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Concept Cat: A Two-Armed Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial. Evaluation Report. Updated

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Title: Concept Cat: A Two-Armed Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial. Evaluation Report. Updated
Language: English
Authors: Miguel Subosa, Fin Oades, Erin Dysart, Louise Tracey, Anna Brian, Elena Rosa Speciani, Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) (United Kingdom), RAND Europe
Source: Education Endowment Foundation. 2026.
Availability: Education Endowment Foundation. 9th Floor Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP, UK. Tel: +44-207-802-1676; e-mail: info@eefoundation.org.uk; Web site: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 128
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Preschool Education
Descriptors: Multivariate Analysis, Randomized Controlled Trials, Foreign Countries, Vocabulary Development, Preschool Education, Preschool Children, Teaching Methods, Program Evaluation, Mathematics Curriculum, Science Curriculum, Comprehension, Sentences
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
Abstract: Concept Cat aims to improve early conceptual vocabulary in three- to four-year-olds. It teaches early verbal concepts linked to the mathematics and science curriculum, aiming to enhance Key Stage 1 outcomes. Spanning an academic year, it includes four components: whole-class introduction; meaningful play; parent-child tasks; and whole-class review. Additional support is provided to 'focus children' with below-average language skills. Lead early years practitioners (EYPs) attend a three-hour remote training; other early years (EY) staff attend a one-hour remote session. Settings also receive visits from Concept Cat coaches during the delivery to support effective implementation. The project was a two-armed waitlisted cluster randomised controlled trial. A total of 1,040 children from 89 settings participated, with settings randomised to receive Concept Cat (treatment) or business as usual (control). The trial's primary outcome was early conceptual vocabulary. An implementation and process evaluation (IPE) incorporated practitioner and parent surveys, training observations, setting visits, and analysis of implementation monitoring data. Intervention delivery of the trial took place from September 2023 to June 2024. As part of the Department for Education's Early Years Recovery Programme, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) is working with Stronger Practice Hubs (SPHs) across England to fund EY settings' access to evidence-informed programmes and study the programme's influence on practice and children's outcomes. This initiative aims to support education recovery following the pandemic, while also developing our understanding of effective professional development in the EY. Children in Concept Cat settings made, on average two additional months' progress than those in the control group equivalent. This is the best estimate of impact, which has a moderate to high security rating. As with any study, there is always some uncertainty around the result: the possible impact of this programme ranges from one month's additional progress to four months' additional progress. Children in Concept Cat settings showed one additional month's progress on understanding complex sentences compared to the control group, suggesting the intervention also supports wider conceptual understanding. Children receiving EYPP in the Concept Cat settings made three additional months' progress on average, compared to EYPP children in settings that did not deliver the Concept Cat programme. This possible impact ranges from zero month's progress and to a positive effect of up to five months' additional progress. These results may have a lower security than the overall findings because of the smaller number of children. The compliance analysis suggests that delivering the intervention as intended was associated with up to three months of additional progress in early conceptual vocabulary. However, large numbers of settings not sharing child attendance data at the beginning of the trial led to a high degree of missing information indicating low robustness in these estimates. Overall, this evaluation provided strong support for the logic model. The impact evaluation has shown that Concept Cat has a positive impact on the intended outcomes of conceptual vocabulary and numeracy. The IPE further supports the notion of programme effectiveness, with respect to both children and their families. Moreover, the fact that all surveyed EYPs said they were going to continue implementing the programme after the trial, and that children clearly enjoy Concept Cat and this facilitated home implementation of the programme, shows the desirability of the programme overall. [The EEF worked with Bright Futures North West Early Years Stronger Practice Hub, HEART -- Midlands Early Years Stronger Practice Hub, and Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub to fund settings' access to Concept Cat and evaluate the programme.]
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED680933
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  Data: Concept Cat aims to improve early conceptual vocabulary in three- to four-year-olds. It teaches early verbal concepts linked to the mathematics and science curriculum, aiming to enhance Key Stage 1 outcomes. Spanning an academic year, it includes four components: whole-class introduction; meaningful play; parent-child tasks; and whole-class review. Additional support is provided to 'focus children' with below-average language skills. Lead early years practitioners (EYPs) attend a three-hour remote training; other early years (EY) staff attend a one-hour remote session. Settings also receive visits from Concept Cat coaches during the delivery to support effective implementation. The project was a two-armed waitlisted cluster randomised controlled trial. A total of 1,040 children from 89 settings participated, with settings randomised to receive Concept Cat (treatment) or business as usual (control). The trial's primary outcome was early conceptual vocabulary. An implementation and process evaluation (IPE) incorporated practitioner and parent surveys, training observations, setting visits, and analysis of implementation monitoring data. Intervention delivery of the trial took place from September 2023 to June 2024. As part of the Department for Education's Early Years Recovery Programme, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) is working with Stronger Practice Hubs (SPHs) across England to fund EY settings' access to evidence-informed programmes and study the programme's influence on practice and children's outcomes. This initiative aims to support education recovery following the pandemic, while also developing our understanding of effective professional development in the EY. Children in Concept Cat settings made, on average two additional months' progress than those in the control group equivalent. This is the best estimate of impact, which has a moderate to high security rating. As with any study, there is always some uncertainty around the result: the possible impact of this programme ranges from one month's additional progress to four months' additional progress. Children in Concept Cat settings showed one additional month's progress on understanding complex sentences compared to the control group, suggesting the intervention also supports wider conceptual understanding. Children receiving EYPP in the Concept Cat settings made three additional months' progress on average, compared to EYPP children in settings that did not deliver the Concept Cat programme. This possible impact ranges from zero month's progress and to a positive effect of up to five months' additional progress. These results may have a lower security than the overall findings because of the smaller number of children. The compliance analysis suggests that delivering the intervention as intended was associated with up to three months of additional progress in early conceptual vocabulary. However, large numbers of settings not sharing child attendance data at the beginning of the trial led to a high degree of missing information indicating low robustness in these estimates. Overall, this evaluation provided strong support for the logic model. The impact evaluation has shown that Concept Cat has a positive impact on the intended outcomes of conceptual vocabulary and numeracy. The IPE further supports the notion of programme effectiveness, with respect to both children and their families. Moreover, the fact that all surveyed EYPs said they were going to continue implementing the programme after the trial, and that children clearly enjoy Concept Cat and this facilitated home implementation of the programme, shows the desirability of the programme overall. [The EEF worked with Bright Futures North West Early Years Stronger Practice Hub, HEART -- Midlands Early Years Stronger Practice Hub, and Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub to fund settings' access to Concept Cat and evaluate the programme.]
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 128
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      – SubjectFull: Multivariate Analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Randomized Controlled Trials
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Program Evaluation
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      – SubjectFull: Sentences
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