Disadvantaged children up to a year behind by the age of three

Many children from disadvantaged backgrounds are already up to a year behind more privileged youngsters educationally by the age of three, a UK-wide study has found.

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Amended 23/07/2007

Many children from disadvantaged backgrounds are already up to a year behind more privileged youngsters educationally by the age of three, a UK-wide study has found.

Vocabulary scores achieved by more than 12,000 children revealed that the sons and daughters of graduates were 10¹ months ahead of those with the least-educated parents. A second “school readiness” assessment measuring understanding of colours, letters, numbers, sizes and shapes that was given to more than 11,500 three-year-olds found an even wider gap – 12² months – between the two groups. The equivalent gaps for children in families living above and below the poverty line used by the researchers were five³ months for vocabulary and 10⁴ months for school readiness.

As expected, girls did better than boys on average. They were three months ahead on both measures. Less predictably, Scots children were three⁵ months ahead of the UK average in their language development and two months ahead in “school readiness”.

The assessments were conducted on behalf of the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, which is based at the Institute of Education, University of London. They form part of the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), which is tracking more than 15,500 children born in 2000-2.

The assessments also highlighted marked ethnic differences. A quarter of the Black Caribbean and Black African children who took the school readiness assessment were delayed in their development, compared with only 4 per cent of White children.

Bangladeshi and Pakistani three-year-olds recorded relatively low scores on both tests. Their vocabulary scores were, on average, well below those normally expected for two-and-a-half-year olds, even though non-English speakers were not included in the assessments. Bangladeshi children’s school readiness scores were about a year behind those of White youngsters and Pakistani children did only slightly better.

Dr Kirstine Hansen, research director of the MCS, emphasised, however, that the assessments might not be a fair indicator of minority ethnic children’s current or future ability. “Before drawing firm conclusions we will need to investigate the circumstances in which the assessments were done, allowing for whether children lived in homes where English was not the main language spoken. There may also be cultural differences in children’s readiness to attempt such tasks or engage with an unfamiliar visitor. However, it is fair to comment that teachers need to be aware that many – but by no means all — Bangladeshi and Pakistani children may do poorly on similar assessments.”