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EPPSE Publications

Below is a listing of abstracts, research briefs and research reports from the Effective Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education project (EPPSE) project, the first major study in the UK to focus specifically on the effectiveness of early years education.

Unless otherwise specified, the links below point to PDF files.

Research design and sample

Ages 3-7

Technical Paper 12 - The Final Report

Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Sammons, P., Siraj, I. and Taggart, B. (2004).The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 12 - The Final Report: Effective Pre-School Education. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 11

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Elliot, K. and Marsh A. (2004). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 11 - The Continuing Effects of Pre-school Education at Age 7 Years. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 10

Siraj, I., Sylva, K., Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E.C., & Elliot, K. (2003). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 10 - Intensive Case Studies of Practice across the Foundation Stage. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 9

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Elliot, K. and Marsh, A. (2004). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 9 - Report on Age 6 Assessment. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 8b

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B. and Elliot, K. (2003). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 8b - Measuring the Impact of Pre-School on Children's Social/Behavioural Development over the Pre-School Period. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 8a

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B. and Elliot, K. (2002). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 8a - Measuring the Impact of Pre-School on Children's Cognitive Progress over the Pre-School Period. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 7

Melhuish, E.C., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj, I., and Taggart, B. (2001). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical paper 7 - Social/behavioural and Cognitive Development at 3-4 years in relation to family background. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 6A

Sylva, K., Siraj, I., Melhuish, E.C., Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Evans, E., Dobson, A., Jeavons, M., Lewis, K., Morahan, M. and Sadler, S. (1999). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 6A - Characteristics of Pre-School Environments. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 6

Sylva, K., Siraj, I., Melhuish, E.C., Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Evans, E., Dobson, A., Jeavons, M., Lewis, K., Morahan, M. and Sadler, S. (1999). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 6 - Characteristics of the Centres in the EPPE Sample: Observational Profiles. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 5

Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Siraj, I., Melhuish, E.C., Sammons, P. and Walker-Hall, J. (1999). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 5 - Characteristics of the Centres in the EPPE Sample: Interviews. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 4

Melhuish, E.C., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Dobson, A., Jeavons, M., Lewis, K., Morahan, M. and Sadler, S. (1999). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical paper 4 - Parent, family and child characteristics in relation to type of pre-school and socio-economic differences. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 3

Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Sammons, P., Taggart, B. and Jennings, R. (1999). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 3 - Contextualising EPPE: Interviews with Local Authority Co-ordinators and Centre Managers. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 2

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Dobson, A., Jeavons, M., Lewis, K., Morahan, M. and Sadler, S. (1999). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 2 - Characteristics of the EPPE Project sample at entry to the study. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 1

Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I. and Taggart, B. (1999). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 1 - An Introduction to the EPPE Project. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

How EPPE has influenced practice

Siraj-Blatchford, Iram, Taggart, Brenda, Sylva, Kathy, Sammons, Pamela and Melhuish, Edward (2008) 'Towards the transformation of practice in early childhood education: the effective provision of pre-school education (EPPE) project', Cambridge Journal of Education, 38:1, 23 - 36

Ages 7-11

Final report from the Primary Phase

Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Sammons, P. Siraj, I. and Taggart, B. (2008). Final Report from the Primary Phase: Pre-school, School and Family Influences on Children's Development during Key Stage 2 (7-11). Nottingham: DCSF Research Report 61 / Institute of Education, University of London.

Social/behavioural outcomes in Year 5

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Barreau, S. and Grabbe, Y. (2007). The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11): Influences on Children's Development and Progress in Key Stage 2: Social/ behavioural outcomes in Year 5. London: DCSF / Institute of Education, University of London.

Cognitive outcomes in Year 5

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Grabbe, Y. and Barreau, S. (2007). The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11): Influences on Children's Attainment and Progress in Key Stage 2: Cognitive outcomes in Year 5. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Social/behavioural outcomes in Year 6

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B. and Jelicic, H. (2008). The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11): Influences on Children's Attainment and Progress in Key Stage 2: Social/behavioural outcomes in Year 6. London: DCSF / Institute of Education, University of London.

Cognitive outcomes in Year 6

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B. and Hunt, S. (2008). The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11): Influences on Children's Attainment and Progress in Key Stage 2: Cognitive outcomes in Year 6. London: DCSF / Institute of Education, University of London.

