ABSTRACT
Many a politician has been heard promising to 'close the gap' of social inequality, but seldom can we credit them for doing so. The gaps between the rich and poor in our society are long lasting and deep rooted, with few policies appearing to mitigate the damaging effects for those children who live in poverty. The vocabulary gap starts early and is more significant than most people would ever consider. The evidence on vocabulary gaps beginning early and proving a crucial factor in later school success stacks up. School children in England face the significant challenges of a new curriculum. The matter of a bigger, harder curriculum is of course multi-faceted, with many time-poor teachers feeling disillusioned and without the requisite training to face the issue of helping every child succeed. Attention to children developing their vocabulary should become a part of school and teacher planning in schools.
