Five to Twelve: year 1

About the study

Five to Twelve is a new longitudinal study of children in primary education, funded by the Department for Education (DfE). It seeks to understand educational and wellbeing outcomes of children, and how these are linked to social inequalities, across England in the 2020s.  

Year 1 findings draw attention to the challenges faced by both children eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) and those with special educational needs (SEN). These children experience disadvantage at almost every level, at the very start of their academic journeys. Findings also highlight the relevance of parental education and household income to factors that are associated with later educational outcomes. Overall, year 1 of Five to Twelve contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors shaping children's educational trajectories in contemporary England, which will be built upon in future years of the study.

Findings

• Children eligible for FSM, those with SEN, from lower-income households, and those with less well-educated parents were more likely to have longstanding health conditions.
• Around half (54%) of children had a regular bedtime, and 37% exercised daily. Children with SEN were less likely to have regular bedtimes or exercise. Those with SEN or eligible for FSM also slept fewer hours and were rated by teachers as having less well-developed motor skills.
• Most children (78%) lived with two parents, while 21% lived in lone-parent households. FSM-eligible children were more likely to be in lone-parent households (59% compared to 13% of non-eligible children).
• The majority of families (83%) engaged in home learning activities at least a few times per week. FSM-eligible households, as well as those with lower income or lower parental education took part in home learning activities less frequently. This was also true for children with SEN.
• Three-quarters of the cohort were predicted to meet expected standards in maths (78%) and reading (77%) by the end of Key Stage 2. Children eligible for FSM, with SEN, from lower-income households, or with less educated parents were less likely to be thought to meet standards.
• Cognitive assessments revealed correlations with socio-economic and demographic variables. Verbal skills were strongly linked to parental education and socio-economic status, and children with SEN scored lower on average. Non-verbal reasoning and working memory showed similar patterns.

Methodology

The Five to Twelve cohort of children in year 1 (aged 5 and 6 in the 2023/2024 academic year) in state primary schools in England was randomly selected from DfE’s National Pupil Database (NPD), with a boost of those eligible for Free School Meals (FSM). Survey interviews were conducted with 8,632 families in their homes across England between November 2023 and August 2024, representing a 47% response rate.