Features

A Unique Child: A-Z of inclusive practice - U is for underachievement

By Mary Dickins, early years consultant (All Together Consultancy/London Met. University).

'Inclusion is a process of identifying, understanding and breaking down barriers to participation and belonging'. (Early Childhood Forum, 2003)

Research indicates that there are many children in the UK who do not achieve their full potential in educational or life terms. The underpinning issues are complex, and the temptation to generalise or predict about particular groups should be resisted, as adults' low expectations will contribute to poor outcomes for children.

Statistics from the Foundation Stage Profile Results for England for 2007-08 showed that girls continue to outperform boys in all 13 of the assessment scales. The gap appears particularly wide in the areas of social and emotional development, literacy, writing and creative development.

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