More children achieving a good level of development, EYFS Profile stats show
Commenting on the results, Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said:
鈥淲e are encouraged to see a continued improvement in EYFS Profile results - a clear reflection of the high-quality provision being delivered across the sector.
鈥淲hile we are pleased to see that the gap between boys and girls is continuing to narrow, the difference in outcomes remains significant and so clearly there is more work to be done to tackle this trend. That said, it is particularly encouraging to see that outcomes are improving across almost all local authorities. It鈥檚 vital that all children - regardless of background or postcode - are given the best possible start in life, and so that the fact that the variation between local areas is narrowing us is very positive".
鈥淎t a time when so much focus is on the delivery of 鈥榗hildcare鈥, these results are a timely reminder of the importance of early education, and the provision of quality learning opportunities that support young children.
鈥淭hey are also a reminder of the value of the EYFS Profile as an essential tool to track early progress across all areas of development. The Alliance continues to urge government to reinstate the EYFS Profile鈥檚 statutory status and to support the Better without Baseline campaign against the ill-thought-out, unhelpful and potentially harmful baseline assessment.鈥