EPPE
Publications

Full list of publications covering the pre-school and primary stages of the project.
Full Publication List (65k pdf file)

Technical Paper 12 - The final report
ISBN : 085473 603 4 Published : Autumn 2004 price £5.50

Sylva, K., Melhuish, E. C., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Taggart, B.(2004),The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 12 - The Final Report: Effective Pre-School Education. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Abstract: This Technical Paper summarises the research and findings of the EPPE project (1997 – 2003). The project has demonstrated the positive effects of high quality pre-school provision on children’s intellectual and social behavioural development up to the end of Key Stage 1 in primary school. The EPPE research indicates that pre-school can play an important part in combating social exclusion and promoting inclusion by offering disadvantaged children, in particular, a better start to primary school. The findings indicate pre-school has a positive impact on children’s progress over and above important family influences. The quality of the pre-school setting experience as well as the quantity (more months but not necessarily more hours/day) are both influential.
The results show that individual pre-school centres vary in their effectiveness in promoting intellectual progress over the pre-school period, and indicate that better outcomes are associated with certain forms of provision. Likewise, the research points to the separate and significant influence of the home learning environment. These aspects (quality and quantity of pre-school and home learning environment) can be seen as more susceptible to change through policy and practitioner initiatives than other child or family characteristics, such as SES.

The EPPE project has become well known for its contribution to ‘evidence based policy’ in early years education and care.

This publication is now out of print. Please visit the DfE website where you can download a pdf version of this report. Click on the link below and enter 'EPPE' into the free text search box.

DfE Research Website

Technical Paper 11 - Report on the continuing effects of pre-school education at age 7
ISBN : 085473 602 6 Published : Autumn 2004 price £5.50

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E. C., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Elliot, K. and Marsh A. (2004), The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 11 - The continuing effects of pre-school education at age 7 years. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Abstract: Findings at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) are generally in line with those found in Year 1 (see Technical Paper 9 for details). The results confirm the important impact of background influences on young children, including the importance of the home learning environment. They also provide additional evidence concerning the impact of pre-school and show that positive pre-school effects related to duration, quality and effectiveness are not ‘washed out’ for cognitive outcomes by the end of Year 2 in primary school, although effects are not as large as those identified earlier in the study when children started primary school. For social behaviour, by contrast, the evidence of a continuing positive pre-school impact is weak by Year 2. There is little evidence of significant differences related to duration and quality of pre-school provision, but the effectiveness of the pre-school centre attended, in promoting social/behavioural development during the pre-school period, shows small but significant positive benefits in terms of teachers’ ratings of for children’s Self-regulation and reductions in Anxious behaviour. However, for Anti-social behaviour very long duration (i.e. starting group care under the age of 2 years and continuing) is related to slightly raised scores at the end of Key Stage 1 (although most children, including early starters were positively rated).

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Technical Paper 10 - Intensive study of selected centres.
ISBN : 085473 601 8 Published : Autumn 2003 price £11

Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Taggart, B. Sammons, P., Melhuish, E, & Elliot,K. (2003), Technical Paper 10 - The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Intensive Case Studies of Practice across the Foundation Stage. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Abstract: In Technical Paper 10, data from 12 effective pre-school centres, reflecting good child outcomes, (cognitive and/or social behavioural) have been analysed to reveal a unique 'story' for each centre. The associated Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years (REPEY, Siraj-Blatchford et al DfES Research Report 356) project enabled the addition of two reception classes to the 12 EPPE cases (i.e. 14 case study centres in total), and this additional data is included in Technical Paper 10. The aim of the intensive case study analyses has been to tease out the specific pedagogical and other practices that are associated with achieving 'excellent' outcomes compared to those centres with 'good' or more 'average' outcomes.
The EPPE definition of 'effectiveness' is based on child outcomes, which was understood as a necessary but insufficient component of quality on its own. High quality provision is related to child outcomes but also to the quality of child care and pedagogical practices that is offered as well. The report shows how the actual practices in the settings vary in important ways.
The findings show that good outcomes for children are linked to early years settings that:

