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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Is this too much for a 4 year old?

56 replies

BattyKoda · 25/03/2010 19:55

My 4yo DS is at preschool, he's due to start school full time in September. He gets homework once a week, usually 2 sheets of tracing letters, colouring picture, circling the correct number etc. He gets 2 books, one for me to read to him, one for him to read to me, he reads to the teacher once a week and swaps his book. He also has had the alphabet to learn, which he has, phonetically (sp?!) and the 'normal' way, so he has progressed onto 'bear' words (a selection of words on flashcards), which he does with the teacher once a week and at home with me. I've just had a look in his folder and he's now been given the 3rd set of bear words, which is great, it means he's learnt the first two sets, but I can't help feeling a bit.... too much too soon? Shouldn't he just be having fun and making friends at preschool? Or is this normal?

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CaptainNancy · 25/03/2010 20:50

Well- you are under no compulsion to make him do the homework. If he's interested and willing, sure, do it. If he is tired or wants to do something else, let him.

SweetGrapes · 25/03/2010 20:56

No homework here. Any time I ask ds what he did at preschool, he replies 'nuffin'.
That sounds about right to me.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 25/03/2010 20:58

My ds1 is the same age, at a school nursery and due to start full-time in september.

The most homework we get is to do a collage every holiday (1/2 term etc). It's usually about a theme they will look at during the next 1/2 term.

They do letters and numbers, but usually with a stick or thier finger in the sand, or with shaving foam etc. The emphasis is most definitely on learning through play which is how it should be at this age.

Your ds's school sounds way too structured for my liking, and not in keeping with the current guidelines.

midnightexpress · 25/03/2010 21:03

Blimey. DS1 is 4.4 and starts school in August (we're in Scotland) and they don't do anything like that in pre-school. He never gets any homework, and as the others say, pre-school should really be all learning through play. I think they do some letters/numbers, but really really basic stuff, and not under any kind of pressure. He's actually quite young for his year group because of the way the Scottish system works, so lots of the other children in his group are already turning 5 and will be doing the same sort of stuff. it sounds way too early to be under such a lot of pressure.

Tsk.

zapostrophe · 25/03/2010 21:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

PavlovtheCat · 25/03/2010 21:07

Nothing like that in DDs pre-school!

Littlefish · 26/03/2010 06:42

Completely wrong! Absolutely too much for a 4 year old. It goes completely against the way that experiences that children in early years should be having.

My dd's experience of nursery was like zapostrophe's. Within a term of starting Reception she knew all her sounds, could blend and write them. I think her Reception is far too formal and they don't seem as formal as your ds's pre-school!

There is absolutely no evidence that pushing our children into formal learning at a younger age, gives them any kind of advantage or improvement in their reading and writing by the age of 11.

emy72 · 26/03/2010 08:18

It sounds what my DD gets in reception!

I would say it would be too much for many many children. It certainly would be too much for my DS who is currently in nursery and due to start reception in Sep.

I would say that my DD, a Dec birthday, would have been fine/v happy with that sort of structure, whilst my DS would freak out.

I think it's fair to say that they are going against the grain in terms of the EYFS and that clearly they have a cohort of children/parents that seem to play ball with their approach.

JackBauer · 26/03/2010 09:00

Is he in nursery or reception?
Either way it's still laods. DD1's school may be shit at organisation but they are very adamant that they do not teach letters/reading/numbers at nursery apart from the child's own name. Obviously DD1 is picking up bits here and there but there is no formal learning.

coppertop · 26/03/2010 10:52

It sounds like far too much for a pre-school.

None of mine have ever brought homework or even books home from pre-school. My 4yr-old seems to have picked up numbers and letters along the way but only through playing.

Builde · 26/03/2010 11:27

I wouldn't bother doing the homework...and remember that no-one has to go to preschool.

Infact, we tried to avoid it as much as possible with our dds only doing nursery (which of course has to follow the EYFS curriculum) because we both work.

And then we tried to keep it to a minimum.

We then also made an effort not to do any formal stuff before school (whilst friends were all practicing writing with their children) because I just didn't want to start too young...I sincerely believe that children need to play lots and lots and follow their interests for as long as possible.

However, we don't have a tv so when they are at home they have to play. (or squabble!)

SweetGrapes · 26/03/2010 11:40

Some people are so silly. My friend has a dd who turned 3 a couple of months back. She is going to send her to Kumaon (sp?). Because apparently she is a very bright girl who is much ahead of her age group etc and will learn very fast. She can already write her name and all...
My mouth fell open. Ds is almost a year older and spends all his time poking sticks in holes, finding creepy crawlies etc. It never even occurred to me that he may be missing out.

MathsMadMummy · 26/03/2010 11:40

what are they actually doing at preschool?

lovecheese · 26/03/2010 12:18

Kumon at 3!? OH FFS. Poor child.

MathsMadMummy · 26/03/2010 12:30

oooh kumon.

SarahMumtoAlex · 26/03/2010 12:31

The question I have is, if they are doing all this, what are they not doing?

What I mean is that there is important stuff children of this age are meant to be doing - learning about being themselves in a group, ofrming friendships, exploring the world through curiousity, listening adn responding, being creative etc etc - and they do it mostly through play.

If the preschool focusses on reading and writing when will the children learn that other stuff?

I think pushing children on formal things too earlier leaves them with deficiencies which may or may not notice in school but surely will in life

ronshar · 26/03/2010 12:45

I thought pre- school was all about the tinnies learning not to push each other over in the toilets, weeing into the urinal not on the floor, opening your lunch box and eating the food, not shoving it all into your hair.

But most importantly I thought it was about having FUN with your friends.

notsoteenagemum · 26/03/2010 12:49

Way too much IMO, I work in a pre-school nursery, not attached to a school and we don't give any homework.

My ds is in year one and he gets;
reading, two books per week but can keep longer if you want,

very occaisional flashcards of frequently used words,

7 or 8 spellings to learn and write a sentence about in a week,
this is new and was brought in after the schools standard of written work was marked down in inspection.
Lot's of parents have complained about it being too much and that their dc struggle to do it but it has helped to improve ds's writing, as he rarely chooses to write at school.

notsoteenagemum · 26/03/2010 12:50

occasional need to brush up on spelling myself!

TulipsInTheRain · 26/03/2010 12:51

my daughter is in Junior Infants (reception) and isn't expected to know half of that!

Ineedsomesleep · 26/03/2010 12:56

There is one thing they should be doing after pre-school at 4 and thats play.

DS is in Year 1. Has only had homework since September and is doing extremely well at school.

I refused to teach him anything to do with reading or writing before he started Reception. Afterall, the Reception teacher is the professional, not me, and secondly I think play is more important at that age.

He is achieving much more than we could have ever expected and he is really happy and runs to school every day.

Too much too soon for my liking.

dilemma456 · 26/03/2010 13:33

Message withdrawn

Elibean · 26/03/2010 13:33

Homework at pre-school?

Never heard of it!

Original poster

BattyKoda · 26/03/2010 13:52

Oh no I'm really worried about this now! I want him to just be poking mud with sticks too...! He does do alot of play at school too. I forgot to mention in my OP that he also has a poetry folder that he brings home, he gets an extra one each week for us to do at home. We do lots of signing/rhymes anyway because it's something that keeps both of them occupied (also have DS2 who is 13mo)

Do you think I should say something to his teacher...? I don't want him to be the 'odd one out' though??

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Original poster

BattyKoda · 26/03/2010 13:53

singing/rhymes

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