Embedding Executive Challenge into Early Maths: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Three- and four-year-olds in 150 English early years settings are playing number games designed to strengthen the mental skills that underpin learning to count and calculate. The ONE Programme targets a gap in early education: most maths interventions focus on numbers alone, but children also need "executive functions"—the brain’s ability to hold information in mind, switch between tasks, and resist distractions. A pilot study showed the approach works; this cluster randomised controlled trial tests it at scale, with roughly 2,000 children and their educators. If the trial confirms the pilot results, the programme could become a low-cost, play-based tool embedded in early years curricula. That would shift how nurseries and reception classes build foundational numeracy, particularly for children whose development was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The project also measures educator wellbeing, so success could improve working conditions in a sector with high turnover. The Department for Education and Stronger Practice Hubs are already involved, meaning a positive outcome could feed directly into national practice without waiting for a separate translation step.