Department for Education research has found that half of five-year-olds do not have the basic skills needed to start formal education, with disadvantaged children less likely to be “school-ready” than their better off peers.
Work by Ofsted has also shown that many of those who start school behind their peers developmentally are unlikely to have caught up by the time they leave formal education.
Policymakers see improving school readiness – as defined by government (see box) – as a key factor in the battle to close the attainment gap.
A model recently tested by the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (Pacey) brought together schools, childcare settings and local authorities to develop a more collaborative way of preparing children for school.
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