The Durham University Study assessed 35,000 children in 124 primary schools in England just after they started reception in every year from 2001 to 2006.
Durham University's CEM Centre collects data on thousands of children when they start school using Performance Indicators in Primary Schools (PIPS) tests to assess their knowledge of vocabulary, letters and words, their phonological awareness, and their ability to identify shapes, recognise rhymes and count.
To measure counting skills, children were shown objects disappearing from a computer screen and then asked how many objects they saw.
Dr Christine Merrell, co-author of the report, said that PIPs gave 'good quality data' for predicting children's later achievement. She said that she would have expected 'some measurable changes' and that 'Sure Start should be having an impact when children start school'.
But she added, 'It is possible, however, that it is just still too early to measure the effects of these programmes, particularly those of the Children's Act and Every Child Matters.'
She said results from 2006 showed a slight rise in children's scores across the board. 'It's not statistically significant, but let's look at what happens this year.'
However, the Durham study did not identify the children's pre-school experiences. The researchers did not know, for example, how much contact they had with Sure Start or how long they attended nursery.
Professor Jay Belsky, director of the Institute for the Study of Children, Families and Social Issues at Birkbeck College, London, which is leading the National Evaluation of Sure Start, said, 'My response would be that it's too early to tell. It seems premature.'
He added, 'Being ready to learn is more than about knowing your letters and numbers. For example, children could be better at sitting and listening.'
Marion Dowling, president of Early Education, advised caution about the Durham results. She said, 'We await the research from Birkbeck, which will be more indicative. We must not draw hasty conclusions.
'One of the possible dangers is the Government is hell-bent on quantity rather than quality. There might be some glimmers of truth in there, which could be to do with the rush to provide more, rather than making it as good as it can be. Qualified teachers in children's centres are crucial.'
See www.pipsproject.org.
'Where you have children's centres based in nursery schools you see high quality provision. Qualified teachers in children's centres are crucial. There is a place for Early Years Professionals but qualified teachers must remain.'