The aim of the study is to get a better understanding of the evidence base behind the relationship between good-quality early childhood education and care and early school leaving rates and to support the work of the European Commission and Member States, within the Strategic framework Education and Training 2020.
The study argues the importance of a well-balanced and competent education system for the smooth development of children and strengthening foundations for lifelong learning. It focuses on three important education stages of children's learning process: early childhood, transitions and compulsory schooling and discusses the importance of balance and continuity between them to ensure children's success.
Specific objectives of the study include:
- development of a state of the art conceptual framework for analysis, reviewing existing research across Europe and beyond (all previous research that is available in European languages - most importantly longitudinal);
- collecting new data and analysing relevant policies and their effects across Europe;
- providing recommendations for actions that could be taken at European and national level to improve the effectiveness of ECEC services, to promote ECEC and to contribute to the development of a more comprehensive approach to tackling underachievement and early school leaving.
The report presents the final results of the assignment and the methodology that was used to complete it.
The first section briefly introduces the relevance of the research topic and describes the conceptual framework of the study. It also presents the main concepts and their definitions that framed the research process and analysis. The development and justification of the use of the definitions is presented in the full version of the literature review (see Annex 1). The research team has also conducted an overview of European policy and legal context within the field of ECEC and general education, which is presented in Annex 2. Finally, the first chapter briefly presents the research design and methodology of the study that was used to achieve the objectives stated above.
The second section discusses the potential link between children's early development and success at the end of compulsory schooling. The chapter also presents evidence on the impact of quality ECEC in strengthening foundations for learning in children's development. The findings are based on the analysis of previous research evidence (including the one from longitudinal studies) and supported by case study data from 10 European countries. Full case study reports, which provide evidence on the status quo of ECEC systems in 10 countries and its potential links with children's success in later schooling, are attached separately as Annex 3.
The study is completed with a set of conclusions and recommendations for actions that could be taken at European and national level to improve the effectiveness of ECEC services, to promote ECEC and to contribute to the development of a more comprehensive approach to tackling underachievement and early school leaving.