Alliance responds to research showing that half of pupils who get low grades in GCSEs were judged to be behind at age five

The Early Years Alliance has issued a comment in response to academic research from the University of Exeter and the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies, which has concluded that just under half (48%) of pupils who did not achieve standard passes in English Language and Maths GCSEs were identified as falling behind by teachers at age five.  

Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said: "This research demonstrates exactly what our sector has been saying for many years now: if you want to improve children's outcomes, you need to start with the early years.

"Despite a wealth of research demonstrating just how vital the first five years of a child's life are for their long-term learning and development, early years provision continues to be treated as little more than 'childcare' needed to help parents work, rather than the vital education that it is. 

"With government spending per child lower during the early years than in any other period of a child's education, it's clear that the government's has its priorities all wrong. We hope that this study will help ensure ministers finally recognise the critical value of our sector, and the need to invest in it accordingly."