MTPB aims to help children who are falling behind develop a secure understanding of basic number concepts before they move to Key Stage 1. There is a small but growing body of research evidence to support the use of storybooks to teach mathematics in the early years, most of it involving the specific use of talk. The EEF’s Early Years and Key Stage 1 Mathematics Evidence Review identified this as a promising approach, with six studies providing a large positive aggregate effect.

For this pilot, MTPB was delivered in19 schools, involving 38 practitioners (19 teachers and 19 TAs), and 95 children. The pilot was independently evaluated through practitioner surveys, interviews and session observations, in addition to developer interviews.

The evaluation found that the programme was largely delivered as intended. The intervention sessions were delivered with fidelity, and the training and support were received positively by participants. Teachers and TAs praised the programme’s practical relevance and novelty of the ShREC approach. While observations indicated that there was some variation in how consistently the ShREC approach was implemented, practitioner feedback indicated improvements in their understanding of how children learn maths and increased confidence in teaching maths. They reported children were more motivated and engaged, with most practitioners perceiving improvements in both learning and communication.

The programme was well-received and perceived to be sustainable. Nearly all participating practitioners reported that they continued to use picture books in small group sessions beyond the 10-week delivery period. They highlighted the small-group structure and the engaging medium of picture books as key strengths. While teachers felt that the guidance for selecting children for the intervention was useful, a minority felt that some selected children would not benefit as much as others from the intervention or that not all factors had been considered when selecting children. There were no concerns about potential negative impacts, or about widening the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers.

Overall, the evaluation found evidence of promise, with indicators of positive outcomes for both children and practitioners. The delivery team has a realistic plan for scaling and a strong foundation for future trial evaluation. Based on the pilot findings, the programme is considered ready for further evaluation to assess its impact on maths outcomes.