It is based upon a year-long inquiry into education from ‘cradle to grave’ by the Times Education Commission which was set-up last June.
The inquiry encompassed regional round table meetings, school visits, international trips, youth panels, parent focus groups and interviews. The Commission heard from more than 600 witnesses, including 13 of the people who have served as education secretary over the past 35 years and two former prime ministers.
The report highlights how early years provision is ‘often treated as a babysitting service designed to help parents return to work, rather than the first crucial steps in education.’ In comparison, it says that nursery teachers in Finland and Estonia are ‘respected as educators and are required to have a degree. It states that ‘In England, they (early years staff) are frequently paid less than supermarket staff and have minimal qualifications.’
It suggests the funding system is ‘overly complex’ and ‘disproportionately benefits wealthier families’, and goes on to highlight the impact of the underfunding of the free entitlements on settings and families with the closure of hundreds of nurseries and rising childcare fees.
The Commission recommends every child be given a ‘school readiness card’ at the end of nursery, describing their skills and development, as happens in Estonia. It says that the card would ensure that those who need extra support can be referred to a specialist before they start formal education.
Other recommendations to improve the education system include:
- Extending the 30 hours to non-working parents to even the ‘playing field’ – paid for by lowering the current earnings threshold for eligibility.
- A ‘significant boost’ to early years funding.
- Bringing the early years pupil premium rate in line with the amount primary schools receive making it ‘easier for nurseries to break even, reduce the reliance on cross-subsidies and allow providers to pay their workers a more competitive wage.’
- Providing all children with a unique pupil number at birth, along with their NHS number, to encourage greater data-sharing between education, health and social services.
- A reformed Ofsted that works collaboratively with schools to secure sustained improvement, rather than operating through fear.
- Better training for teachers to identify children who have special educational needs.
Brett Wigdortz, founder of TeachFirst and chief executive of childminder agency tiney, commented, ‘During my time at the helm of Teach First, I saw Reception age children who didn't know how to play. It was heartbreaking. But when I first came across such examples, around ten years ago, it was the exception. I'm now deeply concerned that we're hurtling towards a major crisis in early years that will make this distressingly commonplace, as today's report shows.
‘The under-5s suffer hugely without proper early years support. Without it, the already considerable gap between disadvantaged pupils and their better-off peers widens. This puts an extraordinary and unsustainable strain on overstretched teachers who are expected to pick up the slack once these kids reach Reception. This issue won't be solved until we have a comprehensive early years strategy put in place to support our pre-school children.’
'Its findings add to the case for change.'
The National Education Union (NEU) said the report is ‘another indicator of the gulf between Government policies and the needs of the UK’s education system.’
General secretary Dr Mary Bousted commented, ‘Around many topics, its findings add to the case for change: for replacing Ofsted, rethinking our exam system, prioritising creativity, investing in the early years. These bold and large-scale measures will be supported by educators, who will also welcome the Commission's recognition that, if valued properly, they are “part of the solution” in education.’
Natalie Perera, chief executive of the Education Policy Institute (EPI), said that the report ‘highlights the pressing need for the Government to tackle the growing gap in equalities in education.’
She explained, ‘If the Government is serious about "levelling up" it must tackle, with urgency, evidence-based interventions which will help to close the gap. A concerted strategy that tackles poverty as well as education and health inequalities is crucial.’
Responding to the report, a Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said, ‘We thank the Times Education Commission for its report and always welcome new ideas and views from the sector and education experts.
‘Our Schools White Paper sets out a clear roadmap for levelling up education in England.
‘Our ambitious education recovery programme is already getting children back on track following the pandemic, with the revolutionary National Tutoring Programme providing nearly two million courses of high-quality tuition for the children and young people who need it most, together with additional funding for schools to use to provide further tailored support for pupils.’
- The Times Education Commission report is available here
