targeted scaffolds, guidance, and schema-based support are an effective approach to support students to solve problems or learn from complex tasks. Multiple classroom-based studies have also shown that scaffolding techniques such as F4L are particularly effective for supporting novice learners.

The F4L approach has been implemented in multiple schools since 2010, initiated with funding from the Primary Science Teaching Trust. Teachers report they felt F4L was a ​‘promising approach, with the potential to remove barriers to learning and ensure inclusion for all’.

Although the approaches adopted in F4L have been trialled internationally, trials focused on science, specifically in the English context, are more limited. Funding will enable us to establish whether the programme is feasible and meets the needs of primary teachers in England, so that it may be trialled on a larger scale in the future.

We have appointed a team at the University of Warwick, led by Dr Tom Perry, to evaluate the programme. This pilot will focus on evidence of promise, including early indications of improvements in knowledge, practice, and attitudes, as well as understanding the feasibility, acceptability and readiness for trial of F4L in the classroom.