A government focus on childcare over high-quality education in the early years risks a “major deterioration” in the learning of disadvantaged young children, experts are warning.
Current policies risk widening the attainment gap between poorer children and their wealthier peers before they even start school, social mobility charity the Sutton Trust has said today.
Meanwhile, the charity calls on Labour to set out plans to address inequality in early years provision for poorer children.
A new policy briefing by the charity warns that the current government’s plans treat the early years sector primarily as childcare rather than education.
It said: “This has put quality at risk, and will considerably widen gaps in access. This not only risks exacerbating inequalities but also worsening the quality of education for all young children.”
It comes after chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced in March last year that some working families of children as young as nine months will be able to claim 30 hours of free childcare a week.
Under the plans, working parents of two-year-olds in England will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare from April. This will be extended to working parents of all children older than nine months from September.
From September 2025, working parents of children under 5 will be entitled to 30 hours of free childcare per week.
The quality of education for all young children could worsen and inequalities may be exacerbated under the expanded childcare offer for working parents, which will start being phased in from April, the Sutton Trust has said.
The next government will “bake in disadvantage” for children before they even start at school if they fail to take action, the charity has warned.
The Sutton Trust said that the plans risk a ”major deterioration in the education of disadvantaged young children”.
It is calling on politicians to commit to a core education entitlement of at least 20 hours per week for all children aged 2-4 irrespective of their family’s working status or income.
Where further provision is necessary for childcare purposes, additional hours should be affordable for all families through a “sliding scale of fees by income level”, the charity has said.
Responding to the report, Tiffnie Harris, primary specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Early years education plays a vital part in children’s development and has a real bearing on their readiness to start school.”
It is important that the sector is properly funded and supported to provide not only childcare but high-quality learning, she said.
Labour needs ‘long-term strategy’ for early years
The Sutton Trust report also highlights concerns about the sector’s ability to deliver the expanded offer “with no workforce strategy” in place.
And it raises questions over Labour’s plans for the sector.
In October, Labour announced that Sir David Bell, former permanent secretary at the Department for Education, would lead a review into early years.
But the Sutton Trust report said Labour had not yet made “any commitments” to addressing the inequality in early years provision for poorer children.
“Nor has it announced a long-term strategy for the early years workforce,” the report said.
The charity warned: “By not taking action, the next government will bake in disadvantage for children before they even start at school, and risks widening, when it should be narrowing, the attainment gap.”
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said: “The government constantly talks about the need to close the attainment gap, and yet their approach to the early years is likely to achieve the exact opposite.
“It’s clear that the whole approach to childcare and early education needs a complete rethink - otherwise it is those children who need the most support who will lose out.”
Maintained nursery schools at risk, warns union
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU teaching union, warned that the closures of maintained nursery schools (MNS) will continue to impact disadvantaged children.
“MNS provide the highest quality of early education, which has a significant impact on children’s learning and development - the effects of which last long beyond their early years,” Mr Kebede said.
“MNS serve a disproportionately high number of children with SEND, and/or those from disadvantaged backgrounds, who may otherwise not access early education entirely. MNS will be forced to close without adequate funding.”
The Department for Education and Labour have been approached for comment.
