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16/10/2009
Formal Learning 'Should Begin At Six'
Children should not begin taking formal school lessons until the age of six, a review of primary education in England has said.
The Cambridge Primary Review said that children responded better to play-based learning at a younger age and that this should continue for another year.
Children in many other European countries do not begin formal education until the age of six or seven.
The review said that such a change would give children time to "establish positive attitudes to learning", as well as begin to develop essential language and study skills.
However, Schools Minister Vernon Coaker said that a later school starting age would be "counter-productive" and that the government wanted to make sure that children were playing and learning from an early age.
However, the National Union of Teachers welcomed the review. Christine Blower, General Secretary of the NUT, said: "All the evidence shows that proper, in-depth early years education provided by qualified teachers gives the best possible start to children's schooling."
The review has also called for primary school national assessment tests, also known as SATs, to be scrapped, saying that they were too narrowly focused on literacy and numeracy.
(KMcA/BMcC)
The Cambridge Primary Review said that children responded better to play-based learning at a younger age and that this should continue for another year.
Children in many other European countries do not begin formal education until the age of six or seven.
The review said that such a change would give children time to "establish positive attitudes to learning", as well as begin to develop essential language and study skills.
However, Schools Minister Vernon Coaker said that a later school starting age would be "counter-productive" and that the government wanted to make sure that children were playing and learning from an early age.
However, the National Union of Teachers welcomed the review. Christine Blower, General Secretary of the NUT, said: "All the evidence shows that proper, in-depth early years education provided by qualified teachers gives the best possible start to children's schooling."
The review has also called for primary school national assessment tests, also known as SATs, to be scrapped, saying that they were too narrowly focused on literacy and numeracy.
(KMcA/BMcC)
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