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Children 'shouldn't start school until they are seven'
Last updated at 09:07am on 01.08.07
More playtime: Children shouldn't start school until they are seven
Children should not be forced to start formal education until they are seven, a nursery nurses' leader believes.
Forcing children to enter school when they are just five harms their development, according to Deborah Lawson, former chairman of the Professional Association of Teachers.
Ms Lawson is urging the Government to give children more time and greater opportunities to play - particularly outdoors - otherwise they cannot learn vital social and "creative" skills.
"Many children are ferried everywhere by their parents or carers. They are not given the opportunity to play in open spaces or out in the street and, as such, they are not developing the life skills that they need," she warned.
Ms Lawson warned the current "tick box" emphasis on academic achievement made everybody over-anxious - including many parents, who felt they should be pushing children before they were ready.
"Some parents like the worksheets because it is solid evidence that their child is progressing. They really want to see it - sometimes parents say 'Little Johnny is bringing back flash cards and my Billy isn't' - when actually Billy isn't quite ready for it."
Ms Lawson's call, at the PAT's annual conference in Harrogate, comes after Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls acknowledged that children should not be "wrapped in cotton wool" and instead should spend more time outdoors.
Ms Lawson said the Government had recognised the value of "learning through play" in the national curriculum up to five years old.
But she urged ministers to follow the example set by Scandinavian and central European countries, where children do not start formal education until they are seven.
Here, under the Early Years Foundation Stage, as it is called, nursery nurses and teachers are required to give babies marks for crying, gurgling and babbling.
In total, nursery nurses and teachers have to observe and record infants' progress towards 69 targets - or risk losing government funding.
Teaching children to read should start at three, while handwriting lessons should begin at 16 to 26 months. Basic maths should be taught from age two, learning to count through songs and games.
Reader views (13)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
Let the baby fully develop into a child then school is ok.
Childcare and knowledge has far advanced since the days they decided the school start age, we know a lot more now than we did 100 years ago. Why live in the "dark-ages" - our children don't need it?
6 or 7 makes a lot more sense for a child to start school.
- Charles Linskaill, Edinburgh UK
What nonsense! It would be better to scrap nursery schools and start formal education at 4. Children can better learn to socialise with their parents (they are your responsibility) and friends. Sadly many nurseries seem to achieve little more than teaching children tantrums and swear words. By dumbing things down they even seem to slow learning.
- Michael, London
Doesn't the fact that there are under achievers tell you that the system isn't working? Under achievers and disrespectful youths are the very reason education needs a rethink!
- Mel, London
My second child has just finished year 1 - the second year of schooling, and is 6 and half. I honestly feel that she has learned very little 'academic' knowledge, and the English/maths that he has grasped is no more than we could have taught her at home. However - she has learned how to socialise, share, take instructions and work as part of a group within a rules based environment.
- Gary Parker, Amersham
I agree but I think it should be 6 and not 7.
- Jay, London, UK
This is what they do in civilised countries like Sweden and Denmark and has been proven it works! The philosophy there is that children must develop their personality and imagination before they are ready to learn. I did all my schooling in Sweden and have always loved learning and had excellent grades. Also it's a place where everyone has the same opportunities in life ( there is no private education, everyone has the same 'deal' no matter what their background is) and it's free. The results in Swedish society are obvious, especially when you then spend time in England and see what a shambles the whole system is there.
- Anna, London
Why don't we just stop educating our children completely. This seems to have been the trend over the last decade or so. Exams are dumbed down, curriculums are simplified and now this. We already have an entire generation of ignorant, useless unmotivated teenagers so we should be reversing this trend not proceeding with it.
My children will start formal education at 5, even if I have to teach them myself.
- Tobin, Andover, UK
For many children, school might be the first opportunity to learn those valuable basic skills such as socialising with other children and learning right from wrong. Leaving formal schooling until the age of seven would put many children at a disadvantage both socially and educationally.
- Alex, Sutton
Where else are kids supposed to learn right from wrong and develop social skills and make friends? At school.
Kids with extra time on their hands and a lack of education are stabbing each other left right and centre on our streets. They need to bring back teaching respect and discipline in schools. Corporal punishment and calling teachers Miss and Sir. I'm so glad my kids are grown up.
- Melissa, London
I totally agree with Deborah Lawson. Across Europe, South Africa and doubtless other countries, they start school later, have longer holidays and still outperform British children.
A poor education system is a poor education system and giving children more of it will not improve their results. I suspect it just means more are likely to underperform due to boredom and resentment with a system obsessed with GCSE and A level results.
Longer hours, lack of school discipline and the belief that all children need to do the same subjects regardless of latent interests and abilities are all enemies of a rigourous education system.
- Phillip, Surrey
I can just see it now! If children don't have to go to school until they are seven then small children across the country will be left to their own devices as their young teenage mothers don't bother with them. More children will be illiterate and how many of them perhaps will never make it to school then? In many cases school is the sanctuary for children and the safest place for them!
- Philomena, Morden
Too much pressure is put on children far too early in my opinion. They need to spend time to find themselves and learn basic life skills like how to make friends and right from wrong. We need to give them time to develop as the way things are now with all the pressure all we're doing is crushing their spirit.
- Hazel, Primrose Hill
What a stupid concept, why throw out something that has worked for years and doesn't seem to have any problems at all, just because yet another pc do gooder thinks that children should have more time to play. I agree that play is an important part of childrens development but not at the risk of losing 2 years of academic study in a system that already appears to be producing under achievers in a dumbed down system.
- Trevor Roll, London
