Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for early years education of the findings by TeachFirst that one in three children are not "school ready" when they start primary school.

Teach First’s analysis of the latest Early Years Foundation Stage Profile results shows that 29.3% of children in England did not achieve a good level of development (GLD) in 2017. However, the proportion of children arriving at primary school with a GLD is continuing to increase year on year, rising from 51.7% in 2013 to 70.7% in 2017.

Reception year presents a window of opportunity to address gaps within a child’s development before they have a chance to widen. In ‘Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential’ (attached), the government sets out its ambitious plans to support teachers to address these development gaps. Plans include a £26 million investment in a Centre of Excellence and national network of English Hubs, focussing on raising standards in reception year and key stage 1, and plans to work with experts to identify and share strong reception year practice.

Evidence also shows that a highly qualified workforce is strongly associated with higher quality provision and better child outcomes. We continue to support graduates in the sector by funding the Early Years Initial Teacher Training programme, including bursaries and employer incentives.