So, in your opinion, just how important are the first years of education (am thinking Reception and Infant)?

[notnowbernard]

Am interested in what people think. Have a friend who is having a nightmare with allocations (Reception age)She is V V stressed because she thinks if her dd gets into the 'wrong' school it will cock up her entire education

I don't agree with this, fwiw

But would like to hear opinions

What do you think is important about the early years of education/school provision/type of schooling/environment etc?

TIA

I tend to think like you OP. Mind, it is hard to change schools sometimes, perhaps that's what your friend is worried about.

What looks like right school on paper may turn out to be wrong for your child, though -- thinking things are set in stone from reception would be wrong, too.

How 'wrong' is the school your friend is afraid to be burdened with [nosy emoticon]?

My opinion is that kids need to like school in those early years; to want to attend and to be rewarded by having a fully positive experience of being at school. If they enjoy those early years, half the battle for their education is won, IMO. So, if the school is academically not-that-great but has a lovey caring ethos and the child will make friends, I would go for it over a high-achieving but emotionless place anytime (at this age).

I'm in total agreement with sassy.

Also children can pick up on parents attitude, so tell your friend to try and hide all the stress about allocations / poor school etc from her child.

I think it is very important both as a parent and a teacher. My son had a bad experiences in his reception and year 1 class which remained with him right through his school life.

I agree, I was always happy that my DS enjoyed school in Reception/Year 1. If they are happy to go then I hope this will lead to a love of learning.

It's not failing or anything, but it's in a 'tricky' catchment area, I suppose... though the school has a pretty mixed group of children, socially speaking. But neither is it 'outstanding', in OFSTED terms

Her dd is lovely, socialble, confident, adaptable and a bright little thing. I really doubt she'll have problems

I think it depends on the child. My DS, for example, is 3 and his speech is quite behind, his understanding is also behind and he is a very lively boy. I think the first years of education are critical for a child like him. My DB is a teacher and says I should make sure that he is in a place where they give him perhaps a bit more attention than an "ordinary" child as he does need more help to get to an "average" standard. He does not have SN or SEN as far as I am aware, but IMO, he does need a bit more help. I think this will straighten out in the future, but ATM, he needs a bit more attention. I went to a terrible primary school, but a good secondary and it was fine for me - but I didn't need the extra help that I feel my DS does.

This is my view on what Infant-level should be (my dc is in Reception):

Good fun, lots of playing

Fostering independence

Encouraging enjoyment of learning

Socialisation and emphasing the social part of development (cultural awareness, respect for others, the environment)

Physical activity - lots of it

ANy other thoughts?

Just wanted to pass on some of these ideas to my friend should her dd end up at the school she doesn't want

Cheers

what Sassy said

they need to enjoy being there

the particular details of what they learn are far less important at this stage imho

and a school doesn't need to have an Ofsted Outstanding to be a good place to learn in

The most important and my sons were fucked right up due to maternity leave and endless supply. He is now in year 5 and i have just had his dyslexia report through and his reading comprehension age is at 6 years and 4 months - 3 and a half years below his actual age - and this from a school OFSTED rates as 'outstanding'

I am livid.

According to the Ed Psych he has very poor grasp of phonics due to disrupted year R and year 1.

mrz please please can you advise me on my post (sorry to hijack) Thanks. Am desperate.

can you point me in the right direction?

sorry - i think you have found me mrz - really really grateful for all your help

No problem let me know if you need more info ~ how you get on.

thanks -will do Just feel so angry at the moment. My DH and I put our all into the kids we teach at the GS but yet feel as if our son has been relegated to last place....Thank you again xxxx

"Bad reception teachers 'can harm entire education'"

I think it matters, but how much? I'm not sure
I had rubbish early years teaching, it was boring, I started school able to read and most of the class still couldn't read at 7

We are weighing up school options for Sept and our state choice has been downgraded by Ofsted with early years teaching criticised in particular

I think it matters hugely.
Just as good food in the early eyars is imperative for future health so a good early years education is the place to strat and bulid on.
What 'good' menas though will differ to parents.
For me it's essential that they love it, see it as a positive place to be, try all sorts of new things, make tons of friends. I'm not arsed whether they get this Sat or that test result.
I think the absolute worse thing is that school is seen from a child's view as boring or stressful. This is no place upon which to build young minds.

ah, so if a school isn't rated outstanding by Ofsted then it couldn't possibly be good enough:
Well, that's 85% of the nation's schoolchildren f**ked for life I guess, just because they went to the 'wrong' school in reception!

Don't think it will screw her up ... I personally feel it's more important slightly later from year 3/4

I don't think anyone has suggested that a child attending a school that isn't judged outstanding by OFSTED is disadvantaged. The question was how important are the first years in education... really important that's why they are called FOUNDATION because they support all that comes after.
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article6169479.ece

DD1 went to a school that was supposedly the best in our area, lots of parent were happy with it - I wasn't. I wasn't the only parent who didn't think it was as good as it should be either. Anyway we moved house and dd started a new school in year 2. The new school's SATS were about the same. At the first parents evening we were told that there were holes in her education and they'd thought she must have been home schooled (badly . So, I do think that the early years are important, it took dd about 2 -3 years to catch up with the other children in her class.