Three Year olds in school

[mrz]

www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bulletin/news/828282/?DCMP=EMC-DailyBulletin

Children in Wokingham, Surrey could start school as young as age three, subject to a council review into school starting age...unbelievable!

I started school at 3
what's the problem?

Madness

Poor little things.

Bundle where at?

Loads of schools have a school nursery class which takes kids from 3. They do what they would do in a stand-alone nursery -- have stories, paint, make unidentifiable objects from old loo rolls and sticky tape, do water play and climb on the climbing frames.

How is that bad?

Two of mine did, all the children went to the foundation stage of the school at 3 or 3.5. It wasn't so different from going to nusery for them. they were fine with it.

in nursery of infant school.
full time from 3
never did me any harm in fact, i was mad for it, really loved it

DS started in a mixed foundation/reception class at aged 3 (well actually 3.10 but that's because of moving mid year, not because of any desire for me to start him late). Despite or possibly because of his mild special needs, it's worked wonders for him. It also makes the transition to reception a lot less scary, as he will be in the same room and with the same teaching staff.

DD2 (now 4.5, but has been in school nursery class for a year) asks every morning: "Is today a school day?" and punches the air if it is.

I really don't think you need to have horror visions of legions of 3yo sitting at desks in uniforms learning their timestables.

lol frogs!

my sister only went p/t (mornings) and she was devastated (bit of a babyboom on merseyside in early 70s)

At present parents have the choice of sending their child to a nursery school or the foundation stage unit attached to a school usually for 12.5 hours a week. This consultation isn't about nursery or Foundation units it appears to be the option to reduce the age children must start school currently the term after their fifth birthday to the term after their third birthday. We already have the youngest age for starting school in Europe this would mean 4 full years before many other countries.

nursery isn't school

it was to me

That's because you were three

errr

and

your point is

That link seems to be about the option. One LEA couldn't change the national compulsory school starting age.

Does it really matter if it's called school or nursery or foundation stage? For my dds at 3, it was 5 days a week, 9-3 (the school hours), in the school complex, with school dinners and uniforms and assemblies. But the curriculum they followed was the same Early Years one that they'd been doing at their day nursery beforehand.

They just went for 5 short days, in (optional) uniform, to school, rather than 3 longer days, out of uniform, to nursery. What they did there was very similar.

Bundle my point is at three you probably weren't aware of the difference.

Fennel it is a consultation which will also involve neighbouring LAs and can ultimately limit parental choice in the type of experiences they want for their child in those crucial early years.

Wokingham is in Berkshire, Woking is in Surry - so where is it talking about?

there was no "differnce" for me, it was the first time I'd been away from my mother and I bloody loved it.

I assume these children would be following teh early years curriculum as they would at any preschool establishment, not sitting SATs

Well, they can't unilaterally change the compulsory school starting age, but I guess if they get a lot of take-up for school at 3 it will be harder for parents to exercise their right to not start till the term after they turn 5. As I understand it, it's already virtually impossible in some areas to get a place in the school of your choice if you don't send them at reception age.

Plus, if others have been in school from age 3, it's even harder for those who join later, as they will feel "behind". Even though they are more ready, and are probably very capable of catching up, it can discourage them before they have a chance to get going.

Ds started school in the nursery class when he was 3. He has coped fine but I personally feel that 3 is too young. He has been put under pressure too early as they start teaching them phonics, learning to write and do simple sums etc right from the start.

I think for some children it would work wonders and for others it wouldnt. Ds is 4.8yrs and starts reception in sept. He started school nursery last sept and was 4 the month after. He would have benefited from being in a lot earlier.