Improving non-academic outcomes for SEND: review & meta-analysis 

This project will investigate evidence-based interventions targeting non-academic outcomes for children and young people with SEND aged 4 to 25. 

Why this project is important

In 2024, this research team completed a Nuffield-funded systematic review and meta-analysis of more than 400 international studies of teaching approaches aimed at improving the academic outcomes of children and young people with SEND. They used the evidence acquired through this work to launch ‘MetaSENse’, a free searchable online database to help educators identify suitable programmes for use in the classroom. 

This project involves a similar systematic review and meta-analysis that will enable the team to extend ‘MetaSENse’ to cover seven non-academic outcomes that are foundational to children and young people’s learning and wider development. These are: communication and interaction, behaviour, inclusion and engagement, socio-emotional abilities, wellbeing, attendance, and independence/occupation. 

What it will involve

The project will address the following questions: 

• What does the current research tell us about improving these non-academic outcomes for different groups of students with SEND, what outcomes and groups have been researched, and what characterises high-quality evidence in this area? 

• What does the high-quality evidence tell us about the average impact of targeted interventions on the different non-academic outcomes across different groups of pupils with SEND? 

• Which characteristics (in terms of educational context, phase of education, mode of delivery, subject matter) explain variation in effect sizes across SEND groups and outcomes? 

Eligible studies will have used a randomised controlled trial or quasi-experimental design to evaluate a named manualised intervention since 2000. 

How it will make a difference

Alongside the expanded database, the study findings will inform development of the DfE’s new National Inclusion Standards for SEND provision by highlighting both effective interventions and current evidence gaps. Training materials and infographics will be produced to support schools to engage with the insights.