Surrey Communication and Language in Education Study (SCALES): cohort profile
Purpose The Surrey Communication and Language in Education Study (SCALES) cohort was established to estimate prevalence, persistence and impact of developmental language disorders on cognition and mental health, using newly established international consensus diagnostic criteria.Participants A popul...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2025-07-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e100710.full |
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| author | Andrew Pickles Emily Simonoff Tony Charman Gillian Baird Sarah Griffiths George Vamvakas Courtenay Norbury Laura Lucas Debbie Gooch |
| author_facet | Andrew Pickles Emily Simonoff Tony Charman Gillian Baird Sarah Griffiths George Vamvakas Courtenay Norbury Laura Lucas Debbie Gooch |
| author_sort | Andrew Pickles |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose The Surrey Communication and Language in Education Study (SCALES) cohort was established to estimate prevalence, persistence and impact of developmental language disorders on cognition and mental health, using newly established international consensus diagnostic criteria.Participants A population sample of 7267 children aged 4–5 years (59% of eligible children), who started state-maintained school in Surrey, England in 2011–2012 for whom teacher-rated screening data on language, behaviour and early learning goals were available. A subsample of monolingual children enriched for language difficulties completed intensive assessments in year 1 (age 5–6, n=529), year 3 (age 7–8, n=499), year 6 (age 10–11, n=384) and year 8 (age 12–13, n=246). Screening data for 7013 children has been linked to the UK Department of Education National Pupil Database data on special educational needs provision and academic progress.Findings to date Language disorders are more prevalent than other neurodevelopmental conditions (such as autism) and more common in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage. Language is a highly stable trait. Language status at school entry is therefore strongly predictive of long-term education progress, the need for specialist support, general cognitive abilities and increased risk for poor mental health, through its effects on social and emotional development.Future plans The SCALES cohort will leave compulsory education in 2025 and we are planning to track academic qualifications and post-18 destinations. SCALES data are publicly available via the UK Data Service: DOI: 10.5255/UKDA-SN-8967-1 and DOI: 10.5255/UKDA-SN-8968-1. National Pupil Database data are restricted and cannot be shared. Requests for collaboration and any data that are not publicly available should be addressed to CN, UCL, London (email: c.norbury@ucl.ac.uk). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3281b7ed20d646868daab775a3a7e484 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
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| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-3281b7ed20d646868daab775a3a7e4842025-08-20T03:12:56ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-07-0115710.1136/bmjopen-2025-100710Surrey Communication and Language in Education Study (SCALES): cohort profileAndrew Pickles0Emily Simonoff1Tony Charman2Gillian Baird3Sarah Griffiths4George Vamvakas5Courtenay Norbury6Laura Lucas7Debbie Gooch8King’s College London School of Medical Education, London, UKChild & Adolescent Psychiatry, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UKKing’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UKNewcomen Centre, London, UKPsychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UKDepartment of Biostatistics, King’s College London, London, UKPsychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UKPsychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UKUniversity of Surrey, Guildford, UKPurpose The Surrey Communication and Language in Education Study (SCALES) cohort was established to estimate prevalence, persistence and impact of developmental language disorders on cognition and mental health, using newly established international consensus diagnostic criteria.Participants A population sample of 7267 children aged 4–5 years (59% of eligible children), who started state-maintained school in Surrey, England in 2011–2012 for whom teacher-rated screening data on language, behaviour and early learning goals were available. A subsample of monolingual children enriched for language difficulties completed intensive assessments in year 1 (age 5–6, n=529), year 3 (age 7–8, n=499), year 6 (age 10–11, n=384) and year 8 (age 12–13, n=246). Screening data for 7013 children has been linked to the UK Department of Education National Pupil Database data on special educational needs provision and academic progress.Findings to date Language disorders are more prevalent than other neurodevelopmental conditions (such as autism) and more common in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage. Language is a highly stable trait. Language status at school entry is therefore strongly predictive of long-term education progress, the need for specialist support, general cognitive abilities and increased risk for poor mental health, through its effects on social and emotional development.Future plans The SCALES cohort will leave compulsory education in 2025 and we are planning to track academic qualifications and post-18 destinations. SCALES data are publicly available via the UK Data Service: DOI: 10.5255/UKDA-SN-8967-1 and DOI: 10.5255/UKDA-SN-8968-1. National Pupil Database data are restricted and cannot be shared. Requests for collaboration and any data that are not publicly available should be addressed to CN, UCL, London (email: c.norbury@ucl.ac.uk).https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e100710.full |
| spellingShingle | Andrew Pickles Emily Simonoff Tony Charman Gillian Baird Sarah Griffiths George Vamvakas Courtenay Norbury Laura Lucas Debbie Gooch Surrey Communication and Language in Education Study (SCALES): cohort profile BMJ Open |
| title | Surrey Communication and Language in Education Study (SCALES): cohort profile |
| title_full | Surrey Communication and Language in Education Study (SCALES): cohort profile |
| title_fullStr | Surrey Communication and Language in Education Study (SCALES): cohort profile |
| title_full_unstemmed | Surrey Communication and Language in Education Study (SCALES): cohort profile |
| title_short | Surrey Communication and Language in Education Study (SCALES): cohort profile |
| title_sort | surrey communication and language in education study scales cohort profile |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e100710.full |
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