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Start Right: the Importance of Early Learning. INSTITUTION Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, London (England)

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Start Right: the Importance of Early Learning. INSTITUTION Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, London (England) DOCUMENT RESUME ED 372 833 PS 022 498 AUTHOR Ball, Christopher TITLE Start Right: The Importance of Early Learning. INSTITUTION Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, London (England). REPORT NO ISBN-0-901469-15-7 PUB DATE Mar 94 NOTE 140p. AVAILABLE FROM Lesley James, Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, 8 John Adam Street, London, WC2N 6E1, England, United Kingdom(15 British pounds). PUB TYPE Viewpoints (Opinion/Position Papers, Essays, etc.) .(120) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC06 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Change Strategies; *Educational Benefits; *Educational Change; Educational Quality; Educational Research; Foreign Countries; *Preschool Education; Program Descriptions; *Program Improvement; Program Proposals IDENTIFIERS Developmentally Appropriate Programs; *Quality indicators; *United Kingdom ABSTRACT This British report demonstrates the importance of early learning as a preparation for effective education topromote social welfare and social order, and to develop a world-class workforce. It shows how countries benefit from providing good preschool education for children. Chapter 1 summarizes the casefor the systematic public provision of high quality preschooleducation. Chapter 2 shows how research demonstrates the effectiveness ofhigh quality preschool education in providing both social andeducational benefits. Chapter 3 considers the early learning experiences and practices of other countries. Chapter 4 reviews the pattern of provision of preschool education in the United Kingdom. Chapter5 considers the role of home and community, and chapter 6 discusses the nature of good practice and high quality provision for early learning. Chapter 7 offers a practical program for achieving the objective of providing good preschool education fo i. all children. Chapter 8 summarizes the conclusions of the report and makes17 recommendations addressed to parliament, educators, parents and the community, and the government. The report contains sevenappendices that include statistics on early childhood services, a report onthe impact of early learning on children's later development, and a summary of the High/Scope Perry Preschool Study. Alist of suggested readings on early learning, containing over 70 titles, isincluded. (TJQ) ******************************************************************* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** .J S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION mcy of Foucatfonal Rosearcn ano imorovemn., EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER 1ERICI )(This document hasoeen remoducea as received from the oerson or oroanization originating it 0 Minor changes have been maae to wricn0 ..*3 reoroauction quality Points of view or opinions Mateo in mis document do not necessarily represent ; official OERI position Or policy THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY LEARNING R.eport by Sir Christopher Ball "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS GRANTED BY \-SZS '0.`et\Q TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." diq RSA The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce Founded in 1754 2 BEST COPY AVAILABLE r 41-19 rt" r ri 7:1 1 THE IMPORTANCEOF EARLY LEARNING Report by Sir Christopher Ball MARCH 1994 RSA The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce Founded in1754 2 Foreword This report presents a challenge to the nationto parents, educators, employers, parliamentindeed to our society as a whole. It demonstrates the importance of early learning as a preparation for effective education topromote social welfare and social order, and to develop a worldclass workforcc. It shows how countries benefit which provide good pre-school education :or_their children. It reveals the heavy price we have paid for failing to implement Mrs Thatcher's promise ofnursery education for all in her White Paper of 1972. Weagree that this must now be put right. The report examines good practice in pre-school education. It finds that the key factors are a curriculum whichencourages 'active learning', well trained staff of the highest quality, and the involvement of parents ina 'triangle of care'. Each requires attention. The existing pattern of provision in the UK is insufficient andnot good enough. Other countries, heeding the evidence of research,are doing better. The time is ripe for significant change. The Prime Minister has personally responded to the growing public concern about provision of nursery education. The report aLgues that this should be among our highest priorities. It squarely confronts the problem of resources, and offersa new and unexpected solution. We too believe that 'no child born after the year 2000 should be deprived of opportunity andsupport for effective early learning'. The report, containing