Nursery World - ‘We must do more for those who have least’

As the latest Sutton Trust report highlights the extent to which disadvantaged children are now being locked out of early years education, Brett Wigdortz, co-founder and CEO of tiney, urges policy makers to focus on solutions.

'The pandemic has had a brutal and sometimes devastating impact on too many early years education settings.'

Released last week, a report from the Sutton Trust and the Sylvia Adams Charitable Trust highlighted a dangerous gap in our early years education provision.

The report found that some of our most disadvantaged three-and-four-year-olds are only qualifying for 15 hours of free childcare each week, while their better-off peers are receiving 30 hours. The policy disjoint revealed by the report is a stark reminder of why early years education is such a crucial tool in reducing inequality and why the sector must continue to push for the funding and policies it needs to ensure every child can thrive.

What happens from birth to five years can cast a long and permanent shadow on a child’s life chances. By the time a child starts school, a 4.3 month development gap has already been established between disadvantaged children and their better off peers. This gap persists through the child’s entire educational journey.

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