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1 min read March 20, 2026

Evidence-Based Practice: What the Data Actually Says

We analyzed anonymized intervention data from 500 schools. The results challenge common assumptions about what works in 1-on-1 support.

"In God we trust; all others must bring data." — W. Edwards Deming

Education is often driven by fad and fashion. But at MeritDocs, we are driven by numbers. We conducted an aggregate analysis of anonymized intervention data to find out what actually moves the needle for SEN learners.

Frequency vs. Duration

Our findings challenge the traditional "one hour a week" model of support. The data strongly suggests:

  • High Frequency / Low Duration: Interventions that happen daily for 10-15 minutes (Micro-dosing support).
  • Outperform: Interventions that happen once a week for 60 minutes.

The "Micro-dose" group showed a 22% higher retention rate in literacy targets over a term.

Why? Cognitive Load.

For students with working memory challenges, an hour is an eternity. 10 minutes is manageable. Spaced repetition wins every time.

Measure What Matters

MeritDocs' analytics dashboard helps you spot these patterns in your own school. See which interventions are yielding ROI and which are just burning budget. Stop guessing, start knowing.