Shropshire Best Start In Life plan
Our vision
‘Every child thrives in a safe, supportive home where families feel empowered and are able to work seamlessly with their communities and services to improve their lives.’
Introduction
The early years are a critical period that shape a child’s life. At Shropshire Council we're committed to ensuring that every child has the strongest possible foundation so that they're able to live their best life. When families are well supported and children flourish from the outset, the benefits extend across schools, communities, and future generations.
An indicator of how well children are progressing in the early years is a measure that's undertaken in reception class, called the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
In 2024/25, 68% of children in Shropshire achieved a 'good level of development' (GLD) - this is below the national average. Outcomes for children eligible for free school meals (FSM) remain a significant concern, with only 43.7% achieving GLD.
Our plan aims to increase:
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The overall number of children achieving a good level of development to 77%
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The number of children eligible for FSM GLD to 56.1%
This means that an extra 245 children will reach this pivotal milestone.
This Best Start in Life plan sets out the actions we'll take as a partnership. It outlines how we'll work collaboratively across early years settings, health, education, and community partners to ensure high quality, accessible support for families particularly those who are most likely to face challenges reaching these goals.
The plan sets out a clear, ambitious, and collaborative approach to improving outcomes for children and families across the county. Grounded in a strong understanding of local need and shaped by shared values and principles that place children and families at the heart of decisionmaking, the plan outlines targeted actions that strengthen early development, partnership working, and the quality and accessibility of early years provision. Through coordinated delivery, strong system enablers, and a commitment to continuous reflection and improvement, partners across Shropshire will work together to ensure every child is supported to thrive, helping to achieve meaningful and lasting change for communities now and in the future.
Find out more from the information on this page.
