A report said that development in cognitive ability (measured by vocabulary and drawing tests) in the early years was highly predictive of subsequent achievement, showing a strong relationship with both educational success and income at age 30.
Source: Leon Feinstein and Kathryn Duckworth, Development in the Early Years: Its importance for school performance and adult outcomes, Research Report 20, Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning/University of London (020 7612 6291)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Nov
A report presented the findings of research using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children which explored development at two time points - firstly, behaviour and learning at age 5 (the entry into school); and secondly, continued cognitive development at age 7. In terms of the context in which children grew up, the home environment, and the neighbourhood and pre-school peer group, were the main influences on cognitive development at age 5. Their parents education levels and family characteristics (such as family size and their mother s age) were the background variables that most strongly related to children s cognitive development at the age of 5. By the time children were 7, the impact of new variables (such as schooling) appeared to be having an influence on their cognitive development (thereby reducing the effect of the background and contextual variables).
Source: CMPO Research Team/University of Bristol, Up to Age 7: Family background and child development up to age 7 in the Avon Longitudinal Survey of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), Research Report , Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report | Brief | Non-technical summary report
Date: 2006-Nov
A report outlined a plan designed to ensure that 70 per cent of the early years workforce could become qualified to Level 3 by 2010.
Source: Strategies and Targets for Raising the Proportion of the Early Years Workforce with Level 3 Qualifications, Children's Workforce Development Council (0113 244 6311)
Links: Report | CWDC press release | NDNA press release
Date: 2006-Nov
The government published its response to consultation on the early years foundation stage framework (due to come into force in September 2008). It welcomed support for the framework's play-based approach, and the integration of high-quality learning and care.
Source: The Early Years Foundation Stage: Response to the Consultation, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Response | Consultation document | DfES press release
Date: 2006-Oct
A paper examined the effect of pre-primary education on children's subsequent school outcomes. Small gains were found from pre-school attendance at early ages, that magnified as children grew up. By age 16, children who had attended pre-school had accumulated more than 1 extra year of education and were 27 percentage points more likely to be in school compared to their siblings with no pre-school education.
Source: Samuel Berlinski, Sebastian Galiani and Marco Manacorda, Giving Children a Better Start: Preschool attendance and school-age profiles, Working Paper W06/18, Institute for Fiscal Studies (020 7291 4800)
Date: 2006-Sep
A report said that it was not financially viable for a significant number of private and voluntary nurseries to make the new statutory entitlement to early years provision free at the point of delivery.
Source: The Free Entitlement and the Real Cost of Childcare in Day Nurseries, National Day Nurseries Association (0870 774 4244)
Links: NDNA press release | Children Now report
Date: 2006-Sep
In January 2006, 96 per cent of children in England at age 3 benefited from some free early education (in maintained schools, the private or voluntary sector, or at private schools). This was a further increase on the 2004 figure of 93 per cent, when the free entitlement was first extended to children aged 3. Figures for January 2006 showed that all children aged 4 received some form of free entitlement.
Source: Provision for Children Under Five Years of Age in England: January 2006 (Final), Statistical First Release 32/2006, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: SFR
Date: 2006-Aug
The education inspectorate said that 97 per cent of childcare providers were considered satisfactory or better at keeping children safe from harm.
Source: Early Years: Safe and Sound, HMI 2663, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report | OFSTED press release | PSA press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Aug
A review report examined the early years and childcare workforce in Scotland. The Scottish Executive responded by announcing new arrangements for training, career progression, and professional recognition.
Source: National Review of the Early Years and Childcare Workforce: Report and Consultation, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283) | , Investing in Children s Futures: National Review of the Early Years and Childcare Workforce - Scottish Executive response, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop
Links: Review report | SE response | SE press release
Date: 2006-Aug
A think-tank report said that the success of the government s early years strategy would depend on addressing the failure of primary schools to sustain and capitalize on the early progress made by disadvantaged children through pre-school programmes such as Sure Start. Primary school children should be taught in ability groups and tested every eight weeks.
Source: Claudia Wood and Julie Caulier-Grice, Fade or Flourish: How primary schools can build on children s early progress, Social Market Foundation (020 7222 7060)
Links: Summary | KPMG press release | Guardian report | TES report | BBC report
Date: 2006-Jul
A think-tank report said that the government needed to make it a priority to tackle racism in early years education if it were to encourage young people to appreciate ethnic diversity.
Source: Jane Lane, Right From The Start, Focus Institute for Rights and Social Transformation (020 7730 3010)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jun
An article examined recent developments in early childhood education and care policy. There was evidence of greater policy innovation in Wales than in Scotland, despite the weaker formal powers and "flimsier" child care policy legacy in the former. England displayed, paradoxically, policy expansion (from a very low base) against an apparently unfavourable background despite a lack of strategic policy coherence.