• View cognitive and social development of children as complementary and do not prioritise one over the other.
• Have strong leadership and long-serving staff (three years plus, this was even the case in the private daycare settings where the turnover of staff is normally the highest).
• Provide a strong educational focus with trained teachers working alongside and supporting less qualified staff.
• Provide children with a mixture of practitioner initiated group work and learning through freely chosen play.
• Provide adult-child interactions that involve 'sustained shared thinking' and open-ended questioning to extend children's thinking.
• Have practitioners with good curriculum knowledge combined with knowledge and understanding of how young children learn.
• Have strong parental involvement, especially in terms of shared educational aims with parents.
• Provide formative feedback to children during activities and provide regular reporting and discussion with parents about their child's progress.
• Ensure behaviour policies in which staff support children in rationalising and talking through their conflicts
• Provide differentiated learning opportunities that meet the needs of particular individuals and groups of children e.g. bilingual, special needs, girls/boys etc.

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Technical Paper 9 - Technical Paper 9 - Follow up of the EPPE Sample at Age 6 years:
Report on Year 1 Assessments
ISBN: 085473 600 X Published : Autumn 2004 price £5.50

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E. C., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Elliot, K. and Marsh A. (2004),The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 9 -  Report on Age 6 assessments. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Abstract: In order to monitor the progress and development of the EPPE children assessments were conducted in Year 1 when the children were 6 years old. This Technical Paper focuses on two measures of cognitive attainment assessed at the end of Year 1, reading and mathematics (measured by the National Foundation for Educational Research [NFER]-Nelson Primary Reading Level 1 and Maths 6 tests). In addition social/behavioural development was assessed by teachers using, an extended version of the Goodman (1997) Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.
The analyses of child outcomes at the end of Year 1 point to the continued strength of background influences on young children’s cognitive attainments. However, the results now indicate that, taken together, background influences are relatively weaker in accounting for variations in reading and mathematics attainments at the end of Year 1, than was the case at earlier time points.
An analyses of the impact of pre-school revealed that the early boost given by pre-school has not washed out by age 6 years plus, nor have ‘home’ children caught up. The absence of pre-school can be seen to have a continued negative influence on cognitive and several social/behavioural outcomes, although children who had experienced a very long duration in pre-school show relatively poorer scores on the Anti-social measure in Year 1. These poorer scores should be placed in the context of very positive scores for most children on this and other aspects of behaviour such as reduced Anxiety and improved Positive social behaviour and Self-regulation.

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Technical Paper 8b - Measuring the Impact of Pre-School on children's social/behavioural development over the pre-school period.
ISBN : 085473 683 2 Published: Spring 2003 price £8.50

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E. C., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B. and Elliot, K. (2002), The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 8b - Measuring the Impact of Pre-School on Children's Social/behavioural Development over the Pre-School Period. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Abstract: This Technical Paper describes the results of analyses of young children's social behavioural development during their time in pre-school. Equivalent analyses of the cognitive progress of children in the study have been conducted and the results are reported separately in EPPE Technical Paper 8a. Four aspects of social behavioural development have been studied, namely 'Independence & Concentration', 'Co-operation & Conformity', 'Peer Sociability' and 'Anti-social / Worried'. . A range of statistical methods (multilevel modelling) have been used to analyse data for around 2800 children, to measure social behavioural development over the pre-school period. This explores the unique (net) contribution of particular characteristics to variation in children's outcomes (child, parental background and the home), in particular whether there is evidence of pre-school influences on young children's social/behavioural developmental gains. The multilevel value added analyses also illuminated the pre-school characteristics such as type of pre-school attended, number of sessions, quality characteristics, ratios and staff qualifications which show statistical relationships with children's social /behavioural outcomes. Findings concerning a sample of 'home children', who have had no pre-school centre experience before starting primary school, are reported for comparison with the pre-school sample. The main findings of the EPPE study point the influences on young children's social behavioural attainments and progress at entry to school and also provide new evidence concerning the impact of pre-school. In combination with the findings for cognitive development reported in Technical Paper 8a, the results indicate that pre-school can help to combat social exclusion and promote inclusion by offering disadvantaged young children, in particular, a better start at school.

