A report evaluated the Pupil Learning Credits Pilot Scheme, targeted at pupils aged 11-14 in inner city schools in England. The scheme provided additional learning opportunities for those whose social circumstances were particularly difficult. It had a positive impact on pupil attainment in mathematics, and on pupil attendance. There was no effect on attainment in English. The scheme was potentially cost-effective.
Source: Sandra McNally, Economic Evaluation of the Pupil Learning Credits Pilot Scheme, Research Report 696, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2005-Dec
A report examined how universities and colleges were supporting access to higher education for young people from lower socio-economic groups.
Source: From the Margins to the Mainstream: Embedding widening participation in higher education, Universities UK (020 7419 5435) and Standing Conference of Principals
Links: Report | UUK press release | OFFA press release
Date: 2005-Dec
The government published (alongside the Pre-Budget Report 2005) a report which examined the progress since 1997 in improving outcomes for children and young people. It considered action to build on this progress, and reach those who had not benefited equally from improvements thus far. 53 million would be spent (over two years) in improving services and support for families and children, including piloting new parent support advisors in over 600 primary and secondary schools.
Source: Support for Parents: The best start for children, HM Treasury (020 7270 4558) and Department for Education and Skills
Links: Report | HMT press release
Date: 2005-Dec
An education inspectorate report examined the "significant progress" made by the Excellence in Cities initiative, and its associated programmes on raising standards and promoting social inclusion.
Source: Excellence in Cities: Managing associated initiatives to raise standards, HMI 2595, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Dec
An article used qualitative data from a study of education action zones to explore how parents experienced initiatives designed to build their social capital. It said that policy-makers and practitioners concerned with challenging social exclusion needed to pay closer attention to the real, as opposed to imagined, local socio-cultural environments within which policies were implemented.
Source: Sharon Gewirtz, Marny Dickson, Sally Power, David Halpin and Geoff Whitty, 'The deployment of social capital theory in educational policy and provision: the case of Education Action Zones in England': Subtitle, British Educational Research Journal, Volume 31 Number 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Dec
A think-tank report said that the government's White Paper on education would do little to help the most disadvantaged pupils. It called for all children at failed state schools to receive up to 6,000 additional funding per annum - the 'advantage premium' - to help them access better education.
Source: James O'Shaughnessy and Charlotte Leslie, More Good School Places, Policy Exchange (020 7340 2650)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Dec
A report examined the development and expansion of Sure Start Scotland services since 2001.
Source: Sarah Cunningham-Burley, Amanda Carty, Claudia Martin and Anne Birch, Sure Start Scotland Mapping Exercise 2004, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Dec
A paper used data from the 2003 wave of the British Household Panel Survey to test if siblings were assigned equal shares in the family s educational resources. It found that siblings were not, and that the shares decreased with birth order.
Source: Alison Booth and Hiau Joo Kee, Birth Order Matters: The effect of family size and birth order on educational attainment, Discussion Paper 506, Centre for Economic Policy Research/Australian National University (mailto:cepr@anu.edu.au)
Links: Paper
Date: 2005-Dec
A report evaluated a programme designed to improve educational outcomes in schools in deprived urban areas in England. The programme was found to have had a mixed, but generally positive, impact.
Source: Lesley Kendall et al., Excellence in Cities: The National Evaluation of a Policy to Raise Standards in Urban Schools 2000-2003, Research Report 675A, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report | Summary | Brief
Date: 2005-Nov
The fair trading watchdog said that it planned to fine fifty private schools for exchanging financial information, including intended fee increases.
Source: Press release 9 November 2005, Office of Fair Trading (0870 606 0321)
Links: OFT press release | ISC press release
Date: 2005-Nov
Research found that the average cost of a residential school trip was 140. The third of pupils who did not go on school trips cited cost as one of the main barriers. Disability was cited as another barrier.
Source: DVL Smith Limited, Research into Residential Opportunities Available for Young People through Schools, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report | Children Now report
Date: 2005-Nov
A report said that primary schools were insisting on expensive uniforms and contributions to the school fund to deter children from low-income families. Covert selection seemed particularly prevalent in Catholic and Church of England schools.
