Teachers call for children to start school at 7

[Simona]

I know it is The Mail but at last some sense coming out ...I bet Gove and Wilshaw are not amused!


Teachers call for pupils to start school at the age of seven to stop them being damaged by 'too much, too soon' culture | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2603575/Teachers-call-pupils-start-school-age-seven-stop-damaged-soon-culture.html)

[AliceK]

When I read the title of your msg I thought it was referring to children starting school at 7am and I thought NO, I CAN'T GET THEM THERE THAT EARLY!!!!
It would be nice though if someone could see sense that an aged 7 start would benefit them.

xxxx

[tulip0803]

I thought the same as Alice:laughing:

I am lucky to live in Wales they are trying the 7 start within the constraints of the legal age to start school of 5. They do Foundation Phase during the ages of 3-7 which is play based - following the kindergarten model. My daughter was one of the first years to do it, she is now 10 - it will be a while before they have comparable results as she has only been in formal learning for 2 1/2 years, last year they bought out figures for maths/English/Welsh based on other children in Wales for the first time (before it had been compared to children in England). Compared to children in England they are "behind" but they are catching up fast. Her education is also bilingual so even though we are English speaking she can speak Welsh fluently and can read and write it well too (same as English), They have also learnt some Chinese, French and some Bantu Swahili as they have a link to some schools there.

Many parents do not understand the Foundation Phase and there are lots of grumbles from parents - the meithrinfa and derbyn classes (nursery & rising 5s - nearly 4-5) & years 1 & 2 spend loads of time outside, they have waterproofs and wellies for all the children. They go to the shops to buy ingredients, that went on an Easter bonnet parade around the village. I think it is great and I am so pleased that I live here:thumbsup:

[bunyip]

When I read the title of your msg I thought it was referring to children starting school at 7am and I thought NO, I CAN'T GET THEM THERE THAT EARLY!!!!
It would be nice though if someone could see sense that an aged 7 start would benefit them.

xxxx

:laughing:

That was my first thought too.

My 2nd thought was "teachers talking sense" :huh: - I may need to go and lie down to let that sink in.

My 3rd thought was, "that'll make all the teachers from Reception to Year 1 redundant - have they thought this through???" (turkeys voting for Christmas indeed ;) ).

:D

[Simona]

:laughing:

That was my first thought too.

My 2nd thought was "teachers talking sense" :huh: - I may need to go and lie down to let that sink in.

My 3rd thought was, "that'll make all the teachers from Reception to Year 1 redundant - have they thought this through???" (turkeys voting for Christmas indeed ;) ).

:D

If your 3rd thought came true those Reception teachers would be redeployed to teach children of legal school age, many of whom in many areas are without a school space because schools are bursting at the seams and so are sent far away from their council to find a school....and with another baby boom I wonder where these schools are going to put all of them...unless teachers will be allowed to teach a class of 40?....perish the thought!

So if the law has to be followed....compulsory school is at age 5 and 1/4.... those children deserve a priority
The issue is not rocket science....the rest of the world has done it since time immemorial

There must be a reason why 6 is the most preferred age for starting school...I wonder if it has to do with Child development or school readiness?...or both?

I do not ever think that 7 would ever be accepted here as starting formal schooling...God forbid we should follow the Finland example and succeed like they do but....Reception at 5 and Year 1 at age 6 is possible and best as so far we have no research that proves 'earlier is better' in education

Lets face it...children at school at 2 saves a lot of money to parents for childcare, resolves the crisis created by Truss et al and millions to Ofsted via inspections...and since when is Ofsted the policy maker rather than the regulator of those who make policies??

Lets go back a few years ago...say 10 years.... when children did start reception at 5...

I do not ever remember childcare being expensive...or there being so much research into its rising costs...or being such a political football....or schools bursting at the seams...or there being so many issues in childcare not to the govt liking

Those who can go back in time will realise this is all a well manipulated con...
we protest but actually no one listens to us, we criticise but accept whatever is thrown at us...no wonder this govt takes no notice of us because we never follow it with action.

Does anyone remember the Polish mothers who recently protested and marched because their govt wanted to lower the starting age of education from 7 to 6 years?
Would we ever do that?

I doubt teachers would have asked for school to start at 7...which is exactly what the 'Too much too soon' group has done for a while..... unless they had good reasons to do so...
I would refer to teachers in many other ways but not turkeys voting for Christmas....In my view those who accept current policies are the turkeys

[JCrakers]

I think that foundation stage is good at the moment, lots of play and learning at the same time.

What I do think needs changing is the intake of a child who is 5yrs old in the September and the intake of a child who is only just 4yrs in the August. There is a huge gap and difference between a 4 and 5yr old.