Findings from two studies, reported in British newspapers, agree that high quality pre-schools and academically effective primary schools make a significant difference to children's development.

The Institute of Education study, reported in The Guardian, found that the quality of teaching received by children is more important than their gender or family income.

The other study, carried out by researchers at Oxford, London and Nottingham universities and reported in the Times Educational Supplement, found that the positive effect of a high-quality nursery on children’s English and maths results, and their ability to interact with others, was still noticeable six years later.

The Institute of Education's Effective Provision of Pre-School Education project tracked almost 3,000 children from the time they started pre-school until age 11. It found that:

• A high quality pre-school followed by an academically effective primary school gives children's development a significant boost;
• A high quality pre-school is particularly important for children with special educational needs, those with mothers with low qualifications, or children who come from unstimulating homes;
• At primary school, the quality of teaching affects both children's social behaviour and intellectual development;
• The quality of teaching at age 10 had a more powerful impact on children's academic progress than their gender or whether or not they receive free school meals;
• Children who attend a more academically effective primary school show better attainment and progress between the ages of 7 and 11 than children with similar characteristics who attend a less effective school;
• Going to a highly academically effective primary school gives a particular boost to very disadvantaged children.

However, children also need a stimulating early years' home-learning environment on which to build, the researchers said.

• A stimulating home learning environment at age 3 to 4 is linked to long-term gains in children's development and has an equal impact as the mother's qualification level;
• The higher their parents' qualification levels, the more likely children are to do well at school and be good socially at age 11.

Prof Pam Sammons from the University of Nottingham, one of the project's lead researchers, said the research "confirms the importance of early experiences and the powerful combination of home, pre-school and primary school in improving children's learning."

The other study, The Effective Pre-school and Primary Education (EPPE), tracked the progress since 1997 of 2,800 children between the ages of three and 11.

This project is one of the most important pieces of education and social policy research carried out in England under the Labour Government. It is a central pillar of the country's 10-year childcare strategy, which has led to free part-time early education places for three- and four-year-olds, the Early Years Foundation Stage and Sure Start children’s centres.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families spent £1.8 billion on early years' programmes last year. Now that the EPPE team’s final primary report has been published, it is confirmed that funding will continue to follow the pupils until 14.

The influential study found that:

• The positive effect of a high-quality nursery on children’s English and maths results, and their ability to interact with others, is still noticeable six years later;
• Poor-quality childcare, on the other hand, is little better - and can even be worse - than simply staying at home until the age of five;
• High-quality pre-schools can help close attainment gaps and are especially beneficial for boys, pupils with special educational needs, and pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds;
• Children who had attended a less effective pre-school were better at sharing and being sympathetic than those who had not attended at all, but were also easily distracted and had poorer concentration spans;
• Going to an academically effective primary school had an effect on academic scores, but not on behaviour overall.

Home Environment
The home learning environment in children’s early years - whether they are taken to the library, are read stories and have a regular bedtime - remained one of the biggest influences on children’s scores, though it was a less powerful factor once children reached 11 than it was at the age of seven.

In fact, previous EPPE conclusions had found that this home learning environment had more of an impact on children’s development than their socio-economic status. A crucial recommendation, therefore, was for increased outreach work with parents - one of the key roles of Sure Start centres.

The link between quality of preschool and the qualifications of people working in them was made explicit, leading to the programme to upskill early years workers.

It also said youngsters who had spent long hours in group settings before they were two showed more anti-social behaviour at three and five. (Sources: Guardian & TES)