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Jennifer Smith

Jennifer leads EPI research on early years funding and the childcare workforce, and on how disadvantage shapes outcomes before school.

Senior Researcher

Leads our research on early years funding and the childcare workforce.

About Jennifer

Jennifer joined the Education Policy Institute in 2019. Her research covers early years funding, the childcare workforce and the attainment gap in the early years foundation stage.

Before EPI she worked at the Department for Education on early years policy. She is a trustee of a local nursery and a governor of a primary school in south London.

Recent Publications

Analysis

Annual report 2026: education in England

Pupils experiencing persistent disadvantage consistently demonstrate some of the lowest educational outcomes in the system, falling nearly two years behind their peers by the time they sit their GCSEs.

By John Smith and Jennifer Smith

Article

Free school meals take-up across local authorities

Pupils experiencing persistent disadvantage consistently demonstrate some of the lowest educational outcomes in the system, falling nearly two years behind their peers by the time they sit their GCSEs.

By Jennifer Smith

Analysis

Teacher shortages in shortage subjects

Pupils experiencing persistent disadvantage consistently demonstrate some of the lowest educational outcomes in the system, falling nearly two years behind their peers by the time they sit their GCSEs.

By Jon Andrews, John Smith, and Jennifer Smith