Children are arriving at school still wearing nappies, using buggies, and unable to communicate properly with their classmates, according to Anne Longfield, the former children’s commissioner for England. Longfield highlighted that many young children are being held back as they lack the necessary support to enhance their school readiness. A report from her Centre for Young Lives think tank and the Child of the North revealed that the Covid-19 pandemic worsened early years developmental challenges, especially for vulnerable children.
The report indicated that approximately a third of children were not deemed “school ready” in the academic year 2022/23, emphasising a crisis in preschool provision. It called for the government to implement positive parenting programmes and home visits by trained professionals to offer increased support to families. Longfield expressed concerns shared by school staff about children’s difficulties with speech, behaviour, and socialisation upon starting school.
The research suggested a widening language gap between children from more and less advantaged communities since the pandemic, which could impede an entire generation of young people. Schools and nurseries have raised high levels of concern about speech and language, with a significant number of children falling below age-related expectations at the end of Reception. The report emphasised the importance of early interventions to prevent long-term negative effects on children’s lives.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson recently announced additional childcare places in school-based nurseries to aid the expansion of government-funded childcare. Longfield commended the government’s initiative to address challenges faced by disadvantaged areas by establishing new early years support programmes. Judy Clegg, a professor of speech and language therapy, stressed the urgency of providing support for children to enhance their communication skills for better learning outcomes.
NAHT’s general secretary Paul Whiteman highlighted the significance of high-quality early years education in narrowing the gap between children from different backgrounds. He emphasised the need for policies like expanding nursery provision and improving access to childcare, supported by adequate funding and investment in the workforce. The report urged the government to take actions to prevent adverse consequences of poor language skills on children’s future prospects.
As the government responds to the findings, it aims to prioritise early years education to address the challenges highlighted in the report. The focus is on implementing interventions to support children in acquiring essential communication skills and reducing child poverty issues. The Labour government acknowledges the need to rebuild early years support systems and invest in children’s development from an early age to ensure better outcomes in the long term.