Educational disadvantage in the early years: How do we overcome it? Some lessons from research

Abstract

SUMMARY This paper draws upon the findings of a body of recent research in early childhood education to explore the possibilities that may be available to overcome structural inequalities associated with socio-economic class, gender and ethnicity in the early years. Research has shown that preschool education makes a real difference for all children and that provisions made by practitioners to cater for diversity are especially effective in overcoming disadvantage. The home education environment also makes a difference where parents or other carers in the home are aware of the contribution that they can make to children's early intellectual and social/behavioural development. Even families who are otherwise disadvantaged can support good learning outcomes where they have provided a high quality home learning environment (HLE). Research clearly highlights the need to support parents in improving some aspects of the HLE, in particular for boys. Much more generally it can be seen that there is now an urgent need to develop further inservice training for developing and monitoring provision for diversity and to encourage the development of strong parental partnerships focused on young children's learning.