Massive Study Finds Pre-School and Early Child Education Initiatives Show No Benefit

LifeSiteNews.com ^ | August 31, 2007 | John-Henry Westen

[monomaniac]

Massive Study Finds Pre-School and Early Child Education Initiatives Show No Benefit

Other studies found marked negative effects from preschool including brain chemistry damage, aggression, negative social and emotional development, illness

By John-Henry Westen

LONDON, August 31, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A six year comparison of almost 35,000 children has shown that there has been no change in developmental levels of pupils entering primary school in this period, despite the introduction of several new early years' initiatives over the past decade, new research from Durham University's Curriculum, Evaluation and Management (CEM) Centre reveals.

The research, presented Tuesday at the biennial European Association for Learning and Instruction (EARLI) conference, shows that although there have been massive changes in early years education in the last few years, children's development and skills at the start of school are no different now than they were before the introduction of the early childhood curriculum, the Sure Start programme, free nursery education for all three year olds and the more recent introduction of the Children's Act 2002 and the Every Child Matters initiative.

The research used the CEM Centre's Performance Indicators in Primary Schools (PIPS) assessment to measure the cognitive development of almost 35,000 children on entry into primary school between 2001 and 2006 and the authors believe it reveals potential policy implications for how future early years initiatives are introduced and monitored.

Dr Christine Merrell, PIPS Projects Manager at Durham University's CEM Centre explains: "Our aim with this study is to provide a single perspective on the changing profiles of children starting school in England during a time of rapid change. While the PIPS assessments, used in the study do not measure how many children were involved in national initiatives, one would have expected that the major government programmes would have resulted in some measurable changes in our sample of almost 35,000 children. It is possible, however, that it is just still too early to measure the effects of these programmes particularly those of the Children's Act and Every Child Matters, which were only introduced in the past few years."

The significance of the findings is devastating for the Labour government currently headed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown as it has invested heavily in preschool, early childhood daycare schemes.

Other studies have found marked negative effects from preschool including brain chemistry damage, aggression, negative social and emotional development, and illness.

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Study Finds Daycare Damages Babies Brain Chemistry
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/mar/06032903.html

Study Links Child Aggression to Time in Day Care
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2003/aug/03082108.html

Preschool Damages Children's Social Skills and Emotional Development
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/nov/05111001.html

Study Shows Canada's Universal Daycare Plan Has "Strikingly Negative" Consequences
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/feb/06020205.html

[live+let_live]

Oh, this won’t do at all. Hillary want to start national pre-school.

This report will have to be buried.

[RedCell]

Other studies found marked negative effects from preschool including brain chemistry damage, aggression, negative social and emotional development, illness

Wha...?!!! I sent both my kids to preschool and it did wonders for their social skills as well as allowing them to get into the rhythm of the "school day". Brain chemistry damage? Really now.

[Always Right]

This won’t stop leftist from wanting to brainwash your kids.

[Old Professer]

If all these progressive programs were indeed for the children then we would expect the parents to be making sacrifices instead of enjoying more free time for themselves while bragging about how much smarter their kids are than everyone else’s.

True learning requires true understanding so the one waits on the other.

This study is no better than opposing earlier ones since it too bases its own conclusions on negative aspects rather than just the obvious neutral ones that show among those tested over time.

Children mature and go on to become adults who in turn try to fix their own grievances by proxy; nothing much changes except hairdos.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

Once upon a time, before “daycare” and all this other nonsense was invented, two-parent parenting alone was just fine and in fact excellent preparation for kindergarten and beyond.

[zip]

ping

[Freee-dame]

bump

[Nick Danger]

before “daycare” and all this other nonsense was invented, two-parent parenting alone was just fine and in fact excellent preparation

That's because these programs have nothing to do with benefitting children. They are about enabling single parenthood by women. So is the upcoming "medical insurance for The Chill'run" crusade. Every chance they get, the destroyers of civilization find another way to replace adult male parents with The State.

Some day all of America can be as enlightened and wonderful as South-Central Los Angeles.

[ga medic]

All of my children attended a church preschool program. They loved it, and it really helped them get used to spending time in a school setting. I think some people here are confusing preschool with daycare. I remember some studies about children in daycare having very negative effects. It was a correlational study, so it really didn’t have any validity at all. Lifesite news doesn’t seem to understand the idea of correlation versus causation.

[kitkat]

***Some day all of America can be as enlightened and wonderful as South-Central Los Angeles.***

Love it!

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Does this mean that the taxpayers can save a bundle by cutting-out the Head Start programs? Nahhhh. Gubmint programs, once instituted, never end ... even if they prove to have no beneficial results. Programs with proven harmful results last even longer.

[Mygirlsmom]

Generally church preschool programs are for a few hours a few days a week. My kids attended such a program. I would bet the “preschool” they are speaking about is more like 3yr old kindergarten or 4 yr old kindergarten - all day every day. Much too much for little ones.

[RoseyT]

In this case, there are beneficial results. Just ask all those folks who aren't having to pay for daycare. They think it's a great idea for the rest of us to pay for it!

[ARE SOLE]

That's because these programs have nothing to do with benefitting children

That's the truth Nick. They couldn't pass free childcare, this is the same thing with another name.

In LA. the kids (and often their parents) come in early to get "free" breakfast and later a "free" lunch.

Regards

[NucSubs]

I was always against my kids starting school at three and being in all day in Kindergarten at five. I am kinda neutral about it now. I still believe it does no good but it does no harm either that I can see either.

My daughter was exceptional before and after and my son was avg-above avg before and after. I saw no changes in them on any level one way or the other. I was just a few thousand dollars poorer.