Why do we send children to school so young

[sandcastles1]

Just that really - I'm feeling really disgruntled with our school system and why we make children go into full time education from the age of 4. My dc just started and is enjoying some of it and hating lots of it. She loved the first week when it was half days. For the past four years she has been either with me or her dad - we would take her out into the woods every day. Now she's cooped up in a small room/playground for the whole time. I could have home schooled her I know but didn't think that was the best thing socially. I can see the benefits of them going but 5 days a week 9-330 just seems harsh. Why couldn't it be three days. I know up until 5 we can take them out but just wondering how others feel as I'm missing my daughter a lot, she doesn't want to be there most of the time and I really now see the virtues of other countries that don't start full time until 7. Yes it means we can work, but why is that the norm? People that don't want to spend more time with their kids could find other care the rest of the time.

@Thesearmsofmine

I would love to see a more relaxed primary education, with formal learning starting at 7. That’s not to say children aren’t learning before that age because a decent educator can use play based learning to cover a huge variety of topics and stretch children who need that.

My children are home educated and play is a huge part of their day.

Play based learning is so inspiring. I'm lucky as the school my DC is at takes the play based approach as much as possible.

I really admire you for doing the home school approach. I thought about it a bit but didn't feel I could make it work financially. I'd be fascinated to hear how you do it?

@Thesearmsofmine - I've just re read my post and see it could be read as asking you how you do it financially - which isn't what I meant - I meant I would be really interested to hear what a home school day/timetable looks like, how you structure the day for the child, that sort of thing.

@MarshaBradyo

My 10 year old still struggles with the two 6 hour days she does

That’s interesting. I think I have an energetic 3.5 year old. She can keep going after 6 hours playing in preschool.

Its the struggle to keep focus, not a lack of energy - it requires a different kind of energy to focus at schoolwork than it does to run around and play. On one of those 6 hour days she has parkour club an hour after school (so bikes home 2km for a snack then bikes back to school to do an hour of parkour then bikes home again) then scouts after that. No lack of energy for those things but definite struggle to keep up the focus for 6 lessons in one day.

@grey12

That said, I don't agree with starting to read, write and do maths so young. I was 6yo and did great! A lot of people I spoke to (also from other countries) say the same.

Depends on the child, surely? I started school at 5, but was reading aged 3. Because I wanted to know how to read.

DS wasn’t reading before school, but he could read numbers, again because that is something he is interested in. We didn’t sit him down at a desk. He is learning to read now in reception, aged 4, and they are doing it by playing letter games to teach them the letters. No desks. No formal lessons. All play-based activities. And more than 50% of their time is actual free play - three hours every afternoon.

I’m not sure what your kids’ nurseries were like, but DS went to three over the years (we moved house), and there were teacher-led group activities in all of them (cooking, painting, crafts, dancing etc). It was not all free play, and I’d have been pretty unimpressed if it had been. Reception is very very similar.

Natsku fair enough. It’s not something I’ve experienced- the opposite in fact. But for the 11 year old we’ve now got a school that does stretch academically and with co curricular etc and it’s a much better fit.

I feel very lucky as we’ve had difficult times when in lockdown learning was meagre. Although we did use other resources instead which helped.

Some children certainly find it easier to focus for long periods of time MarshaBradyo but plenty don't (which is the rationale behind having a break after every lesson here, because 45 minutes is considered to be about the length of time a child can focus continuously before they start to lose focus but some will lose focus sooner and others could focus for longer)

My 10 year old still struggles with the two 6 hour days she does

My 4yo is fine after a 6hr school day and 2.5hr after school club. I was hoping it would tire her out tbh 😂

She's summer born, but very ready for school, and pretty much skips in now.

All children are different, but the system suits some very well.

When DD was 4 she did 6 hours in nursery then played out for hours, not tired then, but schoolwork is different.

[quote sandcastles1]@Thesearmsofmine - I've just re read my post and see it could be read as asking you how you do it financially - which isn't what I meant - I meant I would be really interested to hear what a home school day/timetable looks like, how you structure the day for the child, that sort of thing.[/quote]
It varies massively from family to family but happy to talk about our own set up.

I have 3 dc(all primary age) and if we are at home we tend to do some structured work in the morning, they do maths and English, which can be workbook type work, through play or something practical. After that we will do some project based work, we sometimes do a big project together, other times they will be working on their own projects. Generally we start at 9 and are done by around 11.30/12. When I just had one dc of school age it was less structured but with 3 I find having some structure to the day makes it easier.
Once a week we use a curriculum called Exploring Nature with Children which has a different topic each week linking with the seasons and involves music, art and poetry as well as keeping nature journals, this week was about the autumn equinox for example. My dc also take part in weekly online science sessions.

In the afternoons if at home it’s free time, mostly they will play either inside or out in the garden or woods(we have a woodland through our garden gate), Sometimes we cook together, play board games etc al normal family activities of course but we have more opportunities to do them as we have that extra time together daily without the pressures of getting homework done/dinner made etc

My dc all do at least one sport each, the older two also go to cubs and scouts, we meet home ed friends socially and also go on organised home ed day trips and activities as part of large groups. We really enjoy visiting museums and galleries in the week, they are so quiet and you often get to have interesting chats with people who work there or other visitors who can tell you so much about the exhibits which you don’t usually get the chance to have at busier times.

I think I have included most things! For us home educating has been a positive experience.

This is part of the reason I started my summerborn child at CSA, just a general feeling that just-turned 4 is too early to start school. I mean there were other reasons personal to my child, but feeling we start school too early in this country played a part. It was an amazing decision for us, but it's a postcode lottery as so many schools and LAs don't follow the guidance and admissions code. And also it doesn't help those children who aren't summerborn and also not ready to start school.

A typical reception day involves a lot of playing and socialising with other children, which is really important for young children.

From my experience it begins with a register, short carpet time (phonics, topic or morning chat) and then off to choose and play with things set out indoors or outdoors. During this time, the teacher may call individuals or small groups over to do a short activity or will observe or interact with the children playing.
There will be a snack time (or this will be done throughout the morning for children to help themselves to). There is likely to be another short carpet input of phonics or maths and then lunchtime. After lunch the same happens again - register, short carpet time and off to play and socialise with friends.

Children understand the routines and begin to become independent in choosing the activities that they enjoy. At this age we see friendships forming and the interactions are lovely.

Nursery and reception are very similar imo and provide excellent opportunities for children to explore, socialise and learn. Y1 is really very different - often it's much more structured with formal learning at seats.