This report presents a review of current research on the education of British children under the age of 5 and suggests important questions for future research. The description of current research includes studies concerned with preschools, home environment and parent-child interaction, cognitive skills, severely subnormal children, and evaluation of services for under-fives. Important areas for future research are grouped into two categories: (1) topics related to the education of socially disadvantaged children, such as assisting young disadvantaged children to acquire skills, determining the characteristics of socially disadvantaged children, transmitting educational and intellectual disadvantagement, and adapting school to the socially disadvantaged child; and (2) areas not directly related to the education of socially disadvantaged children, including problems of school organization, staff attitudes, transition to primary school, staff training, research into severely subnormal children's education, problems in early school socialization, problems in early cognitive development and the general provision of services for under-fives. General issues raised in discussions with educators and research administrators are also reported; these include the communication and implementation of research findings and the allocation of research funds. Appendices comprise a name index, a list of current research projects, and references. (GO)