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Table 3 Pupil recruitment strategies

From: Set up and assessment of progression criteria for internal pilots: the Brushing RemInder 4 Good oral HealTh (BRIGHT) trial example

Recruitment strategy

Successful or unsuccessful

Decision regarding implementation in the main trial phase

Raising the profile of the BRIGHT trial within the school environment through local research teams presenting at assemblies

Successful

Continue in all schools

Maximising researchers’ presence in schools and being available to answer questions from pupils directly

Successful

Continue, with a commitment to researcher flexibility and multiple visits to schools if required

Continuing to recruit pupils during baseline data collection at the school, when pupils could hear feedback from participating peers

Successful

Continue

Working with school staff to smooth pathways for recruitment, e.g. school staff allowing time during class to complete consent forms

Successful

Continue

6.2.1. Provision of appropriate information to parents/carers where English was an additional language for them, where possible

Not required for schools in pilot

Provide if requested by schools in main trial

Informing pupils that they would receive a ‘Thank you’ voucher on completion of baseline data

Successful

Continue

Inviting a random selection of classes within large year groups to avoid over recruitment

Unsuccessful: Typically, the recruitment target was not met with this approach

Invite whole year groups at outset to make best use of resources and to decrease time taken to reach sample size. Random sampling of recruited pupils could be used if there was over recruitment

Informing pupils that they would be entered into a ‘Thank you’ prize draw (where they could win an additional £100 in vouchers) on completion of baseline data

Unsuccessful: LRTs fed back that this appeared not to be appreciated by potential participants

Not to be used