Source: Chris Waterman, Original Sins: A perspective on selection for primary school in England, Institute for Research in Integrated Strategies (01363 774455)
Links: Guardian report
Date: 2005-Nov
A report said that some schools were still failing to give priority to looked-after children in their admissions processes.
Source: Annual Report: September 2004 to August 2005, Office of the Schools Adjudicator (0870 001 2468)
Links: Report | OSA press release
Date: 2005-Nov
A report evaluated the impact on minority ethnic pupils of a programme designed to improve educational outcomes in schools in deprived urban areas in England.
Source: Lesley Kendall, Simon Rutt and Ian Schagen, Minority Ethnic Pupils and Excellence in Cities: Final report, Research Report 703, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2005-Nov
Five reports contained the early findings of an independent evaluation of Sure Start. Children of teenage mothers and of unemployed or lone parents did worse in Sure Start areas than those in similarly deprived communities elsewhere. The government said that the programme showed positive results for most children and families.
Source: National Evaluation of Sure Start, Early Impacts of Sure Start Local Programmes (SSLPs) on Children and Families, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260) | National Evaluation of Sure Start, Variation in SSLP Effectiveness: Early preliminary findings, Department for Education and Skills | National Evaluation of Sure Start, Implementing Sure Start Local Programmes: An integrated overview of the first four years, Department for Education and Skills | National Evaluation of Sure Start, The Quality of Early Learning, Play and Childcare services in SSLPs, Department for Education and Skills | National Evaluation of Sure Start, Maternity Services in SSLPs, Department for Education and Skills | Press release 30 November 2005, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: Report 1 | Report 2 | Report 3 | Report 4 | Report 5 | DfES press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Nov
Researchers questioned the negative portrayal of students from disadvantaged backgrounds who did not complete their initial university course.
Source: Jocey Quinn et al., From Life Crisis to Lifelong Learning: Rethinking working-class 'drop out' from higher education, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Date: 2005-Nov
The education inspectorate said that effective incorporation of issues on race and diversity into the school curriculum could contribute positively to teaching and learning and support pupils attainment. Effective use of attainment data regarding different ethnic groups had had a positive impact on raising the achievement of under-attaining groups.
Source: Race Equality in Education, HMI 589, Office for Standards in Education (07002 637833)
Links: Report | OFSTED press release
Date: 2005-Nov
A new book examined the perspectives of pupils and teachers on race in regions where white people had little direct contact with ethnic minority people.
Source: Chris Gaine, We're all White Thanks: The persisting myth about 'white' schools, Trentham Books (01782 745567)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Nov
An article examined the educational experiences of a group of African-Caribbean and mixed-race young people from the perspectives of their parents.
Source: Gill Crozier, ' There's a war against our children : black educational underachievement revisited', British Journal of Sociology of Education, Volume 26 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Nov
A report evaluated a programme designed to improve educational outcomes in schools in deprived urban areas in England. The programme was found to have had a positive impact on a wide range of areas.
Source: Kate Ridley and Lesley Kendall, Evaluation of Excellence in Cities Primary Pilot 2001-2003, Research Report 675, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2005-Nov
The government announced that a scheme to boost achievement among black pupils would be rolled out nationally to 84 schools in 20 local authorities from late 2005. The Black Pupils Achievement Programme aimed to increase success among black pupils through a tailored leadership and management strategy.
Source: Press release 7 October 2005, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: DfES press release
Date: 2005-Oct
An article said that social justice in education would not be achieved through 'managerialist' policies that sought to improve schools by addressing the performance of managers and staff, but failed to recognize the effect of neighbourhood deprivation.
Source: Ruth Lupton, 'Social justice and school improvement: improving the quality of schooling in the poorest neighbourhoods', British Educational Research Journal, Volume 31 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Oct
The government announced that statutory fee support for the poorest part-time students in further and higher education would increase by more than a quarter in 2006. Around 85,000 students were expected to benefit from a rise from 590 to 750 for students studying at 50 per cent of the intensity of a full-time course; and 885 to 1125 for students studying at at least 75 per cent the intensity of a full-time course.
