Commenting on new figures showing children's development by the end of their school reception year, as the education secretary vowed to 'bear down' on the gap between rich and poor, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: 

“Early years education can make an enormous difference to children’s learning and social development, especially for those growing up with disadvantage.

“The disruption caused by the pandemic undoubtedly had an impact on the development of some young children, and many school leaders have reported concerns around school readiness, and in particular speech and language development.

“These results are broadly positive, and give reason for cautious hope that things are improving. However it is a concern that the gaps in levels of development grew both between children receiving free school meals and their peers, and pupils with SEND and those without additional needs.

“This is not just an issue for schools to solve, and it’s vital that more is also done to help all parents ensure their children are ready to thrive when starting school.

“The government has rightly prioritised the early years through policies like rolling-out school based nurseries and family hubs, scrapping the two-child benefit cap, and improving access to childcare.

“While such initiatives inevitably take time to make a measurable difference, these results make clear that the government cannot rest on its laurels and must do more to support schools and parents, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“More investment is still needed in crucial support services like social care to ensure young children receive the support they need as early as possible, with investment and support having failed to keep pace with increased demand over the last decade.”