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Technical Paper 8a - Measuring the Impact of Pre-School on children's cognitive progress over the pre-school period.
ISBN : 085473 599 2 Published : Autumn 2002 price £8.50

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E. C., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B. and Elliot, K. (2002), The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 8a - Measuring the Impact of Pre-School on Children's Cognitive Progress over the Pre-School Period. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Abstract: This Technical Paper describes the results of analyses of young children's cognitive progress during their time in pre-school. Equivalent results on social behavioural development are reported in EPPE Technical Paper 8b. Five measures of cognitive attainment assessed at entry to primary school have been studied: pre-reading, language attainment, two measures of non-verbal attainment and early number concepts. A range of statistical methods (multilevel modelling) have been used to analyse data for around 2800 children, to measure cognitive progress over the pre-school period. This explores the unique (net) contribution of particular characteristics (child, parental background and the home), to variation in children's outcomes in particular whether there is evidence of pre-school influences on young children's cognitive gains. The multilevel value added analyses also illuminated the pre-school characteristics such as type of pre-school attended, number of sessions, quality characteristics, ratios and staff qualifications which show statistical relationships with children's cognitive outcomes.
Findings concerning a sample of 'home children', who have had no pre-school centre experience before starting primary school, are reported for comparison with the pre-school sample. The main findings of the EPPE study point to the continued strength of background influences on young children's cognitive attainments and progress at entry to school and also provide new evidence concerning the impact of pre-school. In combination with the findings for social behaviour reported in Technical Paper 8b, the results indicate that pre-school can help to combat social exclusion and promote inclusion by offering disadvantaged young children, in particular, a better start at school.

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Technical Paper 7 - Social/behavioural and cognitive development at 3-4 years in relation to family background
ISBN : 085473 598 4 Published : Spring 2001 Price £5.00

Melhuish, E., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2001), Technical Paper 7 - The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Social/behavoural and Cognitive Development at 3-4 years in Relation to Family Background. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Abstract: When children were 3-4 years old, parents were interviewed concerning child and family characteristics and children were assessed on social/behavioural and cognitive development. These data on 2800 children provide information about associations between family/child factors and child development. The explanation of cognitive development provided by the analyses is strong whereas the explanation of social/behavioural development is much weaker. This paper highlights the associations between parental occupational status and mothers qualifications for children’s cognitive development. The effects of siblings on both social/behavioural and cognitive development and the importance of the home learning environment had the strongest effect on cognitive development, stronger than either social class or parental education. This finding indicates that what parents do is more important for the academic and social/behavioural development of their children than who parents are.

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Technical Paper 6A - Characteristics of Pre-School Environments
ISBN : 085473 597 6 Published : Autumn 1999 Price £8.50

Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Evans, E., Dobson, A., Jeavons. M., Lewis, K., Morahan. M., & Sadler. S. (1999), Technical Paper 6 - The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Characteristics of Pre-School Environments. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Abstract: As part of the study all pre-schools were assessed using an observational assessment known as the Early Childhood Rating Scale, (ECERS-R) plus an extension to it (ECERS-E) based upon the Desirable Learning Outcomes (QCA 1996). ECERS provides measures of the quality of education and care which children receive in settings plus some measures of facilities relating to facilities and human resources. Completion of the ECERS profile required one day of observation plus talking to staff about aspects of the routine which were not visible during the observation session (e.g. weekly swimming or seasonal outings). The researchers administering the assessments were all very familiar with the settings.
The ECERS has 43 items which are divided into seven sub-scales. These sub-scales are: space and furnishings, personal care routines, language and reasoning, activities (e.g. fine motor, art, blocks, dramatic play etc), staff-child and child-child interactions, programme structure (schedule, free play, group time, provision for children with disabilities), and provision for parents and staff.
The additional scale devised by the EPPE research team was based upon Desirable Learning Outcomes and pedagogical practices associated with it covers: literacy, mathematics, science and environment, and diversity.
Analysis of the scores across all of the items indicates that nursery schools, nursery schools combining care and education, and nursery classes are rated consistently good-to-excellent on both assessment scales. Local authority day care (Social Services) centres are rated as adequate-to-good provision. Private day nurseries are rated as minimal/adequate provision. Pre-schools/playgroups are consistently lower than all the other types of provision, although on the ‘social interaction’ dimension they approach the good range.