Source: Press release 18 October 2005, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: DfES press release | NATFHE press release | Universities UK press release
Date: 2005-Oct
A study found that children from minority groups made greater progress than white students over secondary schooling in England. Much of this improvement occurred in the 'high-stakes' exams at the end of compulsory schooling.
Source: Deborah Wilson, Simon Burgess and Adam Briggs, The Dynamics of School Attainment of England s Ethnic Minorities, Working Paper 05/130, Centre for Market and Public Organisation/University of Bristol (0117 954 6943)
Links: Working paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Oct
An article said that the government strategy of increasing choice and diversity in education was unlikely to reduce the gap between disadvantage and achievement.
Source: Alma Harris and Stewart Ranson, 'The contradictions of education policy: disadvantage and achievement', British Educational Research Journal, Volume 31 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Oct
An article said that family income was an important factor in children's school attainment, even after controlling for parental ability. This implied that high-ability children in low-income families faced "binding credit constraints" that society might wish to relieve.
Source: Erik Plug and Wim Vijverberg, 'Does family income matter for schooling outcomes? Using adoptees as a natural experiment', Economic Journal, October 2005, Royal Economic Society (0117 983 9770)
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Oct
A report said that pupils from less well-off backgrounds were significantly under-represented at the top 200 state secondary schools in England.
Source: Rates of Eligibility for Free School Meals at the Top State Schools, Sutton Trust (020 8788 3223)
Links: Report (pdf) | Children Now report | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Oct
A new book examined the persistence of racism in education.
Source: Brian Richardson (ed.), Tell It Like It Is: How our schools fail black children, Trentham Books (01782 745567)
Links: Summary | NAR press release
Date: 2005-Oct
An article examined parent participation in local Sure Start partnerships, within the broader context of public involvement in policy-making processes.
Source: Ulla Gustafsson and Stephen Driver, 'Parents, power and public participation: Sure Start, an experiment in New Labour governance', Social Policy and Administration, Volume 39 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Oct
A report highlighted concern about the costs faced by parents when sending their children to school - such as money to pay for uniforms, activities, school trips, and classroom materials,
Source: The Cost of a Free Education, End Child Poverty (020 7843 1913) and others
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Sep
A report said that children from ethnic minority groups were not being adequately supported in schools because of a lack of government funding. It called for the ethnic minority achievement grant to be overhauled.
Source: Diverse Futures, Equal Chances: Funding ethnic minority achievement in education, Association of Teachers and Lecturers (020 7930 6441)
Links: Summary | Community Care report
Date: 2005-Sep
A study investigated whether, and how, African-Caribbean young people overcame experiences of school exclusion. Their dependence on poorly funded local groups highlighted a continuing lack of support from statutory education services.
Source: Cecile Wright, Penny Standen, Gus John, Gerry German and Tina Patel, School Exclusion and Transition into Adulthood in African-Caribbean Communities, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (01904 629241)
Links: Report (pdf) | Findings | JRF press release
Date: 2005-Sep
A new book looked at how white teachers regarded ethnic diversity in their classrooms and how their views affected their teaching.
Source: Sarah Pearce, YOU Wouldn't Understand: White teachers in multiethnic classrooms, Trentham Books (01782 745567)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Sep
The final report was published of the evaluation of the education maintenance allowance pilots, which followed two cohorts of young people who completed year 11 (at age 16 or 17) in the summers of 1999 and 2000. The allowance (a means-tested monetary allowance to young people from low-income families) was found to have increased participation in full-time education among eligible young people by 5.9 percentage points.
Source: Sue Middleton et al., Evaluation of Education Maintenance Allowance Pilots: Young people aged 16-19 years - Final report of the qualitative evaluation, Research Report 678, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-Aug
A report presented the findings of an evaluation of the Peers Early Education Partnership (a literacy intervention intended to benefit children from economically disadvantaged communities). The programme was found to have had a significant impact on children's value-added progress in a number of literacy-related skills, as well as in measures of their self-esteem.
