Lockdowns hurt child speech and language skills - report
By Branwen Jeffreys
media captionAssistant head teacher Victoria Day has five tips to ensure children's vocabulary keeps improving
There is growing evidence that the past year of lockdowns has had an impact on young children's language skills, according to research.
Data from 50,000 pupils and a survey of schools across England have shown an increased number of four- and five-year-olds needing help with language.
Evidence shows poor speech development can have long-term effects on learning.
The government says it is investing £18m in early-years catch-up, including extra help for those in Reception year.