seventeen recommendatiohs for action, is contipversialand provocative. It will stimulate a wide-ranging and lively debate. Butwc hope that this will not delay an effective response from the Government and othersto whom it is addressed. All children should be enabled tostart right. Baroness Faithfull Sir Bryan Nicholson Vivien Stern :Xv.Iiird City Council Deputy President, CBI D tor. National Asset-lanai: Children's Officer to58-70, for the Care and Resettlement of Director oi Salmi Services 1Q70-74 Offenders (retired 14)74) 3 Contents Foreword Acknowledgements 5 Summary 6 I.The Case for Early Learning:a Vision for the Future Starting right 9 Impediments to progress 11 The promised land 14 2. The Evidence of Research 2.1 - 2.3 Introduction 15 2.4 - 2.9 Effectiveness 16 2.10 - 2.13 Quality 18 2.14 - 2.15 Disadvantage 20 2.16 - 2.19 Self-esteem and social cohesion 20 2.20 Payback 21 2.21 - 2.22 Conclusions 17 3. Lessons from Abroad 3.1 - 3.3 Introduction 23 3.4 - 3.11 Patterns of provision 24 3.12 - 3.17 Integrated models 28 3.193.19 Conclusions 30 4. Patterns of Provision in the UK 4.1 - 4.3 Introduction 31 4.4 - 4.13 Types of provision 33 4.14 - 4.19 Commentary 38 4.20 - 4.21 Conclusions 41 5. The Home and the Community Introduction 42 Parents 43 5.10 - 5.11 Professionals 46 5.12 - 5.14 The community 47 5.15 - 5.16 Conclusions 49 174.f.?:41.140? ; 4 THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLYLEARNING 6. Good Practice 50 6.1 - 6.2 Introduction 51 6.3 Fundamental principl,:s 54 6.4 - 6.12 Common' features 57 6.13 -6.18 Teachers and carers 59 6.19 - 6.20.- Conclusions 7. Realising the Vision: a PracticalProgramme 61 7.1 - 7.4 Introduction 63 7.5 - 7.8 Funding 64 7.9 - 7.15 A new solution 67 7.16 -7.17 Resp onsibility 68- 7.18 - 7.19 The timetable 69 7.20 - 7.21 Conclusions 8. Findings and Recommendations 8.1 - 8.5 Issues 75 8.6 - 8.10 Findings 76 8.11 -8.15 Recommendations Appendices A Members of the Project's Advisory Committee 79 The Responses 80 The Impact of Early Learning on Children'sLater Development 84 A Summary of Signify:ant Benefits:The High/Scope Perry Pre-School Study Through Age 27 97 Glossary and Curriculum 103 Statistics on Early Childhood Services 110 'A Good Start in Education', chapter 6of Learning to Succeed (Report of the National Commission onEducation, 1993). 118 Suggested Reading 129 The RSA back cover 5 Acknowledgements This report has not been easy to write. It would have been impossible without the help ofmany other people and the aid provided by earlier reports and papers. Indeed, imich of whatis written has been said betbre. and often, and well. Nonetheless, the responsibility tOr this report lies solely with the author. But a particular debt of gratitude is owed to Professor Kathy Sy lva, co-director of the RSA project (and author of appendices C and E). to Gillian Pugh, Chris Pascal, Joanna Foster. Philip Gammage, and Frances Moore. who read and criticised an early draft, to the members of' the steeringgroup (not all of whom have been able to endorse all parts of the report), and to those who funded and sponsored the RSA project: Bernard van Leer Foundation Corporation of London Esmee Fairbairn Charitable Trust Forte Plc Gloucestershire Training and Enterprise Council London East Training and Enterprise Council The Post Office. I also thank my colleagues at the RSA, especially Lesley James and Peta Clark, who have workedso hard to ensure that the report was completed on time and in good order, and have correctedmany flaws and errors within it. More than is usually so. this report has relied on its predecessors. Indeed, a careful reader will observe that it sometimes pays them the most sincere form of flattery. While the references acknowledge the full range of publications referred to, consulted or used in the preparation of Start Right, it is only fair to list here with heartfelt thanks those which have been constant companions. sure guides and particularly valuable to me: Boyer, E. (1991) Ready to Learn Department of Education and Science. ± 1 990) Starting with Quality Early Years Curriculum Group (1989) Early Childhood Education Holtermann, S. (1992) Investing in )"oung Children Meade, A. (1988) Education to be Afore National Commission on Education (1993) Learning to Succeed (especially chapter 6: 'A Good Start in Education') Pugh, G. (Ed.). (1992) Contemporary Issues in the Early Years Pugh, G. (1992) An Equal Start for all our Children? Rowan, P. (1992) Ready (or Sclwol Sylva, K. and Moss, P. (1992) Learning Bei.ore School 6 THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY LEARNING Summary 'The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the present. The occasion is piled high with dfificulty and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.' (Abraham Lincoln) A broken promise counter each of these claimswhich are in part contradictory. The UK is close to the bottom of This report presents a challenge to the nationto the European league for publicly-funded pre- parents, educators, employers, parliamentindeed school educational placesfor three- to to our society as a whole. Ic demonstrates the im- four-year-olds.
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