Coventry Early Years strategy 2025 to 2028

Commitment:

We will advocate for early childhood, implementing research-based programmes and initiatives to provide every chance for all children to reach their potential and thrive, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Early language development

Speech, Language and Communication is the foundation of development within a Child’s early years, shaping their ability to, learn, and interact with the world. However, some children experience delays in developing communication skills, which limit their progress and hinder social skills and learning.

For children who struggle to communicate, talk and understand words, their whole lives are affected. A recent Speech and Language UK report ‘Listening to unheard children,’ found that these children are:

• 6 times more likely to be behind in English at age 11
• 11 times more likely to be behind in maths at age 11
• have more mental health problems

Playing and learning together – The home learning environment

The quality of the home learning environment is a key predictor of a child’s early language ability and future success; positive experiences can have lasting and life changing impacts.

In Coventry, there is a disparity in educational outcomes for children aged five within distinct groups that we seek to reduce. When families support children’s learning and development at home it is helpful in building their speech, language and communication skills.

This not only impacts on a child’s development in the early years, but it can also persist until their GCSEs and A-Levels.

It is also related to supporting a child’s social and emotional development with benefits noticed until age 16.

Where are we now? Communication and language outcomes:

Communication and Language is a Prime Area of learning and underpins achievement across the EYFS.

Data source: Nexus

3-year trend

• Coventry outcomes for C&L show a slight improvement over time, from 74.4% in 2022 to 75.1% in 2024. However, a gap with National remains: -5.1% in 2022 and -4.2% in 2024
• Coventry C&L data is lower than the SN group over time. The gap was -2.7% in 2022 and -2.1% in 2024

2024 : 1-year comparison

• Coventry C&L data dropped by 0.9% in 2024, when compared to 2023. This was more than the 0.4% drop seen nationally and resulted in the gap widening
• The SN group data improved by 0.1% in 2024 with 77.2% children reaching the expected standard in C&L compared to 77.1% in 2023. This meant the gap between Coventry and the SN group increased by 1.0%

The decline in Coventry C&L data seen in 2024 is more than that seen nationally and contrasts with the slight improvement in the SN data. Of the 3 Prime Areas, C&L represents the biggest gap between Coventry and the SN group.

24.9% of Children leaving the Early Years Foundation Stage in 2024 did not achieve the early learning goal for communication and language, which is more than double the percentage identified as struggling within this cohort at the 2 to 2.5 years check.

There is a high level of demand for support. The Local Authority Speech and Language Needs Assessment, (2022) determined a correlation between the highest number of referrals into the Speech and Language Therapy Service (SaLT), coming from the lowest super output areas (Indices of Multiple Deprivation score).

As of April 2025, the Coventry Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service reports the following waiting times:​

• Communication Assessments: up to 21 weeks from referral to initial assessment.
• School-Age Assessments: aiming to see children within 18 weeks, with priority appointments for those with the highest level of need

Priority 2: what this means for every child

Marmot principles

• 2.improving the universal early language development offer and the support we provide to help families to play and learn together
• 3. delivering a stronger focus on early learning and families playing and learning together in Family Hubs, outreach groups and community venues

What will we do?

1. Universal and Targeted Access to Early Learning Tools:
   • promote widespread uptake of the “50 Things to Do Before You’re Five” app, aiming to support 3,000 families with low and/or no-cost play and learning ideas to boost health, learning, and wellbeing
   • provide universal access to the EasyPeasy app, focusing efforts on increasing downloads in areas of higher deprivation to support early speech, language, and communication development from conception to age 5
2. expand delivery of Early Years Activities:
   • ensure 0 to 5 activities are consistently delivered across all Family Hubs and extended into outreach and community venues
   • implement universal ‘Stay and Play’ sessions in Family Hubs to engage children with SEND, alongside expanded targeted support before and after diagnosis
3. Speech, Language and Communication Development:
   • enhance quality of early learning sessions through training, QA tools, and ongoing support focused on children’s speech, language, and communication needs
   • secure investment and implement Speech and Language UK’s Early Talk Boost and Talking Tots programmes, delivered through 8 Family Hubs, 16 early years settings, and 6 community groups
   • expand Early Talk Boost training to an additional 25 Early Years providers annually over the next 2 academic years
   • achieve Tier 1 Coventry Little Communicators training attendance from 60% of EY providers (179 settings)
   • develop and roll out Tier 2 and Tier 3 CLT training, aiming for 50% of settings to have a designated Communication Champion
   • revise the Universal Speech, Language and Communication Pathway in partnership with multi-agency stakeholders to improve clarity and effectiveness
4. Workforce development:
   • Produce costed proposals to grow and sustain a skilled Start for Life workforce, including training and retention strategies for key professionals
5. Community-based Literacy and Language promotion:
   • Collaborate with Coventry Libraries & Information Services and Family Hubs to promote early reading, communication and language through:
     • outreach to nurseries in under-resourced communities
     • promotion of both universal and targeted Bookstart packs
     • delivery of community music and literacy events (e.g. sing-alongs, mini music festivals, teddy bear picnics) to encourage engagement and celebrate children’s achievements

Outcome thrive - we will know that we have been successful when:

Outcomes

• we can communicate clearly, understand others, and make our needs understood. We receive help with speech, language, and communication skills when we need it
• more of us will achieve the early learning goal for communication and language
• Family Hubs ensure that we receive help with our Speech, Language and Communication skills when we need it
• there is effective early identification of our needs and any areas of vulnerability. This happens because the right checks are in place and acted upon quickly by all services, education providers, and practitioners
• sixty percent of registered providers attend training in relation to supporting speech, language and communication. 50% of Early Years providers have a trained Communication Champion
• families are engaged in children's development, supporting play and learning at home with accessible tools. 3,000 families use '50 Things to Do Before You’re 5', and 55% of EasyPeasy app users live in the top 30% most deprived areas
• there are different groups for us play, learn, and discover. They meet our individual needs and are offered at places where our families want to go. Play and learning together opportunities are inclusive, 100% Family Hubs offer a Stay and Play session for families of children with SEND

Performance measures

• between 2025 and 2028 increase the percentage of all children achieving a good level of development at the end of Reception and reduce the gap to national outcomes
• between 2025 and 2028 increase percentage of disadvantaged children achieving a Good Level of Development at the end of EYFS and move closer to Statistical Neighbours
• between 2025 to 2028 increase percentage of ALL children who achieve the ELG for CLL in Coventry and move closer to Statistical Neighbours
• Early Talk Boost: extend the number of EY providers who receive training to deliver ETB by a further 25 over each of the next 2 years
• between 2025 and 2028 increase in the number of parents who access digital start for life services at universal and targeted level
• develop outreach work through Coventry Libraries & Information Services to targeted Nurseries in under-resourced communities
• establish an online early years music forum and digital resource library for sharing resources, session plans, and best practice
• sixty percent of registered EY providers have attended training in relation to supporting speech, language and communication
• fifty percent of Early Years providers have a trained Communication Champion
• more parents of children aged 2 to 4, access HLE programmes delivered by a range of professionals including health and early years practitioners, and VCFS organisations
• increase the number of practitioners across the LA achieving the Early Years SEND qualification by a further 10% by July 2028, to enhance inclusive practice and support more children with SEND to thrive in mainstream settings