The aim of this pilot study was to better understand the factors that affect different levels of progress among children eligible for free school meals in the early years, especially those influenced by local public services.
Outcomes for disadvantaged children in the reception year of school vary considerably across local authorities (LAs) in England and between neighbourhoods. We know that context matters, and that disadvantaged children in some areas achieve good outcomes against the odds.
We worked with representatives from LAs and sector experts to develop a detailed interview and survey framework to explore:
- the policies, practices and activities in key early years service areas
- local authority representatives’ views about the practices, policies and local factors that make the biggest difference to children’s outcomes in their area.
