There is substantial evidence that preschool participation is beneficial for cognitive, social, linguistic and emotional development, and academic achievement in later life (Becker et al., 2013; Lazzari & Vandenbroeck, 2012; Heckmann, 2006). The on-going EPPSE study shows that high quality preschool has advantageous effects up to secondary education (Sammons et al., 2012).

Despite the high attendance rate in preschool and policy measures aimed at increasing preschool participation of children at risk of social exclusion and poverty,  the current education system is not capable of halting the reproduction of social inequality (Jacobs, et al., 2009). International surveys (e.g. PISA) demonstrate time and again a wide achievement gap between children with a high SES background and children with a low SES background; children with non-migrant and migrant background; and children speaking Dutch at home and children speaking another language at home.

Research has demonstrated that the beneficial effects of preschool can only be achieved in contexts of high quality provision. The EPPSE study showed that in high-quality settings, all children make more progress in their development, regarding the individual background of the children (Sammons et al., 2012). Yet not all studies lead to similar conclusions. Understanding the construction and implementation of educational quality in preschool settings is therefore of crucial importance. We need to comprehend how conceptions of educational quality, held by teachers and school staff, relate to the conceptions held by parents of children in poverty and at risk of social exclusion.

The study is situated in Flanders, Belgium. A region that holds a unique position regarding preschool participation. All children, from 2,5 years of age onwards, have full and free of charge access to preschool education. The enrollments and attendance rates in Flemish preschool education are very high: almost 99% of the four-year-old and 98,5% of the five-year-old children are enrolled in preschool (Department of Education and Training, 2014). But within the group of pupils more absent from preschool, children living in situations of poverty and at risk of social exclusion and children with another home language than Dutch are overrepresented.

This two year research project, funded by the FWO – Flanders,  aims at capturing the voices of children living in contexts of social exclusion and poverty and participating in an educational setting for the first time. We want to gain in-depth understanding of what constitutes educational quality in contexts of socio-cultural and socio-economic diversity and what shapes the early learning experiences of diverse children. More profound qualitative research is needed to grasp the educational settings reproducing or halting social inequality. 

The objectives of this research project are threefold. Firstly, we want to gain in-depth insight in the first experiences of children ‘at risk’ transitioning from to pre-primary education, and the (missed) learning opportunities for children at risk with a focus on learning through social interaction (teacher – child, and between children). Secondly, we strive at gaining insight in the reproduction of social inequality in the earliest schooling experiences. And finally, we will define implications for classroom practices and teacher education by highlighting examples of productive practices.

- Becker, B., Klein, O. & Biedinger, N. (2013). The development of cognitive, language and cultural skills from age 3 to 6. American Education Research Journal, 50, 616 – 649. - Heckman, J. J. (2008). The Case for Investing in Disadvantaged Young Children. DICE, 6 (2), pp. 49-58. - Jacobs, D., Rea, A., Teney, C., Callier, C. & Lothaire, S. (2009). De sociale lift blijft steken: De prestaties van allochtone leerlingen in de Vlaamse Gemeenschap en in de Franse Gemeenschap. Brussel: King Baudouin Foundation. - Lazzari, A, & Vandenbroeck, M. (2012). Literature Review of the Participation of Disadvantaged Children and Families in ECEC Services in Europe. In J. Bennet (Ed.), Early childhood education and care (ECEC) for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, Study commissioned by the Directorate General for Education and Culture. Brussels: European Commission. - Robson, C. (2002). Real World Research: A resource for social scientist and practitioner-researchers (2nd ed.). Malden, Oxford, Carlton: Blackwell. - Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggartt, B., Toth, K., …, Smees, R. (2012) Influences on students’ attainment and progress in Key Stage 3: Academic outcomes in English, maths and science in Year 9. Effective Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Eduction Project (EPPSE 3 – 14). London, UK: DfE.