The Ark UK English Mastery programme supports English teachers to deliver a knowledge-rich Key Stage 3 English curriculum

Ark UK English Mastery is an intervention that aims to improve attainment in English by enabling teachers to deliver a coherent and cumulative English experience for KS3 pupils. The Education Endowment Foundation have commissioned a team at the SIOE, led by Martin Culliney (PI) and Karen Daniels (co-PI) to independently evaluate English Mastery.

The project is underpinned by three pedagogical pillars: accumulation of knowledge, discrete grammar teaching and Tier 2 vocabulary. These pillars are delivered through an English curriculum with the following strands: literary heritage, writing mastery and reading for pleasure. Teachers will be provided with subject-specific training, curriculum materials and ongoing in-school support. This two-year intervention will be delivered to Y7 students in English lessons starting in the 2022/23 academic year, continuing through 2023/24 when they are in Y8. An in-school assessment at the end of the programme will be used to measure pupil progress in English.

English Mastery will be evaluated through a clustered RCT design comprising two components:

• an impact evaluation to determine how participation in English Mastery affects attainment in English
• an implementation and process evaluation to understand the theory underpinning the intervention, how it is delivered and how it is experienced by teachers and pupils

School Information Sheet

EEF English Mastery Privacy Notice (DOCX, 114.1KB)