Analysis

School-readiness focus receives backing

6 mins read Education
Early years experts say investing in the workforce and evidenced interventions are needed as part of efforts to boost child development.
Children's school readiness is assessed with the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile. Picture: Weedezign/AdobeStock

The government’s vow that a record proportion of children in reception will meet child development benchmarks by 2028 has been broadly welcomed by the early years sector.

However, experts warn that the ambitious milestone will be missed unless investment is increased, and workforce recruitment and retention issues are addressed.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised last month that 75% of five-year-olds in England will be “school ready” by the next election. To achieve this goal, he pledged to improve family services, expand school-based nurseries and boost workforce training.

Challenges

The term school-ready refers to children who have the skills to meet the challenges of the school environment and thrive. It’s assessed using the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP), which covers areas such as cognitive, communication and physical skills.

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