Four experiments were conducted to assess infants ability to solve isomorphic problems and to explore the nature of early representations. Ten- and 13-month-olds attempted to solve problems that required combining 2 subgoals to bring a toy (goal object) within reach. A problem-series paradigm was used in which 3 tasks differing in surface features but sharing common goal structures and similar solutions were presented. The results indicate that 13-month-olds transferred a modeled solution strategy across isomorphic problems, whereas 10-month-olds did so only after experiencing either multiple source problems or high perceptual similarity between problems. Comprehension of the relations between solution actions and outcome, and between tools and target object, appeared critical to transfer. The results suggest that 1-year-olds can construct relatively abstract and flexible mental representations and that analogical problem solving may be 1 of the major accomplishments during the 1st year of life.

There is evidence that teacher judgements and assessments of primary school pupils can be systematically biased. This paper tests the proposal that stereotyping plays a part in creating these judgement inequalities and is instrumental in achievement variation according to income-level, gender, special educational needs status, ethnicity and spoken language. Using 2008 data for almost 5,000 pupils from the Millennium Cohort Study, it demonstrates biases in teachers’ average ratings of sample pupils’ reading and maths ‘ability and attainment’ which correspond to every one of these key characteristics. Findings go on to suggest that stereotypes according to each of income-level, gender, special educational needs status and ethnicity all play some part in forming these biases. The paper strengthens the evidence that stereotyping of pupils may contribute to assessment and thereby attainment inequalities, and concludes that an increased focus on tackling this process may lead to greater parity and a narrowing of gaps.

There is an established body of evidence indicating that a pupil's relative age within their school year cohort is associated with academic attainment throughout compulsory education. In England, autumn-born pupils consistently attain at higher levels than summer-born pupils. Analysis here investigates a possible channel of this relative age effect: ability grouping in early primary school. Relatively younger children tend more often to be placed in the lowest in-class ability groups, and relatively older children in the highest group. In addition, teacher perceptions of pupils' ability and attainment are associated with the child's birth month: older children are more likely to be judged above average by their teachers. Using 2008 data for 5481 English seven-year-old pupils and their teachers from the Millennium Cohort Study, this research uses linear regression modelling to explore whether birth month gradation in teacher perceptions of pupils is more pronounced when pupils are in-class ability grouped than when they are not. It finds an amplification of the already disproportionate tendency of teachers to judge autumn-born children as more able when grouping takes place. The autumn-summer difference in teacher judgements is significantly more pronounced among in-class ability grouped pupils than among non-grouped pupils. Given evidence that teacher perceptions and expectations can influence children's trajectories, this supports the hypothesis that in-class ability grouping in early primary school may be instrumental in creating the relative age effect.

For over a decade, all three-year-olds in England have been entitled to a free part-time early education place. One aim of this policy is to close developmental gaps between higher-income and lowincome children. However, the success of the initiative depends on children accessing the places. Using the National Pupil Database, we examine all autumn-born four-year-olds attending in January 2011, and ask whether they started attending when first eligible, in January 2010. One in five children did not access their free place from the beginning, and the proportion is much higher among children from families with persistently low incomes. We also find differences by ethnicity and home language, but these factors explain only a small share of the income gradient. We go on to explore associations between non-take-up and local area factors. In areas with higher child poverty rates, take-up is lower overall, but the gap between low-income and other families is smaller. There are also various associations between take-up and local proportions of different provider types (maintained, private, voluntary, Sure Start). In particular, the voluntary sector seems to have more flexibility than maintained provision to offer places in January, and more success than private providers in reaching children from lower-income backgrounds. The analysis also highlights how take-up overall is relatively high and the gap by income level is smaller in areas with more Sure Start provision. This suggests that aspects of Sure Start facilitated access among low-income families, and could perhaps be replicated as implementation of the free entitlement continues to be expanded.

The causal mechanisms underlying relationships between pre-pregnancy overweight, obesity, and breastfeeding behaviours require further research. However, this study suggests pre-pregnancy BMI as one predictive measure for targeting support to women less likely to establish breastfeeding in the early days, and to continue beyond 4 months. The nature of support should carefully be considered and developed, with mind to both intended and potential unintended consequences of intervention given the need for additional investigation into the causes of associations.

This paper tests the hypothesis that stream placement influences teacher judgements of pupils, thus investigating a route through which streaming by 'ability' may contribute to inequalities. Regression modelling of data for 800+ 7-year-olds taking part in the Millennium Cohort Study examines whether teachers' reported perceptions of 'ability and attainment' correspond to the stream in which a pupil is situated. Children with similar characteristics, who perform equivalently on recent, independent, salient cognitive tests, and who have equal prior attainment, are compared. As predicted, stream level is associated with teachers' perceptions. The hypothesis that there is a relationship from stream placement to teacher judgement is supported.

This paper analyses English Millennium Cohort Study data (N = 4463). It examines two respective predictors of children's maths self-concept at age 11: earlier in-class maths 'ability' group and earlier teacher judgements of children's maths 'ability/attainment' (both at age seven). It also investigates differential associations by maths cognitive test score at seven (which proxies maths skill), and by gender. In the sample overall, controlling for numerous potential confounders including maths score, bottom-grouped children and children judged 'below average' are much more likely to have later negative maths self-concept. Beneath this aggregate lies variation by gender. All highest 'ability'-grouped boys have very low chances of negative self-concept, regardless of maths scorebut low-scoring girls placed in the highest group have heightened chances of thinking subsequently they are not good at maths. Additionally, the association between negative teacher judgement and negative self-concept is more pervasive for girls.

We would like to thank the Nuffield Foundation for funding this research. The Nuffield Foundation is an endowed charitable trust that aims to improve social well-being in the widest sense. It funds research and innovation in education and social policy and also works to build capacity in education, science and social science research. The Nuffield Foundation has funded this project, but the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Foundation. More information is available at www.nuffieldfoundation.org. Many thanks also to the Department for Education for use of the National Pupil Database (NPD), and to the NPD Requests Team, for facilitating access. Lastly, we would like to thank colleagues in the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, our project advisory group, and two anonymous reviewers, for helpful comments and suggestions.