Question about play based learning

[Cortina]

I have friends whose children have joined year 2 in the UK after being in the primary years programme, IB, play based learning etc abroad.

The skill sets these children have got are good and they have been taught how to think. The children I know of I would say are above average academically.

They've found they haven't covered the same ground academically, in terms of the formal 3 rs, so have been placed in the lower ability groupings/tables/sets.

Not a problem? They'll find they're own natural level academically in time?

Interestingly formal learning doesn't start until 7 where they've come from and I'm hugely impressed by the children. They are happy, confident individuals.

ds transferred form IB at year 3 and found it hard to catch up the basics, took at least 2-3 years.

Thank you LIZS.

Please may I ask whether the UK school supported the transition between 'systems' well? Was DS placed in the lower sets (if your primary was setted) due to not covering the same academic ground?

Looking back would you say there were any advantages to him being in the IB system and then changing?

He went into a private prep school and was in the lower sets but still struggled. Fortunately he was a fairly able reader. I reckon it took a few years to find his level and he was perhaps labelled as less able in the meantime. He also has dyspraxia which doesn't really help in maths and spelling particularly so a more systematic approach to the basics may well have been more beneficial to him. 4 years on he is middle groups for most subjects including English, lower for Maths and top for History and Geography. tbh I'm not sure the PYP IB did him any real favours (at least in the form he experienced) although he is very articulate verbally so that aspect may have suited him.