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The Impact of Free Early Childhood Education and Care on Educational Achievement: a Discontinuity Approach Investigating Both Quantity and Quality of Provision

Author

Listed:
  • Jo Blanden

    (University of Surrey, CEP, LSE)

  • Emilia Del Bono

    (ISER, University of Essex)

  • Kirstine Hansen

    (University College London)

  • Birgitta Rabe

    (ISER, University of Essex)

Abstract

In this paper we analyse whether entitlement to free part-time early childhood education and care at 3 years old affects educational attainment in the first year of primary school. Our identification strategy exploits date-of-birth discontinuities that lead to some children born just a few days apart being entitled to different amounts of free pre-school (up to 3.5 months) while starting school at the same time and within the same cohort. Using administrative data on all state school pupils in England, we carry out a regression discontinuity analysis and find that eligibility to free part-time early education and care results in a zero overall effect on educational achievement at age 5. This is true for advantaged and disadvantaged groups and for children attending high and low quality provision.

Suggested Citation

  • Jo Blanden & Emilia Del Bono & Kirstine Hansen & Birgitta Rabe, 2017. "The Impact of Free Early Childhood Education and Care on Educational Achievement: a Discontinuity Approach Investigating Both Quantity and Quality of Provision," School of Economics Discussion Papers 0617, School of Economics, University of Surrey.
    • Handle: RePEc:sur:surrec:0617
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    File URL: https://repec.som.surrey.ac.uk/2017/DP06-17.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. van Huizen, Thomas & Plantenga, Janneke, 2018. "Do children benefit from universal early childhood education and care? A meta-analysis of evidence from natural experiments," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 206-222.

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