The panel, chaired by Trevor Phillips, commissioned the Effective Pre-School and Primary Education project (EPPE) to carry out an analysis of their database on a cohort of 3,000 British children and their families, with a focus on equalities.
The EPPE team's report, Promoting Equality in the Early Years, highlighted 'the critical contribution of the HLE, good quality pre-school and effective primary settings to successful educational and behavioural outcomes among young children'.
A strong HLE has 'a marked protective effect on early outcomes for children, especially those from some ethnic minorities or disadvantaged backgrounds'.
The benefits of a good HLE are particularly striking when they are combined with a good-quality pre-school experience, but the review found that only 77 per cent of three- and four-year-olds among ethnic minority children use early years provision, compared with nearly 87 per cent of white children at the same age.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