Source: Maria Evangelou, Greg Brooks, Sally Smith and Denise Jennings, Birth to School Study: A longitudinal evaluation of the Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP) 1998-2005, Research Report SSU/2005/FR/017, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-Aug
A research report said that home use of computers appeared to exacerbate, rather than reduce, digital divides among secondary school pupils. Pupils from social groups AB2 and year 11 pupils had more independent access to, and exclusive use of, computers within the home than pupils in other year and social groups. Libraries and internet cafes did not act as substitute sources of access.
Source: Gill Valentine, Jackie Marsh, Charles Pattie and BMRB, Children and Young People's Home Use of ICT for Educational Purposes: The impact on attainment at key stages 1-4, Research Report 672, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-Aug
A study sought to provide further evidence on the extent to which increasing parental incomes (for example, through continued increases in both in-work and out-of-work benefits) was likely to improve outcomes for children, compared to other policy options. There was some evidence that parental income did matter for a child?s education choices.
Source: Laura Blow, Alissa Goodman, Ian Walker and Frank Windmeijer, Parental Backgrounds and Child Outcomes: How much does money matter and what else matters?, Research Report 660, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jul
A report said that 47.5 per cent of Muslims indicated that they would prefer to send their children to a Muslim school rather than a state school.
Source: Saied Ameli, Aliya Azam and Arzu Merali, Secular or Islamic? What schools do British Muslims want for their children?, Islamic Human Rights Commission (020 8904 4222)
Links: IHRC press release
Date: 2005-Jul
The government published a background paper which considered whether the social class gap in attainment had narrowed in primary schools. It said that improvements in the more deprived schools had not led to a narrowing of the gap at pupil level.
Source: Education and Social Progress: Has the social class gap narrowed in primary schools?, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Background paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jul
Researchers sought to establish comparative trends within areas covered by local Sure Start programmes in England, between 2000-01 and 2002-03. There were increases in most aspects of social service activity with families in Sure Start areas (referrals, registrations, section 47 enquiries, and numbers of looked after children); and increasing numbers of primary-aged children were being identified as having special educational needs. There was some evidence of a comparative improvement in child immunization rates. The rate of unemployment had also dropped more in Sure Start areas than in England as a whole.
Source: National Evaluation of Sure Start, Changes in the Characteristics of Sure Start Local Programme Areas in Rounds 1 to 4 Between 2000/2001 and 2002/2003, Report SFR008, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jul
A new book evaluated the development of a local Sure Start programme, and drew conclusions about best practice.
Source: Jo Weinberger, Caroline Pickstone and Peter Hannon, Learning from Sure Start: Working with young children and their families, Open University Press (01280 823388)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Jul
A discussion paper said that the most able pupils in the selective school system did somewhat better than those of similar ability in mixed-ability school systems. Thus the grammar school system was advantageous for the most able pupils in the system - highly able students who managed to get into grammar schools. On the other hand, lower-ability pupils did not do systematically better or worse in the selective school system.
Source: Fernando Galindo-Rueda and Anna Vignoles, The Heterogeneous Effect of Selection in Secondary Schools: Understanding the changing role of ability, DP52, Centre for the Economics of Education/London School of Economics (020 7955 7285)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jun
A paper described evidence on the extent of ethnic segregation experienced by children across secondary schools and neighbourhoods.
Source: Simon Burgess, Deborah Wilson and Ruth Lupton, Parallel Lives? Ethnic segregation in schools and neighbourhoods, CASEpaper 101, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion/London School of Economics (020 7955 6679)
Links: Paper (pdf) | Urban Studies abstract
Date: 2005-Jun
The chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality said that the failure to tackle academic underachievement of African-Caribbean boys was threatening to turn them into "a permanent underclass".
Source: The Guardian, 31 May 2005
Links: Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2)
Date: 2005-May
A report set out the findings of a project which explored different methods of teaching school-aged asylum-seekers and refugees to speak English, integrate quickly, and access the curriculum.