Variations in teacher and pupil behaviours

Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Barreau, S. And Manni, L. (2006). The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11): Variations in Teacher and Pupil Behaviours in Year 5 Classes. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Effectiveness of primary schools

Melhuish, E.C., Romaniuk, H., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Siraj, I. and Taggart, B. (2006). The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11): The Effectiveness of Primary Schools in England in Key Stage 2 for 2002, 2003 and 2004. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Abstract: This report covers children's progress during Key Stage 2 in all primary schools in England over a three year period (2002-2004). Value added multilevel models are used to investigate children's progress in Key Stage 2 by controlling for prior attainment, as well as several background influences. These analyses allow measurement of the extent to which children's progress can be attributed to the primary school attended. Primary schools where children make significantly greater progress than predicted (on the basis of prior attainment and intake characteristics) can be viewed as more effective and schools where children make less progress than predicted can be viewed as less effective. The phrase effectiveness throughout this report refers to this measure of progress, not to any other characteristics or qualities of schools.

Influence of school and teaching quality

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Barreau, S., and Grabbe, Y. (2007). The Influence of School and Teaching Quality on Children's Progress in Primary School. Nottingham: DCSF / Institute of Education, University of London.

Tracking pupil mobility

Melhuish, E.C., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Taggart, B., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Hunt, S., Barreau, S. and Welcomme, W. (2008). Tracking Pupil Mobility over the Pre-school and Primary School Period: Evidence from EPPE 3-11. London: DCSF / Institute of Education, University of London.

Pupils' self-perceptions, views of primary school and their development

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Jelicic, H., Barreau, S., Grabbe, Y. and Smees, R. (2008). Relationships between pupils' self-perceptions, views of primary school and their development in Year 5. London: DCSF / Institute of Education, University of London.

Influences on pupils' self-perceptions

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees., R. and Melhuish, E.C. (2008). Influences on pupils' self-perceptions in primary school: Enjoyment of school, Anxiety and Isolation, and Self-image in Year 5. London: DCSF / Institute of Education, University of London.

Pupils' views of primary school

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R and Melhuish, E.C. (2008). Exploring pupils' views of primary school in Year 5. London: DCSF / Institute of Education, University of London.

Ages 11-14

Final report from the Key Stage 3 phase

Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Sammons, P., Siraj, I. and Taggart, B. (2012). Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-14 Project (EPPSE 3-14) - Final Report from the Key Stage 3 Phase: Influences on Students' Development from age 11-14. Department for Education Research Report 202.

Academic outcomes in English, maths and science in Year 9

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Toth, K., Draghici, D. and Smees, R. (2011a). Effective Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education Project (EPPSE 3-14): Influences on Students' Attainment and Progress in Key Stage 3: Academic Outcomes in English, Maths and Science in Year 9. London: Institute of Education, University of London / DFE.

Social-behavioural outcomes in Year 9

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Draghici, D., Toth, K. and Smees, R. (2011b). Effective Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education Project (EPPSE 3-14): Influences on Students' Development in Key Stage 3: Social-behavioural Outcomes in Year 9. London: Institute of Education, University of London / DFE.

Students' Dispositions in Key Stage 3

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Draghici, D. and Toth, K. (2011c). Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-14 Project (EPPSE 3-14): Influences on Students' Dispositions in Key Stage 3: Exploring Enjoyment of School, Popularity, Anxiety, Citizenship Values and Academic Self-Concept in Year 9. London: Institute of Education, University of London / DFE.

Students' reports of their experiences in Year 9

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Draghici, D. and Toth, K. (2011d). Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-14 Project (EPPSE 3-14): Students' Reports of Their Experiences of School in Year 9. London: Institute of Education, University of London / DFE.

Ages 16+

This study began in February 2010 and the reports for this phase are now available for download.

Students' educational and developmental outcomes at age 16

Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Sammons, P., Siraj, I. and Taggart, B. with Smees, R., Toth, K. & Welcomme W. (2014) Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-16 Project (EPPSE 3-16) Students' educational and developmental outcomes at age 16
Department for Education Research Report RR354

Influences on student's social-behavioural development at age 16

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees R., & Toth, K. with Welcomme W. (2014) Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-16 Project (EPPSE 3-16) Influences on students' social-behavioural development at age 16
Department for Education Research Report RR351

Influences on students' GCSE attainment and progress at age 16

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Toth, K. & Smees R. (2014) Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-16 Project (EPPSE 3-16) Influences on students' GCSE attainment and progress at age 16
Department for Education Research Report RR352

Influences on students' dispositions and well-being in Key Stage 4 age 16

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., & Toth, K. with Welcomme W. (2014) Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-16 Project (EPPSE 3-16) Influences on students' dispositions and well-being in Key Stage 4 age 16.
Institute of Education, London/Department for Education

