I think whats particuarly damaging about uk system is the its so target driven.
From end of r -parents informed with me was grade letter with new one its emerging, exceeding or expecting.
The new proposed national tests for 4-5year olds.
year 1-dd1 first year to do phonics test which made kids feel like complete failure.
end year 1 nc grades with report and your child is this level and this i sguidsheet telling you your childs behind or ahead.
Then year 2 you have sat and nc levels
whee you get told child must have made 3sublevels progrees between years 1 and 2.
that this is what they should have got.
then i read mumsnet and all the little darlings are free readers and level 3s or that receptions are levels 2 makes me think as parent ohh should i be worried.
Then theres the whole well if they dont get level 3 at year 2 sats then they probably wont get level 5 and 6 in year 2.
I theydont get 5-6 then chances are they wont get a* and a s at gcse they now doomed their whol lifes mapped out for them and each year.
in science.literacy, and numarcay they expected to make so much progress each year and hit the magic required level like they robots.
Maybe if we had no testing and levels until year 3 and just did play/some of above subjects but lkess formal way kids and parents be lot happier.
I know i maybe picked the wrong school but even reception towards end of year had set tables.
year 1 had tables by ability groups
year 2 did too.
even wuth new school their was ability groups for phonics, guided reading and other things.
In old school every child knew every other childs reading levels
the obsession with levels made me and dd1 miserable and felt like we failing.
Yes she struggled with reading but came from a home with lots of books and where we read to her lots. she attended fulltime nursery as i worked, then preschool , achived above average r scores but still struggled only now shes gaining her confidence and self esteem hoping juniors wont be too formal and pushy get the balance right.
We live in afflunet leafy suberurb lots good schools but yet to meet many who could read pres starting school or taught themselves just 2/45 in dd1s reception year.
I dont think dd1s not bright she has so many other skills sports/art she could have shone at but schools never focussed on those.
Its just she a late bloomer shes much more ready now at 7.5 to engage in formal learning then she was at start of year 1.
I do thing about future as only 4more years left in primary and wonder what sensiors would suit her but right now have o idea how she be academically in year 5/6.So much could change as they say on sports news theres still everything to play for.
Freinds daughters july born and been above academically since year 1 oddly shes not bragged about year 2grades yet diffrent school now thankfully as that was one very overcompetative spoilt child and shes covinced her childs sucess whole school life is set now she was ahead infants. I know kids catch up wonder if they also hit learning blocks and as they go through juniors their dob less relevent and evens out a bit.