Report raises concerns about London children’s school readiness

Many London children may not be sufficiently prepared to succeed in school in cognitive, social and emotional terms, according to a Public Health England report.

According to the analysis, two in every five children in London did not achieve a good level of development – a measure used to assess school readiness – by the age of five in 2013-14, a proportion that equates to around 39,500 children.

Though readiness has improved across all boroughs in the capital since 2012-13, inequalities still persist, with boys, poorer students, children with statements of education and youngsters from gypsy and Roma backgrounds more likely to be affected negatively.

School readiness at age five has a strong impact on future development, including literacy, numeracy, physical and social skills, as well as health, future earnings, involvement in crime and mortality later down the line.

Dr Yvonne Doyle, regional director for Public Health England London, said: "The first five years of a child's life, the foundation years, are absolutely critical; healthy early child development is fundamental to school readiness, which can have a major impact on a child's life chances."

Early measures that have been shown to improve school readiness include good maternal health, learning activities, enhanced physical activity, high-quality early education and parenting support programmes.