Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced yesterday an ambitious milestone that seeks to improve early years education, aiming to increase the proportion of four- and five-year-olds ready to start school from 60% to 75%, by the end of the current government’s term.

Mark Botha, CEO of Shaping Lives, a training provider that specialises in apprenticeships for early years educators, commented:

“We welcome today’s announcement from the government, which highlights the critical importance of early years education and seeks to ensure that more children are ready for school. As the Prime Minister stated in his speech, one in three children in the UK are currently not ready to start school at the age of five.”

“The focus on increasing school readiness to ‘record levels’ is therefore a step toward equipping our future generations with the tools they need to succeed both educationally and personally, and one that we welcome.”

“However, we are keen for the government to provide a tangible target, which is vital in ensuring that such a milestone is achievable and will lead to real, measurable change.”

“With this renewed focus, more now needs to be done to ensure that all young children are given the support and development opportunities they need to thrive. Research consistently demonstrates that children who receive robust early years support are more likely to achieve more academically and develop better social-emotional skills, which has a long-lasting and positive impact on their lives.”

“Preparing children for school is at the heart of Shaping Lives. Through our specialist apprenticeship schemes, our students are helping children to develop essential skills for school, build resilience, and foster a lifelong love of learning.”

What does ‘school readiness’ mean?

“School readiness is a term that describes the point where a child is ready to take on the demands of school and thrive in a structured education environment.

“School readiness includes key cognitive skills, such as a basic understanding of letters, numbers, and colours. It also covers communication; can the child explain their thoughts and feelings about a subject, and can they listen to their teacher? On a personal level, behavioural, social, and emotional skills enable them to positively interact with their teachers and peers and follow the routines of the school day.”

About Shaping Lives:

Shaping Lives is dedicated to one mission: helping nurseries to nurture future generations through high-quality early childhood education. As a trusted training provider, Shaping Lives specialises in developing skilled, passionate educators who make a meaningful difference in the lives of children aged 0-5.

Shaping Lives is part of the award-winning Knovia Group of companies, alongside Paragon Skills and Tempdent.