Source: Vijayshree Appa, A Study on How Asylum Seekers and Refugees Access Education in Four Local Authorities in England, National Children s Bureau (020 7843 6029)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary | Children Now report
Date: 2005-May
An article reviewed case study data on Sure Start local programmes, collected as part of a national evaluation between 2002 and 2004.
Source: Jane Tunstill, Debbie Allnock, Sofie Akhurst and Claudia Garbers, 'Sure Start local programmes: implications of case study data from the national evaluation of Sure Start', Children & Society, Volume 19 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Apr
A research report said that the lack of internet skills and experience among many parents was potentially harming their children's education and job prospects, and could be placing them on the wrong side of a growing digital divide.
Source: Sonia Livingstone and Magdalena Bober, UK Children Go Online: Final report of key project findings, Department of Media and Communications/London School of Economics (020 7955 7710)
Links: Report (pdf) | IWF press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Apr
A report said that the 35 education authorities in the most disadvantaged areas were making the least progress in reducing the number of pupils leaving school with no passes at GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education).
Source: Stephen Machin, Sandra McNally and Shankar Rajagopalan, Tackling the Poverty of Opportunity, Prince's Trust (020 7543 1234)
Links: Report (pdf) | Prince's Trust press release
Date: 2005-Mar
A report documented the experiences of minority ethnic pupils in a range of school settings in different parts of Scotland, and sought to identify key factors relating to ethnic diversity which promoted or restricted inclusion.
Source: Rowena Arshad et al., Minority Ethnic Pupils Experiences of School in Scotland (MEPESS), Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Date: 2005-Mar
The head of the race relations watchdog reportedly said that black boys who were struggling at school might benefit by receiving some lessons in separate classes from their white peers.
Source: Comments by Trevor Phillips (Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality) reported in The Guardian, 8 March 2005
Links: Guardian report
Date: 2005-Mar
A paper addressed the inter-generational transmission of education, and investigated the extent to which early school leaving (at age 16) might be due to variations in permanent income, parental education levels, and shocks to income at this age.
Source: Arnaud Chevalier, Colm Harmon, Vincent O'Sullivan and Ian Walker, The Impact of Parental Income and Education on the Schooling of their Children, Working Paper W05/05, Institute for Fiscal Studies (020 7291 4800)
Links: Working Paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Feb
The adult learning inspectorate published an in-depth review of equality of opportunities for learners over 16. During the first year of inspections (2001-02), 40 per cent of learning providers were unsatisfactory or very weak in their approach to equal opportunities.
Source: Talisman magazine February 2005, Adult Learning Inspectorate (0870 240 7744)
Links: Magazine | ALI press release (pdf)
Date: 2005-Feb
A new book examined inequalities in learning opportunities among older people.
Source: Alan Tuckett and Alec McAulay (eds.), Demography and Older Learners, National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (0116 204 4200)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Feb
A report examined the extent of the inequality of access to higher education for young people from affluent and poorer areas throughout England. A study of participation rates by students in every region, constituency and ward from 1994 to 2000 revealed that the most advantaged 20 per cent of young people were up to 6 times more likely to enter higher education than the most disadvantaged 20 per cent.
Source: Young Participation in Higher Education, Higher Education Funding Council for England (0117 931 7317)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary | HEFCE press release | NATFHE press release | Universities UK press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jan
Researchers evaluated early evidence from 'mini' Sure Start programmes - 43 local programmes designed for small communities in scattered rural areas and pockets of deprivation in urban and rural areas, each with a target population of approximately 150 children under 4.
Source: Sara Glennie, Gill Treseder, Janet Williams and Mike Williams, Mini Sure Start Local Programmes: An Overview of their Early Implementation, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
A paper provided empirical evidence on the socio-economic gap in participation in higher education, for the period spanning the introduction of tuition fees in 1998. Before tuition fees, there was substantial social class educational inequality in higher education, but it occurred largely as a result of inequalities earlier in the education system. There was evidence, however, of a widening of the social class gap in higher education itself in the period after the introduction of tuition fees.