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Technical Paper 6 - Characteristics of the Centres in the EPPE sample: Observational Profiles
ISBN : 085473 596 8 Published : Autumn 1999 Price £8.50

Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Evans, E., Dobson, A., Jeavons. M., Lewis, K., Morahan. M., & Sadler. S. (1999), Technical Paper 6 - The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Characteristics of the Centres in the EPPE Sample: Observational Profiles. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

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Technical Paper 5 - Characteristics of the Centres in the EPPE study: Interviews.
ISBN : 085473 595 X Published : Autumn 2000 Price £5.00

Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Melhuish, E. C., Sammons, P. and Walker-Hall, J. (200), The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 5 - Characteristics of the Centres in the EPPE Sample: Interviews. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London

Abstract: This paper reports on interviews conducted with the managers of the EPPE pre-school centres. This interview was designed to provide information likely to help differentiate effectiveness in pre-school settings by contextualising information from observational profiles (reported in Technical Paper 6 in this series), other interviews with centre managers (reported in Technical Paper 3) and case studies (reported in Technical Paper 10). The paper reports on wide differences in provision across the sectors in terms of resources, professional facilities and support. The report also details information on staffing and staff development opportunities, qualifications and training and programmes in operation and parental involvement across the range of providers.

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Technical Paper 4 - Parent, family and child characteristics in relation to type of pre-school and socio-economic differences.
ISBN : 085473 594 1 Published : Autumn 1999 Price £4.00

Melhuish, E., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Dobson, A., Jeavons. M., Lewis, K., Morahan. M., & Sadler. S. (1999), Technical Paper 4 - The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Parent, Family and Child Characteristics in Relation to Type of Pre-school and Socio-Economic Differences London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Abstract: Information on the characteristics of the parents, families, and children was collected by parental interview at the start of the study. This information was used to describe the sample in terms of the parents (labour market participation, socio-economic characteristics, qualifications, marital status and age), the family (composition, ethnicity and language), the child’s health, development and behaviour, the child’s activities in the home, the use of pre-school provision and childcare history. The variation of the sample’s characteristics related to the different types of pre-school centre and also to socio-economic status is reported. Consideration has been given to whether type of pre-school centre differences reflect socio-economic status or whether the differences between the users of different types of pre-school centre go beyond differences in socio-economic status.
The characteristics of parents, families, children, home activities all showed differences related to the family’s socio-economic status, and the variation between pre-school groups largely reflected differences related to socio-economic status. However childcare histories showed variation between pre-school groups which did not reduce to socio-economic differences. Childcare histories revealed great diversity across the whole sample and within each pre school group.

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Technical Paper 3 - Contextualising EPPE: Interviews with local authority co-ordinators and centre managers
ISBN : 085473 593 3 Published : Autumn 1999 Price £3.50

Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Taggart, B. & Jennings. R. (1999), Technical Paper 3 - The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Contextualising EPPE: Interviews with local authority co -ordinators and centre managers. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Abstract: This paper looks at the impact of recent government initiatives on early childhood care and education for 3 to 5-year olds in the full range of pre-school centres in the study. This was based on interviews conducted with 135 heads of pre-school settings and 12 local authority co-ordinators in six local authorities. At a time of rapid policy development and because of the diversity in pre-school provision, the EPPE study recorded how recent changes in local authority under-fives provision might be affecting the centres that are being studied. The findings relate primarily to the impact of recent initiatives concerning Early Years Partnership Plans and increased collaboration across pre-school services, the introduction of the Desirable Learning Outcomes and associated inspection arrangements, new funding arrangements and plans for training.

