Background
Patterns in individuals' educational attainment are established early in schools. This can be just as true of success as of failure.
Early intervention and beyond
The funding for early intervention allocated to local authorities was initially invested in the development of early years practice in Primary 1 and Primary 2. The management teams and classroom staff who were in EI schools reported many advantages of such direct involvement, including:
- active participation in the implementation and development of EI teaching and learning strategies
- opportunities to consider and discuss recent research on literacy and numeracy and to develop practice accordingly
- systematic staff development with opportunities to discuss, reflect upon and develop own practice
- opportunities to watch other practitioners in action
- resources provided, for example extra staffing, provision of support for learning in early years, and teaching and learning resources that supported direct and interactive teaching
- raised awareness of the importance of an analytic approach to formative and diagnostic assessment
- raised awareness of the importance of developing metacognitive awareness for effective learning
- raised awareness of the importance of physical development and movement to self-esteem and learning.
Common issues have also arisen. These include:
- Early years staff have moved to other stages/posts and there is a need for systematic staff development for incoming staff members who have not been actively involved in EI.
- It has been widely reported that EI has been successful in raising the attainment of all children and not just those who were included in the target group. This raising of attainment in the early years has caused significant impact on subsequent stages and has created further transitional issues - P3/P4 through to S1. As a result, curriculum content, methodology, resources and expectations have gradually been brought under scrutiny and review at school, local authority and national levels. Development is ongoing, because of the need for it, but there is no specific funding to help support and resource essential progress.
- There is still some concern, too, that the gap has widened between those for whom there was little concern and those whom were considered 'at risk'. For the 'at risk' children, who were the original target for EI, there needs to be careful monitoring of continuity and the provision of appropriate and focused support. This may help to ensure that progress is maintained. Fraser et al, confirmed this in the National Evaluation of Early Intervention.
The history of early interventions should not be ignored. Longer-term success is not assured from promising beginnings. Pupils at risk will need focused support well beyond the early primary stages.
Fraser H et al, Interchange 71, SOEID, 2001
A further point made in this evaluation was that those local authorities who had concentrated EI resources in fewer schools had had greater success in closing the gap. Equality of opportunity is not achieved through an equal distribution of resources.
- There is a need for systematic staff development across all stages, 3-14 and not just those early years staff who were at the centre of EI developments. It is important that all staff know what is involved in effective EI and why it is so critical to all learning. Raising awareness of the current thinking and research-based practice around literacy and numeracy teaching and learning, with real opportunities to reflect upon and further develop one's own practice are also critically important. All the evidence is that top-down prescription and packaging of 'good practice' is not a long-term solution. Staff enthusiasm and commitment are bound up with their close involvement in organic and continuous change adapted to their own school context and classroom experience.