Source: Fernando Galindo-Rueda, Oscar Marcenaro-Gutierrez and Anna Vignoles, The Widening Socio-economic Gap in UK Higher Education, DP44, Centre for the Economics of Education/London School of Economics (020 7955 7285)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
A paper explored the extent to which credit constraints might affect individuals choices to stay in full-time education past the age of 16 and to complete higher education qualifications, and how this had varied between individuals born in 1958 and in 1970. It was suggested that policies aimed at reducing the possible impact of short-run credit constraints on education decisions should target individuals at the age of 16 (or possibly earlier) when they were making decisions about whether or not to continue in full-time education (such as the education maintenance allowances programme), rather than at 18 when individuals were making decisions about higher education.
Source: Lorraine Dearden, Leslie McGranahan and Barbara Sianesi, The Role of Credit Constraints in Educational Choices: Evidence from the NCDS and BCS70, DP48, Centre for the Economics of Education/London School of Economics (020 7955 7285)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
A paper examined how decisions over primary schooling were revealed in house price patterns. A 10-percentage point improvement in the league-table performance (at age 11, key stage 2) of a school added at least 3 per cent to the price of properties located next to the school. Despite this, primary schools were in general not desirable local amenities: only the top 10 per cent performing schools would, on average, generate significantly higher prices in their immediate surroundings.
Source: Steve Gibbons and Steve Machin, Paying For Primary Schools: Supply constraints, school popularity or congestion?, DP42, Centre for the Economics of Education/London School of Economics (020 7955 7285)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
Researchers evaluated pilots designed to explore potential opportunities and constraints for reshaping mainstream services to meet the needs of the Sure Start client groups more effectively. Most projects were found to have achieved their aims and initiated at least some degree of mainstream change by the end of their funding period. In most cases, these projects were expected to have a long-term positive impact in improving service delivery as well as generating benefits for client groups.
Source: Geoff White, Jenny Swift and Anita Bennett, Sure Start Mainstreaming Pilots: What can we learn?, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
A paper examined the educational attainments of black and minority ethnic children in the context of 'oppositional culture' theory. Using empirical evidence from a nationally representative survey, only limited support was found for the theory. (The theory argues that as certain ethnic minority groups are made aware of barriers to opportunities in further education and the labour market, they adopt 'anti-achievement' values.)
Source: Catherine Rothon, An Assessment of the 'Oppositional Culture' Explanation for Ethnic Differences in Educational Attainment in Britain, Working Paper 2005-02, Department of Sociology/University of Oxford (01865 86170)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
A report presented the latest official statistics and research on minority ethnic pupils attainment and participation at school.
Source: Ethnicity and Education: The evidence on minority ethnic pupils, Research Topic Paper RTP01-05, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
A report presented findings from case studies carried out as part of the national evaluation of Sure Start local programmes. The data revealed a high level of satisfaction and enthusiasm on the part of parents who lived in local programme areas and who had come into contact, on either a shorter or longer-term basis, with the programmes. A linked report presented an in-depth picture of the individual services being delivered by the first 260 local programmes.
Source: National Evaluation of Sure Start, Implementing Sure Start Local Programmes: An in-depth study, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260) | National Evaluation of Sure Start, Implementing Sure Start Local Programmes: An in-depth Study (Part two: A close up on services), Department for Education and Skills
Links: Report (pdf) | Part 2 Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
A report summarized a telephone survey of parents who had used a neighbourhood nursery at an early stage in the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative. Overall, satisfaction with the quality of provision and facilities available was high, although a third of parents said their nursery could improve dissemination of information to parents on children s progress. A linked report presented findings about the starting up and operation of the nurseries in the early stages of the development of the programme. (The Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative aims to expand childcare provision in the 20 per cent most disadvantaged areas of England by creating 45,000 new daycare places for children aged 0-5.)
Source: Alice Bell and Ivana La Valle, Early Stages of the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative: Parents' Experiences, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260) | Teresa Smith and Caroline Lee with Sean Braswell, Kate Coxon, George Smith, Kathy Sylva and Emily Tanner, Early Stages of the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative: Opening the Nurseries, Department for Education and Skills
Links: Report - parents (pdf) | Brief - parents (pdf) | Report - opening (pdf) | Brief - opening (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
