Impact case study database

Facilitating social mobility has been a central aspiration of UK governments for many years. In 2017, the Social Mobility Commission produced a report about the state of social mobility in the UK for parliament [A]. Citing Melhuish’s research on effective pre-school, primary and secondary education, this report identified two key areas for policy intervention and investment to improve the life chances of disadvantaged children: (i) The provision of high-quality care for preschool children; (ii) Improving the home learning environment to boost literacy and social development. In both areas, large-scale policy initiatives were launched during the assessment period, which were directly informed by Melhuish’s research findings from the project.

Preschool Education

Melhuish’s research demonstrating sustained long-term impacts of pre-school education on attainment [1-4] played a central role in motivating the UK Childcare Bill. This bill provided the legal basis to implement the ‘Extended Entitlement’ to an additional 15 hours of free childcare for three- and four-year olds from working families, and for some two-year olds. This effectively doubled prior legal provisions from 15 to 30 hours per week of free childcare. During the passage of this bill in 2015, Melhuish’s findings from the project were cited as supportive evidence in the Select Committee Report on Affordable Childcare, the reading of the Childcare Bill in the House of Lords, the Childcare Bill policy statement, and in the written evidence submitted to the Public Bill Committee [B].

The Extended Entitlement had an immediate impact on UK childcare provision. For example, Government analyses for 2018 show that 339,974 three- and four-year olds were in a 30-hours pre-school education place, as compared to 202,783 in 2017 [C], representing an increase of 68% within the first year of the bill’s implementation. For 2019, a further substantial increase was reported (378,774 children, an increase of 11% on the previous year [C]).

Home Learning Environment (HLE)

Melhuish’s EPPSE research demonstrated the critical role of the HLE for improving outcomes for all children, and especially those from a disadvantaged background, showing that the HLE was more important for social and intellectual development than social class [2,5,6]. Responding to the 2017 Social Mobility Commission report [A], the Department of Education (DfE) developed a National Plan for improving social mobility through education [D] that was guided by Melhuish’s findings on the importance of the HLE. This National Plan was published in December 2017, and directly led in April 2018 to new DfE funding to support the HLE [E]. GBP5million was awarded to the Education Endowment Foundation to fund projects supporting parents in developing their children’s literacy and language skills at home. An additional GBP8.5million was awarded to the Local Government Association for supporting disadvantaged families to improve early language and literacy development [E]. These projects include partnerships in the North and North East of England with schools, nurseries and parents. In March 2018, the DfE funded The National Children’s Bureau, The National Literacy Trust, Peebles and the Foundation Years Trust to deliver projects to support the HLE, particularly in disadvantaged areas. This consortium published a report ‘Home Matters’ [F] to share the approaches taken in areas of relative disadvantage in Bradford, Leicester, Hastings, the Wirral, Oxfordshire, Bognor Regis and Knowsley. Based on Melhuish’s work, this report also provides evidence-based guidance for parents, teachers, and practitioners to improve the HLE. In 2018, new HLE review and a guidance document was published by the DfE and National Literacy Trust (which directly cites Melhuish and names him as a consultant) and by the Scottish Government (responsibility for education is devolved), again strongly drawing on Melhuish’s research [G]. One key recommendation was for Education Scotland to take further steps to improve practical applications of the HLE framework, which led to the development of a new toolkit for educational practitioners to facilitate engagement with parents and families [G].

International impact

Melhuish’s research on preschool education has also shaped international guidelines and strategies, influencing policy around early childhood education and care globally. His research findings are cited in policy documents on early childhood education and care published by the European Commission and the OECD [H], which provide information and guidance for funding and reform of early education provision policies in member countries. In Canada, the Ontario government published a strategy paper on transforming early years education in 2016, citing Melhuish’s findings, and pledged to provide 100,000 new child care spaces over the next five years from 2017 onwards [I]. By March 2019, Ontario had increased its licensed places by 40,000 and was therefore on target to meet its pledge. [I] In Australia, Melhuish’s work directly contributed to policy initiatives, being cited prominently in major Australian campaigns and think tank reports [J] which promoted increased public investment in early childhood education. In Victoria, Melhuish’s findings from EPPSE were heavily cited in a 2017 independent review of early childcare provision, which prompted a major investment in early years education (AUD202.1million) by the Victorian government [K].