By Zara Smith.
Whilst attending an early years setting is not compulsory for children under five years of age, it has many benefits and can play a significant and important role in a child’s early development.
Research has shown that attending a high-quality early years setting can improve and have long lasting impact on children’s outcomes particularly for children from disadvantaged background and for children with SEND. The Study of Early Education and Development (SEED) in the UK, which follows 5,000 children up to the age of seven, found that attending high-quality nursery classes, nursery schools, or playgroups between ages two and four was associated with better results in Key Stage 1 Maths, Science, and combined English and Maths.
Let’s consider the key benefits.
Development of social, emotional and communication skills
Attendance in early years settings provides the opportunity for children to interact and play with their peers, allowing then the opportunity to learn and develop important social skills that they will need for their next stage of education and beyond. These include learning to share, take turns, and cooperate with others, and the repetition of these skills are important to help children build emotional resilience, self-control, empathy, and self-confidence. Through regular attendance, children are supported to create and maintain those first all-important friendships with their peers and develop supportive attachments to the adults who care for them. We also know that the quality and quantity of early interactions can have a significant impact on a child’s communication and language skills. Early years settings offer a language rich environment that promotes and supports children’s language development.
Routine, structure and consistency
It is well established that a consistent routine is important for young children. Regular consistent attendance at the childminders or nursery provides children with a rhythm and routine to the week. When children know and understand what comes, they gain a sense of safety and security which supports their wellbeing and helps them to manage their emotions and behaviour. Predictable consistent routines also support children to transition smoothly through the elements of day, from play to snack, to story time and so on, preparing children for other significant transitions later, such as when they start school.
Promoting independence
The routine and structure of an early years setting also supports children to learn and practice daily tasks, and start to take responsibility for themselves, for example pre-school children might learn to put their shoes and coats on before going outside, and toddlers might learn that they need to wash their hands before snack time.
Supporting parents and the home learning environment
Research shows that the home learning environment has a significant impact on children’s outcomes. Early years settings are well place to encourage and support parental involvement in their child’s education. Regular communication between parents and educators helps build a partnership that supports the child’s learning and development. Engaged parents are more likely to continue this involvement throughout their child’s academic journey.
Early identification of concerns
Attending an early-years setting can facilitate the early identification of any developmental delays or special needs. Early years settings have an early years special education needs co-ordinator (SENCo) who will have specialist training to identify and support emerging needs. Early identification and intervention can significantly improve outcomes for children with developmental differences. Learning from serious case reviews has also shown that children being absent from settings for prolonged periods of time or on repeated occasions, particularly when there is no notification from parents/carers, can be a sign of underlying safeguarding concerns. Encouraging and supporting attendance is crucial in keeping children safe and identifying concerns early.
Long-term benefits
The benefits of attending an early years setting extend beyond the immediate academic and developmental gains. Children who attend regularly are more likely to develop positive attitudes towards school and learning. They are also more likely to achieve higher academic performance in later years and have better attendance records in primary and secondary school.
In summary, attending an early years setting in the UK is crucial for the holistic development of children. It supports academic learning, social and emotional growth, physical development, and the early identification of concerns. Additionally, it fosters a sense of routine and structure, encourages parental involvement, and provides long-term benefits that extend into later stages of education and life. Ensuring that children attend early years settings consistently is a critical step in setting them on a path to success.
Resources
EYFS Safeguarding reforms 2025
Children being absent from early years settings repeatedly, or for prolonged periods of time, may be a vital warning sign for a range of safeguarding issues. There have been incidents where serious harm to a child may have been prevented if an absence from their early years setting had been reported to social services and/or the police. Adding requirements into the EYFS for following up on unexplained or prolonged absences and for providers to have an attendance policy, aligns with what is expected in schools and helps keep children and their families safe. It would also help parents to understand the expectations on them to report absences and the procedure the provider would need to follow if a child is absent.
PACEY member resources
- NEW for 2025, our sample Attendance policy covering child absences.
See our full resource page for further information about the EYFS Safeguarding reforms 2025
