Building the foundations

Children who miss out on high-quality early learning experiences fail to achieve age-appropriate progress in primary school. This can have life-long detrimental effects on their achievements and their well-being.

There is robust and ample evidence that high-quality early childhood education can positively affect children’s learning and socio-emotional outcomes. This evidence has driven policy reforms that aim to expand access to pre-primary schools worldwide. But gaps remain in the delivery of high-quality, inclusive early childhood education that allows children to develop the early learning skills that foster foundational learning. 

This research series aims to derive insights from the global evidence base to enhance the effectiveness of pre-primary education programmes and systems. It specifically explores strategies to improve children's learning and socioemotional development across various contexts, promote gender-transformative education in early childhood, ensure the inclusion of young refugee children in host communities, and adapt to systemic disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic. By addressing these thematic areas, the research seeks to identify successful approaches and inform policy and practice in pre-primary education worldwide.