The years from Reception to Year 2 are not simply the start of school. They are the most formative window of brain development a child will ever experience. Every second, a young brain forms over one million new neural connections, and the quality of instruction during this period shapes the cognitive architecture that underpins all future learning.

Another finding for trust leaders is that literacy and numeracy are not competing priorities, but interconnected systems mutually reinforcing one another. Investment in high-quality early years teaching enables schools and trusts to move beyond bridging gaps and build the foundations for lifelong success.