Nursery World - Government funds 5m early education study

The first major early years research to begin since 1997 will look at the impact of free early education from the age of two on the development of thousands of children.

The £5m eight-year research project will track children from before they start nursery, from the age of two until the end of Key Stage 1.

It is funded by the Department for Education and led by NatCen Social Research with 4Children and Frontier Economics, who will carry out a cost benefit and value for money analysis.

Leading early years academic Professor Edward Melhuish is also providing advice to the research team.

It is the largest longitudinal early years study since the landmark EPPE (Effective Provision of Pre-School Education) project, which started in 1997.

Speaking exclusively to Nursery World, Sue Robb, head of early years at 4 Children, said, ‘Obviously the world of early years in 1997 was very different and there was very little provision. The new study will look at early education in England and is the first piece of longitudinal research to explore the issues since then.

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