D2.1 Policy analysis report

The report presents an analysis of how European countries have adopted different types
of educational reforms, ranging from universal reforms targeting the wider student population
to targeted interventions supporting specific groups of disadvantaged learners and
reducing inequalities, while also identifying areas that remain unaddressed in current reform
agendas. 

Ethnic diversity in Europe and varying levels of migration is addressed in a number of education
policies and interventions. Shared features across several countries in Europe
identified in this study pertain to national policy efforts and specific interventions that target
language acquisition, preparatory classes, intercultural mediation, and tailored educational
support to promote inclusion and academic success.

Many countries emphasise early and structured language programmes, supplementary
instruction, and linguistic assessments to ensure integration and equitable access to education:
e.g. Germany’s’ Sprach-Kitas programme that seeks to enhance ongoing exposure
to German in everyday activities in kindergartens; Finland's National Core Curriculum
Instruction Preparing for Basic Education allows for instruction in native languages; and
Denmark’s universal language assessment regime at the beginning of primary school.
Early childhood education is a key focus, with policies expanding access, lowering entry
ages, providing financial support, and enhancing curriculum quality, for instance Romania’s
Law 56/2019 made the last year of Early Childhood Education compulsory and free,
while enhancing access to childhood care in rural areas.