Source: Daniel Wincott, 'Paradoxes of New Labour social policy: toward universal child care in Europe s "most liberal" welfare regime?', Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society, Volume 13 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jun
A report by a committee of MSPs urged the Scottish Executive to ensure that pre-school education in Scotland's most disadvantaged areas benefited from having qualified teaching staff in post.
Source: Early Years, 7th Report 2006, SP Paper 596, Scottish Parliament Education Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SP press release | Childlink report | Children Now report
Date: 2006-Jun
A special issue of a journal presented a collection of perspectives on the issue of professionalism in early childhood education.
Source: Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, Volume 7 Number 1
Links: Table of contents
Date: 2006-May
A report said that after-school clubs could often be more about 'crowd control' than giving children stimulating play opportunities.
Source: Anna Lundvigsen, More School Less Play? The role of play in the extended school in Denmark and England, Barnardo?s (01268 520224)
Links: Report | Children Now report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-May
The government began consultation on the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, designed to support practitioners in delivering well planned, play-based activities which were tailored to the needs of individual children.
Source: The Early Years Foundation Stage: Consultation on a single quality framework for services to children from birth to five, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Consultation document | DfES press release | NDNA press release | Children Now report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-May
The government said that it wanted to achieve an increase in the proportion of children reaching a good level of development at age five, from 48 per cent to 53 per cent by 2008 - equivalent to an extra 30,000 children.
Source: Speech by Ruth Kelly MP (Secretary of State for Education and Skills), 26 April 2006
Links: Text of speech | TES report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Apr
The government published an action plan for its ten-year childcare strategy, covering the childcare, early years, and extended schools services available to parents. From April 2006 the weekly free entitlement of 12.5 hours early education and childcare for children aged 3-4 would be extended from 33 to 38 weeks per year: this would align it with the school term, in order to help parents with older children who were already at school.
Source: Choice for Parents, the Best Start for Children: Making it happen, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Action plan | DfES press release | TES report | NDNA press release | PSA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Apr
An article examined the scope and limits of the policy autonomy devolved to the Welsh Assembly Government, by reference to a case study of early childhood education and care.
Source: Daniel Wincott, 'Devolution and the welfare state: lessons from early childhood education and care policy in Wales', Environment and Planning C, Volume 24 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Apr
A report examined parents use, views and experiences of childcare and early years provision. 86 per cent of families had used some form of childcare or early years provision either regular or ad hoc - within the last year.
Source: Caroline Bryson, Anne Kazimirski and Helen Southwood, Childcare and Early Years Provision: A Study of Parents Use, Views and Experience, Research Report 723, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2006-Mar
A new book examined how, in the previous ten years, the number of babies and toddlers under three who were spending all day (8am to 6pm) in nurseries had quadrupled. It said that the hurried and disconnected way that families lived their lives could be damaging to a whole new generation's mental stability and development.
Source: Steve Biddulph, Raising Babies: Should under 3s go to nursery?, HarperCollins (020 8741 7070)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Mar
A report examined evidence from longitudinal studies of centre-based early childhood interventions. The evidence was inconclusive.
Source: Helen Penn et al., Early Years: What is known about the long-term economic impact of centre-based early childhood interventions?, EPPI-Centre/Social Science Research Unit/Institute of Education/University of London (020 7612 6050)
Date: 2006-Mar
A report called for an overarching review of the children s workforce in Scotland.
Source: Bronwen Cohen and Jim McCormick, Working for the Future: Re-imagining the children's workforce, Scottish Council Foundation (0131 225 4709), Children in Scotland, and International Futures Forum
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Feb
The government announced (following consultation) measures to improve the childcare and early years workforce. It said that it would build an integrated qualifications framework, and use a 'transformation fund' of 250 million to stimulate the supply of early years professionals and provide other developmental incentives.
Source: Children s Workforce Strategy: Building a world-class workforce for children, young people and families - The government s response to the consultation, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Consultation response | DfES press release | GTCE press release | SFC press release | Daycare Trust press release | NDNA press release | PSLA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Feb
The education inspectorate in Scotland examined the early years framework, intended to improve the life-chances of Scotland's children and tackle inequalities by targeting the early years. It highlighted cases where effective practice already existed, and the benefits for children, families, and communities that resulted from participation in early intervention and family learning programmes. It also showed the need for better co-ordination of services and resources.
Source: The Early Years Framework: Learning Together – Positive Start, Positive Outcomes, HM Inspectorate of Education in Scotland (01506 600200)
Links: Report | HMIE press release
Date: 2006-Jan
