Scottish P1 experience?

[BillywigStings]

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone can explain what Primary one is like in Scottish schools these days. I know each school will vary, but what has been your impression? I would just like to know what the focus is. Is there much free play, child led learning and minimal pressure to perform to a set standard? Or does it go the other way - sitting at a table mostly and quite restricting?

Did your child love school? Did they get to a point (and how far in?) where they were moaning about attending?

Just looking to get a general impression of what to expect.

Mine both loved P1 and still love school.

P1 was very play focused. They did most of their learning through play I feel.

My dts are in p1.
They seem to play a lot of the time, with a bit of sitting at a table writing etc.
They both love school, and one is currently in a huff because there's no school today!

The thing is to an adult P1 might seem quite play based etc, but compared to nursery I wonder if it might be quite a dramatic change?

Where are you comparing it with?

Depends on the teacher.

My eldest DD went to reception in an English school and moved to P1, Scotland.

In terms of play, they were similar, however P1 is a little more structured, in my opinion. This was something I welcomed as reception seemed nursery-like to me and P1 helped the transition to the slightly more formal P2.

P1 is mostly learning through play and is child-led to a degree, however, like nursery (and reception) they do have to follow a curriculum.

P1 is very structured in my experience- real play is only allowed during Golden Time on a Friday.

P1 was very play based certainly for the first couple of terms gradually becoming more structured to prepare them for p2. DD now p3

My DS started school in Aug and we’ve had an utter nightmare with a supposedly ‘play based’ school.

In DS’ school, the teacher takes one group while the rest ‘play’, but they are supposed to complete ‘ challenges’ during this playtime.

There is often only space for 2 children at each activity, so they are somehow supposed to keep track of everything and return to the challenge. DS was sent to the Head Teacher for playing with the Lego (😢) and not completing his challenges.

I would rather the teacher put them all in groups because this system is mad. They also have to try and do all of their learning at the teacher table amid the noise of the other 20 children in the class ‘playing’.

DS is moving school after Christmas.

I am absolutely gutted that this has been his experience in P1. I was so pleased that they were allowing play but that isn’t it!!!

Katie

Have you thought about home schooling?

One of the big problems in Scottish education is this word 'play-based'... no-one really knows what it means.

For example on FB this morning I saw a teacher promoting their 'play-based activities', which were all along the theme of 'count out X plastic bears'.

This is not really play- it has no space for the child to use their own initiative and is not really any different from a worksheet.

The system that Katie describes is one of the most popular for 'play-based' Primary 1s.

Never