The UK is facing a growing crisis in early years education as a new report reveals a widening attainment gap among young learners since the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the latest annual findings from the Education Policy Institute (EPI), children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) now experience the largest educational gap on record, falling behind their peers by an average of 19.9 months by Reception age.
Particularly concerning is the setback for children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), who have significantly lagged behind others in the classroom.
Disadvantaged five-year-olds are now also one month further behind their more affluent peers than they were in 2019, indicating a sharp decline in educational equity.
The report also highlights a relative drop in achievement among White British pupils, leaving those from disadvantaged backgrounds in this group among the lowest-performing students.
Post-16 education has also seen a worrying shift, with over 20% of 16-year-olds no longer in education or training, a marked increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Kali Jauncey-Childs, Early Years Trust Lead at Oasis Community Learning and Assistant Principal at Oasis Academy Warndon in Worcester, pointed to the loss of early intervention services as a key issue. She told Sky News:
“Sure Start centres were crucial in bringing together education, health, and speech and language support for children and families. The absence of these services, especially after the pandemic, has left a gap in early SEND identification.”
Zoe Jackson, Assistant Headteacher at Woodside Primary School in south London, echoed the concerns, observing a sharp rise in children entering nursery and reception with speech and language delays, emotional regulation difficulties, and other emerging developmental needs.
Natalie Perera, Chief Executive of the EPI, issued a stark warning: “Our youngest and most vulnerable learners are still paying the price of the pandemic. Without immediate action, we risk embedding lifelong disadvantage into the education system.”
In response, the EPI is urging the government to scrap the two-child benefit cap, extend free school meals to pre-school children, and boost funding for pupils facing persistent disadvantage.
The think tank is also calling for all teachers to receive training in child development and SEND awareness, to better support diverse learning needs across the education system.
