What did Sure Start do for performance in school?

Established 25 years ago this year, Sure Start was a keystone of the early years policy landscape in England for over a decade. It acted as a 'one-stop shop' for families with young children to access a range of services under one roof, before being scaled back since 2010. Despite its scale, there is very limited evidence on its effects in the long-run, including on how it affected children's development in the decades since.

In this online event we presented the findings of a new report, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, which shows the effect of Sure Start on educational performance throughout their time in school. IFS researchers demonstrated the role Sure Start played in affecting the educational outcomes of different groups, and explored what elements of the programme were more or less effective.

Following the presentations by IFS researchers, there were responses by Naomi Eisenstadt (Chair, NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board, and the first director of the Sure Start unit) and Donna Molloy (Deputy Chief Executive, Foundations).