Disadvantaged ‘locked out’ of crucial early years opportunities

New research from the Sutton Trust has revealed that most disadvantaged three- and four-year-olds are ‘locked out’ of crucial early years education.

The new report, which examines the impact of the current 30 hours policy as well as the evidence behind the need for change, sets out the case for improving access to early education for the poorest children.

All three- and four-year-olds in England are entitled to 15 hours of early education and childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year. Since 2017, children in families where both parents (or the lone parent in a lone-parent family) are working and earning above a certain income level per week are entitled to an additional 15 hours.

However, the study found that the current policy disproportionately benefits more advantaged families: 70 per cent of those eligible for the full 30 hours are in the top half of earners, while just 13 per cent of eligible families are in the bottom third of the income distribution.

There is a wealth of evidence telling us that access to high quality early years education plays a significant role in shaping a young person’s outcomes later in life. But the poorest children are on average 11 months behind their peers when they start at primary school. Data further suggests this gap has started to widen in recent years which has been exacerbated by the 30 hours policy and the inequality associated with it.

The Sutton Trust says that these gaps will only widen as a result of the pandemic. Over half (54 per cent) of primary school leaders surveyed by TeacherTapp said fewer pupils were ‘school ready’ when they started reception this year than they would usually expect.

Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chair of the Sutton Trust, said: “The poorest children start school almost a year behind their peers. This is a truly shocking finding when you consider that the gap between low-income children and their better off peers widens over time. We know how important high-quality early education is for young children, yet the poorest three- and four-year-olds are locked out of these opportunities, simply because their parents do not earn enough. This is a national scandal.

“We wouldn’t accept the state providing longer school hours for well-off families, and we shouldn’t accept it in the early years. If we want to make our school system fairer, it needs to begin with giving every child the foundation to succeed at school. As today’s research shows, a small increase in spending (nine per cent) could widen access to early education. But expanding access must go hand in hand with improving quality, which is also key for making a lasting impact on children’s life chances.”