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Read the first of four Insight Reports, which brings together ten years of learning on early years and supporting better outcomes for young children, from across the five A Better Start partnerships. This report is on school readiness, and will be followed by three more themed reports to be published in 2026.
School readiness
The theme for the first Insight Report is school readiness. While school readiness was not a primary objective of A Better Start (ABS), the programme’s holistic, place-based approach to early childhood development significantly contributed to preparing children for school. Each ABS partnership developed vast learning around what works to support children, practitioners and caregivers to be school ready.
The 12 goals of school readiness as defined by the Department for Education's framework
In England, school readiness is assessed using the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, which evaluates children’s development across key learning goals. The evidence from ABS partnerships suggests a broader, more holistic view of children’s development is beneficial. This view sees school readiness as a journey from conception to reception, shaped by children’s experiences, environments, and relationships.
Drawing on over 90 pieces of evidence from ABS partnerships in Blackpool, Bradford, Lambeth, Nottingham and Southend, this report utilises the UNICEF model of school readiness to explore three interrelated dimensions of school readiness.
UNICEF's three dimensions of school readiness
- Children’s readiness for school
- Schools’ readiness for children
- Families and communities’ readiness for school
Case studies on school readiness
Sixteen ABS projects are included in the report as case studies for how each dimension of school readiness was supported by ABS. Key findings include:
- Children’s readiness was enhanced through outdoor play, nature-based learning, music and storytelling. These activities supported emotional regulation, communication, physical development and curiosity.
- Schools’ readiness was fostered through improved collaboration between
early years settings and schools, joint training, and summer transition
activities. Practitioners benefited from long-term, personalised support and peer networks. - Families’ and communities’ readiness was strengthened by building trusted relationships with practitioners, improving the home learning environment and providing culturally appropriate resources. Programmes tailored to individual needs helped parents gain confidence in supporting their children’s development.
“…The transition events helped him to understand he would be starting somewhere new and needing to make new friends. I think that’s another form of social skills, feeling confident that you can go somewhere new and make new friends. I think the transition events really helped him with his confidence…”
Parent
The report highlights the importance of engaging parents, using community spaces, and offering flexible, inclusive services to holistically support children. It also underscores the value of play-based learning and the need to move beyond narrow assessments of school readiness.
As the government aims to increase the proportion of children achieving school readiness from 68% to 75% by 2028, the evidence and insights from ABS offer valuable guidance for policy, practice, and systems change. Future reports will continue to synthesise learning from ABS to inform best practice across the early years sector.