CYP Now - Reception pupils ‘least school ready for generations’ due to pandemic, warns charity

Young children missed the equivalent of one day’s worth of early education each week during the Covid-19 health crisis, leaving them ill prepared for starting reception classes this term, according to research from the charity Nesta.

Pre-school children lost a fifth of their time at nursery over the past year. Image: Lucie Carlier

In 2019, the average four-year old spent 25 hours a week at nursery but this has since dropped to just 18 hours a week for those starting school this month.

This is the equivalent of losing a full day of early education a week.

Nesta’s research details how nursery attendance plummeted during the pandemic. From the start of the autumn 2020 term to the end of the summer 2021 term, the overall average attendance was around three quarters that of previous levels.

The findings show the need for reception pupils to be given additional support to help them adjust to a school life and catch up on the developmental and education support they have missed due to the pandemic, says Louise Bazalgette, Nesta’s lead on school readiness for disadvantaged children.

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