Impacts of the Mindset Teams Programme on Teacher Outcomes and Pupil Educational Attainment: Secondary Data Analysis

Abstract

We evaluated the impact of a growth mindset intervention on pre-specified teacher outcomes and pupil academic attainment and attendance. Delivered over 12 months, the Mindset Teams intervention provides teachers with formal and self-directed online learning, and an opportunity to implement evidence-based growth mindset practice in the classroom setting. The intervention aims to influence teacher practices to improve pupil resilience for learning and bring about positive impacts on pupil attainment and health outcomes. Impacts on teachers were explored through pre- and post-intervention survey data (570 and 301 respectively). Pupil attainment and attendance data from 1220 schools, 72 of which received the intervention, across years 2017–2021 (minus 2020), were analyzed using weighted mixed effects models, using a Difference-in-differences framework. Bayes factors were calculated as a measure of strength of evidence. Results suggest positive impacts of the intervention on teacher outcomes and indicate a moderate effect (+3% (95%CI +1%, +6%)) of programme delivery on writing attainment, but no evidence of effect for other outcomes. Findings highlight important issues for further research, specifically the need to explore programme impacts using pupil or classroom level data.