An exploration of factors affecting the baseline assessment scores of children attending morning or afternoon sessions in nursery settings in Wales

Dorrian, Jane (2021). An exploration of factors affecting the baseline assessment scores of children attending morning or afternoon sessions in nursery settings in Wales. Early Years, 43(1) pp. 91–103.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2021.1910799

Abstract

Nursery practitioners often highlight the difference between the children who attend morning sessions and those who attend afternoon sessions, with the feeling that the morning session children are more receptive and show greater improvement in their development than those who attend in the afternoon, but no specific data OR evidence has been presented to support this assertion. Statistical analysis of baseline assessment results was undertaken to determine any significance or correlation and the results indicated that children who attended morning sessions were statistically likely to achieve 2 points higher on average in their baseline assessment scores. This would suggest that children who attend afternoon sessions are starting their educational journey with lower basic skills than those who attend in the morning and this could affect their school readiness.