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Technical Paper 2 - Characteristics of the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project sample at entry to the study.
ISBN : 085473 592 5 Published : Autumn 1999 Price £4.00

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Dobson, A., Jeavons. M., Lewis, K., Morahan. M., & Sadler. S. (1999), Technical Paper 2 - The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Characteristics of the EPPE Project Sample at Entry to the Study London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Abstract: In this paper the relationships between young children's entry assessments and various child (e.g. age, gender, ethnicity) and parent characteristics (e.g. educational and occupational background) are explored, to examine the extent to which variation between children in their cognitive and social-behavioural attainments can be accounted for by different factors.
Marked differences between individual pre-school centres were identified in terms of the characteristics of children entering the EPPE study. In order to investigate the impact of different types of provision and of individual pre-school centres it is essential to have accurate baseline data about children's cognitive attainments and details of their social and behavioural development, so that subsequent progress and development can be measured. The information is also interesting in its own right because it provides a snapshot of children and families at the start of the study. Only in this way will it be possible to establish whether children attending specific centres show greater progress or more positive social and behavioural outcomes by entry to school. Control for differences in the characteristics of children at entry to the study is also necessary to examine any differences in effects related to type of pre-school experience (e.g. nursery class, playgroup, private day nursery or local authority day care nursery).

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Technical Paper 1 - An introduction to the Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) Project
ISBN : 085473 591 7 Published : Autumn 1999 Price £8.50

Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E. C., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Taggart, B. (1999), The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 1 - An Introduction of EPPE. London: DfEE / Institute of Education, University of London.

Abstract: This paper sets the design of EPPE within the context of other research studies on the effectiveness of early education and care. It describes in detail the need for the research, the methodology adopted and the research design.

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Related Projects and Publications

REPEY - The Research Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years Project

Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Muttock, S., Gilden, R. and Bell, D. (2002), Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years (REPEY): DfES Research Report 356. London: DfES, HMSO.

ECERS-E - The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale - Extension
Assessing Quality in the Early Years: ECERS-E (2003) Sylva, Siraj-Blatchford and Taggart. Published by Trentham Books, Stoke-on-Trent at £8.99

Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Taggart, B. (2003), Assessing Quality in the Early Years Early Childhood Environment Rating Scales Extension (ECERS-E) Four Curricular Subscales. Stoke on Trent, UK and Stirling, USA Trentham Books

Abstract: The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale - Extension (ECERS-E) was developed by members of the EPPE team as an instrument to measure 'quality' in literacy, numeracy, science and diversity observable in pre-school settings. The scales were developed in the light of the United Kingdom's Foundation Stage Curriculum. The ECER-E complements the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scales- Revised (ECERS-R), and internationally recognised measure of quality in education and care. Although originally devised as a research tool the scales
have been used by early years practitioners during 'self audits' of quality. This practical handbook will be of interest to all those concerned with providing a 'quality' environment in which young children's learning can flourish.

Trentham Books

ECERS-R - The Early Childhood Rating Scale: Revised Edition (1998).
Harms, Clifford and Cryer

ISBN: 08077 3751 8 Available from Teachers College Press, Columbia University, 1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY10027

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EYSEN -The Early Years Transition and Special Educational Needs Project

Technical Paper 1 : Special Educational Needs across the Pre-School Period.

Sammons, P., Smees, R., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E. C., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Elliot, K. (2002), The Early Years Transition and Special Educational Needs (EYTSEN) Project: Technical Paper 1 - Special Needs Across the Pre-School Period. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London. EYTSEN

Technical Paper 2 : Special Educational Needs in the Early Primary Years: Primary School Entry up to the end of Year One.

Sammons, P., Smees, R., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E. C., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Elliot, K. (2004), The Early Years Transition and Special Educational Needs (EYTSEN) Project: Technical Paper 2 - Special Needs Across in the Early Primary Years. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.

Technical Paper 3 – Special Educational Needs: The Parents’ Perspective.

Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Smees, R., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E. C., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Elliot, K. (2004), The Early Years Transition and Special Educational Needs (EYTSEN) Project: Technical Paper 3 – The Parents’ Perspective. London: DfES / Institute of Education, University of London.