Children who take part in NELI Preschool make, on average, two additional months’ progress in their oral language skills, new findings published by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) show.
The Nuffield Foundation funded the development and initial trial of NELI Preschool for three- and four-year-olds, which paved the way for the latest EEF research.
NELI Preschool is a 20-week oral language programme centred around shared storybook reading and guided play in nursery. It includes both universal language enrichment for all children in whole-group sessions, and targeted intervention for those with the weakest oral language skills.
These independent research findings show that a combination of high-quality language enrichment and targeted support can help more children develop the communication skills they need to thrive before they start primary school. The Nuffield Foundation is committed to funding innovative practice to understand and tackle inequality in early years education.Josh Hillman, Education Director
Nuffield-funded research and evaluation into children’s oracy led to the creation of the original Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme for reception pupils in England.
More than 11,000 primary schools are now registered to use NELI, benefitting tens of thousands of school starters every year. The Department for Education has invested over £20 million in the NELI programme and is now providing funding until 2029.
