This policy brief explores how early learning opportunities relate to children’s developmental outcomes and subsequent educational achievement. Drawing on an analysis of enrolled and non-enrolled children using Thrive by Five Index 2024 data, alongside a longitudinal analysis using Roots and Shoots study data, it examines participation, instructional quality, duration of enrolment and the relationship between early skills and later learning. The findings highlight stronger developmental outcomes among children attending programmes with at least basic instructional quality, and associations between early developmental skills and later language, reading and mathematics performance. The brief sets out four priorities for early learning policy and investment.
Who should read this?
- Policymakers and government officials
- Funders and development partners
- ECD organisations and programme managers
- Researchers and evaluators
Key insights
- Participation matters: After adjusting for observable child, household and contextual characteristics, non-enrolled children scored an average of 5.8 ELOM points below comparable enrolled children – equivalent to approximately five to six months of developmental progress.
- Quality matters: Children attending programmes with inadequate instructional quality showed little measurable developmental advantage over comparable non-enrolled children. Larger advantages were observed in programmes with at least basic instructional quality.
- Sustained participation matters: Larger developmental advantages were observed among children who had participated in early learning programmes for two years or longer.
- Early skills are linked to later learning: Developmental skills measured at the start of Grade R predicted language and mathematics performance in Grade 1, while Grade 1 skills predicted reading and mathematics performance in Grade 2.
- Policy should address access, quality and participation together: The brief calls for expanded access, stronger instructional quality, sustained participation and routine monitoring of programme quality and child outcomes.
Early childhood development · Access to early learning · Programme quality · Sustained participation · School readiness · Early learning outcomes
Download
Download the Policy Brief (PDF)
