This publication sets out areas where DfE is interested in more research and new evidence2. Given the broad policy agenda of the department it is not practical to provide an exhaustive list of research questions of interest. Instead this is a targeted list of areas which are both key departmental priorities and where we feel the research community is currently well placed to add to our evidence base. In terms of approaches to answer the questions, we are interested in both primary qualitative and quantitative research, secondary data analysis, and literature reviews/synthesis of existing evidence. For all questions we are interested in international perspectives and what has worked, or not, in other countries. For all our questions we are interested in how results differ for relevant sub-groups such as Free School Meal pupils, Pupil Premium pupils, Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) pupils, Black and Minority Ethnic pupils, and gender.
Get in touch with ARI.Reply@education.gov.uk
This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:
Parents with children who were born around school year cut-off dates face a dilemma: Should they send their children to school as soon as possible, thus entering them into primary school as the youngest members of their ...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: University of Strathclyde
The project investigates the effects of deferred school start, which can be a strategy to manage the transition from early years to school, but it does not specifically address the issue of disadvantaged backgrounds.
Reducing underachievement in basic skills and Early School Leaving (ESL) rates is at the core of the strategic and political priorities for the European Commission. This has become even more critical in a post-pandemic e...
Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee
Lead research organisation: NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY
The project focuses on reducing underachievement and early school leaving, which can be related to the transition from early years to school, but it does not specifically address the management of this transition.
Children's success in the early school years hinges on both cognitive (e.g., mental flexibility, over-riding impulses, holding information in mind) and social (e.g., understanding others' thoughts and feelings) aspects o...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: University of Cambridge
The project aims to investigate links between children's wellbeing and success in the first years of primary school, which directly addresses the question.