Project Based Learning: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary

We checked this card's citation and the finding we state against the source's own page or record in October 2026.

What it found

A year of project-based learning for first-year secondary pupils had no clear impact on literacy or on engagement with school. There was a possible negative effect for pupils eligible for free school meals, which the evaluators treat with caution. Teachers and schools found it worthwhile, and it needed substantial management support.

What kind of study it is

Design

Randomized trial in schools

Weight

A trial in schools: it compares groups that got the practice with groups that didn't.

Sample

24 English secondary schools (12 intervention, 12 control), Year 7 pupils

Who

School-age children (K–12)

Limits

The evaluators rate the findings low security: 47% of intervention pupils and 16% of control pupils were missing from the final analysis, and some control schools adopted similar approaches.

Read it

eric.ed.gov/?id=ED581257

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Cited in the Library

• Project-based learning