New research identifies three programmes that boost young children’s development and support efforts to narrow the attainment gap

The findings represent an important step in strengthening the evidence base available to the early years sector, where there has historically been less rigorous research to guide decisions about which approaches are most effective.

The early years are a crucial stage in children’s development. Differences in language, communication, and self-regulationHow children monitor their emotions and thoughts, and adapt their behaviour in different circumstances. skills can emerge before children start school and can shape children’s later educational experiences. High-quality early education plays an important role in helping all children develop the foundations they need to succeed, as well as supporting efforts to narrow the attainment gap.

The three programmes, NELI Preschool, Talking Time and Emotion Coaching, have all been designated as EEF Promising Programmes: approaches that have shown evidence of meaningful, cost-effective improvements in children’s outcomes and are currently available for settings to use.

Through these evaluations, the EEF is helping settings make evidence-informed decisions about how to use their time and resources effectively, focusing investment on approaches with the strongest potential to improve outcomes for children, particularly those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

The three evaluations published today are:

NELI Preschool, evaluated by the National Foundation for Educational Research and delivered with OxEd.

• A 20-week oral language programme for 3 – 4‑year-old children, centred on shared storybook reading and guided play. It is designed to improve the oral language skills of children in nursery. It includes both universal language enrichment for all children in a setting (via whole-group sessions) and targeted intervention for those with the weakest oral language skills.
• The evaluation found that children in NELI Preschool settings made an average of two additional months’ progress in their oral language skills compared to children in control settings. Children receiving additional targeted support also made around two additional months’ progress. This could be because targeted sessions help children with the weakest language skills benefit fully from whole‑class provision.
• With evidence from multiple rigorous evaluations, NELI is now one of the most evidence-backed early years language programmes in the world, providing settings with confidence that they are investing in an approach with a strong track record of improving children’s oral language development.

Talking Time, evaluated by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and delivered with Oxford University

• Talking Time is a universal intervention that aims to improve the oral language skills of children aged 3 to 5 through structured activities for children and professional development for staff. It supports educators to deliver small-group sessions which include shared storytelling, playful language games and narrative discussions of familiar routines.
• This evaluation found that children in early years settings that delivered Talking Time made one month of additional progress in language development, on average, compared with children in other settings.

Emotion Coaching, evaluated by the National Centre for Social Research

• A professional development programmeA programme is a package of support, including professional development, that helps early years educators to improve particular areas of practice and children’s outcomes. for early years practitioners that aims to help 3 – 4‑year-old children develop self-regulationHow children monitor their emotions and thoughts, and adapt their behaviour in different circumstances.. It supports practitioners to help children understand their emotions, why they happen, and how to manage them.
• The evaluation found that, based on a practitioner delivered measure, Emotion Coaching had on average: a small positive impact on children’s self-regulationHow children monitor their emotions and thoughts, and adapt their behaviour in different circumstances. and a small positive effect on pro-social behaviours.

Since expanding its early years work in 2022, the EEF has commissioned independent evaluations of 22 early years programmes – mainly through randomised controlled trials. More than 3,700 settings across England have taken part in these trials and studies, helping to build knowledge about what works to support young children’s learning and development.

All three evaluations published today were co-funded with the Department for Education’s Stronger Practice Hubs as part of the Early Years Recovery Programme, an initiative that aimed to support education recovery following the pandemic.