Early Talk Boost research project

Complete the form below if your setting is interested in taking part in our Early Talk Boost research project.

The study aims to evaluate the Early Talk Boost programme in an independent and rigorous way to see what impact it has on children’s talking and understanding of words. The programme is being offered as part of a research project which will use a randomised controlled trial design to explore the impacts of Early Talk Boost. This means that those who sign up to take part will be randomly allocated to one of two groups:

The intervention group who will receive Early Talk Boost training in December 2025 – January 2026 and deliver the programme during the Spring and Summer terms of 2026.
The control group, who will not receive Early Talk Boost and will continue with their usual practice.

Settings in this group will receive funding which will allow them to buy in Early Talk Boost after the end of the trial.

The evaluation of Early Talk Boost is funded by the Education Endowment Fund and is being carried out by National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). Speech and Language UK may share the identifiable data collected through this Expression of Interest form with them, as part of reporting and evaluation on this project.

Settings across England are eligible to take part except those in the North East, North Yorkshire and Cumbria. Both Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) and maintained nurseries (either stand alone or as part of a school) are eligible to apply.

Many thanks for your interest in the project, if you would like your setting to be considered, please complete the details below and we will be in touch with further details. If you have any queries, please contact ETBtrial@speechandlanguage.org.uk

Please note, all information will be held in accordance with Speech and Language UK’s data privacy policy and data protection policy.

Step 1 of 3

Which country are you in?(Required)

Which region are you in?(Required)

Which local authority is your nursery located in?(Required)

What type of setting are you in:(Required)

What is the name of your setting?(Required)

What is the postcode of your setting?(Required)

Please use capital letters and provide a space between the first and last set of numbers/letters, e.g., A11 1AA

What is your name?(Required)

First Last

What is your job title?(Required)

What is your email address?(Required)

We will use this to contact you about the research project.

What is your contact number?(Required)

Where did you hear about this research project?(Required)

If other, please specify:(Required)

Do you currently anticipate having at least 20 children aged 3-4 years old who do not have SEND concerns in your next year’s intake (academic year 2025/26)?(Required)

To take part you will need 20 children aged 3 to 4 years old who do not have SEND concerns and can attend the setting for at least 3 different days (or half days) across a week in the academic year 2025/2026.

To take part in the study you need to be able to:(Required)

If you are unable to tick the boxes below, you will not be able to take part in the study.

Commit to 2 practitioners attending the training

Deliver the programme over 3 sessions per week for 9 weeks

Commit to supporting the evaluation activities

To take part in the study you also need to be able to confirm the below:(Required)

If you are unable to tick both boxes below, you will not be able to take part in the study.

My setting has not delivered and will not deliver Early Talk Boost in the academic year 2024-2025

My setting is not planning to deliver Early Talk Boost, the Nuffield Early Language Intervention for preschools (NELI Preschool) or Talking Time in the academic year 2025-26.

Do you have an iPad, tablet or computer (e.g. a laptop) that you can use during the project?(Required)

By submitting this form, I consent for the information I have provided to be stored in accordance with Speech and Language UK's privacy policy and data protection policy.

-(Required)

I agree

By submitting this form, I consent for the information I have provided to be shared with the Education Endowment Fund (EEF) and NFER(Required)

I agree

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Early Talk Boost research project

By submitting this form, I consent for the information I have provided to be stored in accordance with Speech and Language UK's privacy policy and data protection policy.