Every state school with a Reception class in England can now apply for training and resources through an early years catch-up programme funded by the government, to support thousands more pupils with vital communication skills.
Delivered by the Nuffield Foundation and backed by an extra £8 million of investment, recruitment has launched for the second wave of the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI), a programme proven to be effective in raising outcomes in Reception-age children’s early language, communication and speech skills – particularly those who need the most support to overcome the disruption of the pandemic.
The plan is part of the government’s major investment to build back better from the pandemic, it builds on last summer’s £9 million investment to launch the first wave of NELI, which means 62,000 four and five-year-olds are receiving extra support to get their education back on track after time spent away from the classroom.
Visiting All Saints C of E Primary School in Merton, one of more than 6,600 schools already receiving the intervention through its first wave, Children and Families Minister Vicky Ford spoke to staff delivering the programme about the positive changes on Reception children’s confidence with language and communication and how the it has helped them re-engage with their classmates.
Children and Families Minister Vicky Ford said ‘’We know the first years of a child’s life can be the most formative, which is why this Government is making it a priority to make sure all children have the best start in life.
‘’Speaking and communicating with confidence sets a child up for success in life, so it’s vital that we support children to grow in confidence with these skills – especially those for whom English is not their first language or who have been more isolated during the pandemic than their peers.’’
prioritisation - Photo by MChe Lee on Unsplash
