Industry News
No change in pre-school abilities
Posted on 28th August 2007
Academics have claimed government policies designed to boost pre-school children's education abilities have had no effect and children's abilities have undergone no improvement since 2000.
The study by Durham University investigated 35,000 children and has claimed there is no difference, despite Labour expanding the Sure Start programme for underprivileged children and free nursery education for all three-year-olds.
Researcher Dr Christine Merrell commented on the study's findings, saying: "One would have expected that the major government programmes would have resulted in some measurable changes in our sample of almost 35,000 children."
Earlier this month, minister for children, schools and families Beverley Hughes announced the Sure Start scheme would be extended and promised £4 billion to it over the next three years.
She spoke against the report's findings, stating early indications showed the scheme was having a positive effect and "as the author of this report acknowledges" it is still too early to measure its success.