Do we expect too much too young from children?

Do we expect too much too young from children?

Do children need a formal education before the age of 7?

Why is play not seen as important for development any more?

In England and Wales formal education begins at 4 years old. Children are sent to full-time school and it is becoming more formal. Numeracy and literacy are being taught, assessments are normal and there are boxes that need to be checked.  Is this really needed for children to succeed academically - of course not and I would argue it does more emotional and social damage in the long run. Is the school system expecting too much too soon?

In many nations (such as Finland) who surpass the UK in educational outcomes such as PISA tests*, children do not start school until the year of their 7th birthday - no sitting at desks doing formal work. Before the age of 7 children may attend a kindergarten, but this is for play (and of course that is serious work for children with endless learning opportunities). Finland has one of the world’s highest literacy rates in the world which suggests that starting later does not negatively affect children’s outcomes.

Why is it that play is not seen as work? There are many benefits of children playing. They are not meant to sit still and need to be physically active. Children are creative, inquisitive explorers who are learning from the time they wake until the time they sleep. Play involves literacy and numeracy (just not in the formal ways), it involves creativity and social skills.

I taught a reception class (4-5 year old children) for 2 years and have had 3 of my children go through the school system foundation phase (From ages 4-7 years). The main observations that I gained from this is that children love to learn and explore but do not like sitting still on carpets or at desks doing worksheets. As a teacher following the national curriculum, I did not have much agency over what I taught. There were targets that children were expected to hit before moving to Year one at age 5 and it was expected of me to produce books of evidence showing the children’s work. Teachers in the UK have little flexibility in what and how they teach.

I started home-schooling when my 4^th child was meant to start school. As a former teacher I was worried that she would not read or become 'behind' if I followed her lead however I trusted her and did not force her to sit and read or do endless phonics worksheets. Rather we read together, played, painted and explored. She did not have an interest for reading herself until the age of 6, by age 6.5 years she was reading and had better phonetic awareness and spelling than her older brother who was both reading at 5 years old. For him and my other children who went through the foundation stage at school, reading is a chore. I am working on undoing this and creating a love of literature. 

Studies have shown that children who start reading later have a more positive attitude towards books and reading than those who start at 4 -5 years. It is really concerning when you hear about rising stress levels and mental health complaints in young children – they do not need pressure at such young ages. Also, things such as bones in hands are still developing up to the age of 7. It would explain a reluctance to write for younger children – it doesn’t feel comfortable for them. There is often a dramatic improvement in handwriting around the age of 8. There are many ways to develop fine motor skills through play.

I believe that children under the age of 7 years should be learning through play. Early childhood is about nurturing the child, allowing them to become happy, confident, social individuals. Play is the building blocks for a more formal education when they are ready. The systems around the world that start later show no negative effects and many positive outcomes. Society in general has changed to a point that play opportunities in general are at a all time low and more time is spent inside, in front of screens or at desks. This is not only affecting the nature of the children but is having a negative affect on their mental health which is really concerning and needs to be addressed.

Let them play! 

Let them be outdoors!

*The PISA-based Test for Schools is a voluntary assessment intended to help school leaders from across the world understand their 15-year old students' abilities to think critically and apply their knowledge creatively in novel contexts.