Students' views of school in Key Stage 4 age 16

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees R., & Toth, K. with Welcomme W. (2014) Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-16 Project (EPPSE 3-16) Students' views of school in Key Stage 4 age 16.
Institute of Education, London/Department for Education

Post age 16 destinations

Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Siraj, I., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Toth, K., Smees R.& Hollingworth*, K., with Welcomme W. (2014) Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-16 Project (EPPSE 3-16) Post age 16 destinations.
Institute of Education, London/Department for Education

Report on students who are not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)

Siraj, I., Hollingworth*, K., Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E.C., Sylva, K. (2014) Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-16 Project (EPPSE 3-16) Report on students who are not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) Institute of Education, London/Department for Education

DfE Research Bites

Related studies

Exploring Effective Pedagogy

Siraj, I. & Taggart, B., with Melhuish, E., Sammons, P. & Sylva, K. (2014). Exploring Effective Pedagogy in Primary Schools: Evidence from Research. London: Pearson.

Effect of starting pre-school at age 2

Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Sammons, P., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Hunt, S. and Jelicic, H. (2012). The effect of starting pre-school at age 2 on long term academic and social-behavioural outcomes in Year 6 for more deprived children. London: Institute of Education, University of London.

EPPSEM

Siraj, I., Shepherd, D-L., Melhuish, E.C., Taggart, B., Sammons, P. and Sylva, K. (2011). Effective Primary Pedagogical Strategies in English and Mathematics in Key Stage 2: A study of Year 5 classroom practice from the EPPSE 3-16 longitudinal study. London: Department for Education / Institute of Education, University of London.

Performing against the odds

Siraj, I., Mayo, A., Melhuish, E.C., Taggart, B., Sammons, P. and Sylva, K. (2011). Performing against the odds: developmental trajectories of children in the EPPSE 3-16 study. London: Department for Education / Institute of Education, University of London.

EPPNI

Melhuish, E.C., Quinn, L., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj, I. and Taggart, B. (2010). Effective Pre-school Provision in Northern Ireland (EPPNI): Pre-school Experience and Key Stage 2 performance in English and Mathematics. Belfast: Department for Education, Northern Ireland.

Successful transition from primary to secondary school

Evangelou, M., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C. Sammons, P. and Siraj, I. (2008). What Makes a Successful Transition from Primary to Secondary School? London: Department for Children, School and Families / Institute of Education, University of London.

The Cabinet Office: Equalities Review 2007

This sub-study arose from the contribution from The EPPE Team to the Review on Equal Opportunities led by Trevor Philips (Chair of Equality and Human Rights Commission) for The Cabinet Office. It explores influences on young children's development that leads to successful or less successful outcomes by the end of primary school.

EYTSEN

Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E.C., Siraj, I. and Elliot, K. (2003). The Early Years Transition and Special Educational Needs (EYTSEN) Project. London: Department for Education and Skills / Institute of Education, University of London.

REPEY

Siraj, I., Sylva, K., Muttock, S., Gilden, R. and Bell, D. (2002). Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years (REPEY). London: Department for Education and Skills / Institute of Education, University of London.

Ratios in Pre-School Settings: An exploration of the relationships with children's educational outcomes

This paper was written in October 2000 to help policy colleagues understand better the many influences on young children's academic and social-behavioural development. At the time of writing it was a confidential document. In February 2013 the DfE launched the 'More great childcare: Raising quality and giving parents more choice' report (MGC). The MGC report sets out a plan of action for how the Government will achieve its vision of a dynamic childcare market, delivering high quality early education. It incorporates the Government's response to Professor Cathy Nutbrown's independent review 'Foundations for Quality'. One of the recommendations of the MGC report is to alter statutory ratios across the early years sector. In the light of this the DfE have given permission for this paper to be placed in the public domain in order to contribute to the debate about ratios in setting with very young children.

Summary publication

Summary of: How pre-school influences children and young people's attainment and developmental outcomes over time

Taggart, B., Sylva, K.,  Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., &  Siraj. I. (2015) Effective pre-school, primary and secondary education project (EPPSE 3-16+): How pre-school influences children and young people's attainment and developmental outcomes over time.

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Key facts

  • Department: Learning and Leadership
  • Project dates: 1997-2014
  • Project team: Prof Iram Siraj, Brenda Taggart (UCL Institute of Education); Prof Kathy Silva OBE, Prof Pam Simmons (Oxford); Prof Edward Melhuish (Oxford and Birkbeck, University of London)

Related links

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