School starting age
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Re: School starting age
It is mad. He can see the school and playground from his bedroom window and we can hear the children playing at breaktime.
We moved here early last summer so he wasn't admitted in the usual round.
I have no idea why he went from 1st to 2nd, to 3rd on the waiting list and the school are not very transparent about it either.
There are small allotments and a field in between but very few houses closer than ours.
Last call was rather frustrating as the secretary repeatedly told me there was no chance and I must look elsewhere.
We moved here early last summer so he wasn't admitted in the usual round.
I have no idea why he went from 1st to 2nd, to 3rd on the waiting list and the school are not very transparent about it either.
There are small allotments and a field in between but very few houses closer than ours.
Last call was rather frustrating as the secretary repeatedly told me there was no chance and I must look elsewhere.
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tiffinboys
- Posts: 8022
- Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:00 pm
- Location: Surrey
Re: School starting age
Going back to topic. Here is another view which suggest 'catch them young'.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-30633305" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Though I think that starting age should not be before at least 6 years of age and exceptions to admission should be based on SEN.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-30633305" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Though I think that starting age should not be before at least 6 years of age and exceptions to admission should be based on SEN.
Re: School starting age
Sounds like a lovely man 
The article states that he takes children from age 7 - although he said he may have 6 year olds if they attend with an older sibling.
The general research seems to indicate that 7 is a good time to start formal education (that was when Shakespeare started school, too
) but the debate is that children of 4 and 5 are increasingly being pressured to conform to goals which may not be in keeping with their maturity or level of fine motor development.
Schools may say that Foundation Stage is about 'play' but my experience is that with the new goals, it is increasingly about assessment and meeting what I consider to be very high expectations, particularly for summer-born children.
I am also seeing more children age 9 and older, who cannot hold a pencil properly and still struggle at that age to write clearly.
I cannot help but wonder if this is because nurseries/parents have started them on writing very early, before they had developed the fine motor strength to control a pencil with more ease.
I was at the Education Show last March and noted how many stalls were selling special pencils/finger grips etc.
Indeed at one stall, a man was giving a presentation to a large group of early-years teachers, which he started by saying, 'We all know that 4 year olds are not really ready to hold pencil so....' and he began to hold up and market his special pencils and grips.
I just thought that, if a 4 year old is not ready to hold a pencil properly, why force them? Do we force 3 week-olds to sit up alone, or 7 month olds to walk?
Why not let them play with toys which build fine motor co-ordination for a year or two, then give them a pencil when they are able to control it?
The article states that he takes children from age 7 - although he said he may have 6 year olds if they attend with an older sibling.
The general research seems to indicate that 7 is a good time to start formal education (that was when Shakespeare started school, too
) but the debate is that children of 4 and 5 are increasingly being pressured to conform to goals which may not be in keeping with their maturity or level of fine motor development.Schools may say that Foundation Stage is about 'play' but my experience is that with the new goals, it is increasingly about assessment and meeting what I consider to be very high expectations, particularly for summer-born children.
I am also seeing more children age 9 and older, who cannot hold a pencil properly and still struggle at that age to write clearly.
I cannot help but wonder if this is because nurseries/parents have started them on writing very early, before they had developed the fine motor strength to control a pencil with more ease.
I was at the Education Show last March and noted how many stalls were selling special pencils/finger grips etc.
Indeed at one stall, a man was giving a presentation to a large group of early-years teachers, which he started by saying, 'We all know that 4 year olds are not really ready to hold pencil so....' and he began to hold up and market his special pencils and grips.
I just thought that, if a 4 year old is not ready to hold a pencil properly, why force them? Do we force 3 week-olds to sit up alone, or 7 month olds to walk?
Why not let them play with toys which build fine motor co-ordination for a year or two, then give them a pencil when they are able to control it?
