Early Start was introduced in 1994 in eight urban schools designated by my Department as serving areas of disadvantage. In 1995 it was extended to a further 32 similar locations. The project was designed to offset the educational effects of socio-economic deprivation.
The educational research centre, Drumcondra, was requested to undertake the evaluation of Early Start. The evaluation related to the first two cohorts of pupils in 1994-95 and 1995-96 in the initial eight schools over the first three years of the life of the project. A longitudinal report on the first cohort of Early Start children when they were in second class has been completed. A similar report on the second cohort is due next August.
No specific targets were set for the project in terms of pupil outcomes. The initial and further evaluations found that there were many positive aspects to the development of the project but no significant cognitive gains were identified in the experimental groups.