Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SCIREARLY (POLICIES AND PRACTICES BASED ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FOR REDUCING UNDERACHIEVEMENT AND EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING IN EUROPE)
Reporting period: 2023-11-01 to 2025-10-31
Reducing underachievement in basic skills and preventing early school leaving (ESL) are long-standing priorities of the European Union. This challenge has become even more urgent in the post-pandemic context, where educational inequalities have deepened, particularly for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. Many of these learners do not acquire the foundational skills needed to succeed in education and later life, increasing the risk of ESL. The SCIREARLY project addressed this challenge by strengthening the scientific evidence on what contributes to reducing underachievement and ESL, and by translating this evidence into actionable solutions for policy and practice. The project focused on identifying, systematising, and scaling successful educational policies and practices that improve basic skills, promote well-being, and foster inclusive learning environments from early childhood education and care (ECEC) through to the end of compulsory education. SCIREARLY pursued a preventive and equity-driven approach. It examined the social determinants of underachievement, with particular attention to the role of high-quality ECEC as a protective factor, identified educational practices that support learning and engagement, and analysed policy measures that have demonstrably reduced ESL rates across Europe. By combining scientific research with participatory and dialogic methodologies, the project aimed to generate evidence-based knowledge that can be transferred and scaled, contributing to more inclusive and resilient education systems in Europe.
SCIREARLY implemented all planned scientific activities, achieving its objectives through systematic reviews, quantitative and qualitative research, comparative policy analysis, quasi-experimental designs, and co-creation. The project first established an evidence base on the social determinants of underachievement and early school leaving (WP1). A systematic literature review demonstrated that underachievement and ESL result from the interaction of multiple factors rather than single causes. It showed that practices such as grade repetition are associated with negative academic and well-being outcomes, while inclusive, dialogic, and community-engaged approaches support learning and belonging. SCIREARLY analysed policy approaches in Europe that have successfully reduced ESL rates, identifying key features of effective prevention-oriented strategies. Recognising the critical role of early childhood education and care, SCIREARLY advanced scientific knowledge on ECEC quality and its long-term impact (WP2). A comprehensive scoping review showed that high-quality ECEC environments combining relational, emotional, and cognitively stimulating practices have lasting positive effects on educational trajectories. Based on this evidence, the project developed indicators of ECEC quality and piloted a Self-Assessment ECEC Quality Instrument. A large-scale European survey involving practitioners from 18 countries identified core dimensions of ECEC quality, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement such as family engagement and professional development. These findings were complemented by focus groups with children, families, and staff, resulting in a co-created framework defining essential features of high-quality ECEC. SCIREARLY also identified and analysed Successful Learning Environments in compulsory education (WP3). Through 20 in-depth case studies across 11 countries, the project showed that effective learning environments integrate academic learning and well-being through inclusive and relational practices, supported by strong leadership, high expectations, personalised support, and professional collaboration. A quasi-experimental study tested the transferability and scalability of these practices in schools across Europe, demonstrating positive effects on learning outcomes and student well-being, particularly in primary education (WP4). Using a life-course approach, SCIREARLY explored educational trajectories of learners from vulnerable backgrounds who succeeded against the odds (WP5) and identified key drivers of success, including sustained relational support, inclusive school climates, mentoring, peer relationships, and personal agency, highlighting the importance of integrated academic, social, and emotional support. Finally, an integrated, evidence-based framework translateed complex research results into an actionable structure for policy, research, and practice. Finally, the SCIREARLY Impact Platform, an open-access resource, ensures the long-term usability of the project’s outcomes (WP6).
SCIREARLY has moved beyond the state of the art by combining scientific rigour with participatory, socially grounded research to address underachievement and early school leaving in a comprehensive and transferable way. A central innovation of the project is its co-creation methodology, designed to work with populations from marginalised backgrounds and offering a replicable model for socially impactful, evidence-informed research. The project developed a novel, multi-dimensional framework that provides policymakers, school leaders, and practitioners with an actionable lens to guide systemic change across prevention, intervention, and compensation strategies. SCIREARLY also generated tools and data with strong potential for further research and policy use, including indicators of ECEC quality, a piloted self-assessment instrument for practitioners, and a large cross-national dataset supporting comparative analysis and policy benchmarking. Practitioner-oriented toolkits, policy briefs, and an open-access digital platform translate scientific evidence into practical guidance, facilitating uptake across contexts. Through participatory events and dialogic policy processes, the project strengthened the link between evidence and action, ensuring that its results are relevant, context-sensitive, and transformation-oriented.