Rea Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 This link is to the Children and young people site. Here They are reporting that Wokingham in Surrey are consulting with parents, children and schools whether the age of school admissions should be higher or lower. Really hope they decide to raise the age. How awful for our children if the decision is to start school at 3 years old? I wish people would stop messing with our children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dublinbay Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Hear! hear! Rea. Lets hope that common sense prevails! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Well the cynic in me says the government promised affordable child care and schools are the ultimate free childcare... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 but at what price to our children... and the people who have to cope ... Inge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 What impact on pre schools childminders and day nurseries? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 It has long been my thought that the Government want to get rid of any setting that isnt led by themselves. I'll join you in the cynic department Marion, I doubt this is for the good of the children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I can't open this link? Whereabouts is this? Is it Wokingham in Berkshire or Woking in Surrey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth1 Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I can't open the link eiather. It would be sad if 3 years old children have to attend full time school in the future. On another note what will be happening next...schools turning into hosptials and newborns atttending school..... Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 (edited) The only reason I wondered is that Wokingham LA are currently consulting on reducing from 3 points of entry in the reception year. Maybe it was this being mis-reported - perhaps that's why it has disappeared? Edited July 2, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Not so funny beth. I was a setting today who have 'preparing for baby' classes. I cant open the link myself now either It was Wokingham. The 6 choices on offer were starting school the term after the 3rd, 4th, 5th birthdays, or starting school at 4 but in autumn, spring and summer terms. I just tried some other articles, none of them work so it must be a problem with the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 (edited) For those unable to access the report Council moots school start age three By Lauren Higgs Children & Young People Now 2 July 2008 Children in Wokingham, Surrey could start school as young as age three, subject to a council review into school starting ageJames Hempsall, director of Hempsall Consultancies, which is conducting the review for the council, said: "We've had a very enthusiastic response to the consultation from parents, children and school leaders who have all been willing to engage with us." Parents, children, head teachers and early years professionals are to be consulted about the age at which they think children in the borough should start school, and will be able to opt for an earlier school starting age. Stakeholders can choose from six options, which include allowing children to start school in the terms after their third, fourth or fifth birthdays. Interested parties can also opt to keep the current system in place, which allows children to start school at age four in either the autumn, spring or summer term. Conservative councillor Norman Jorgensen, the lead member for children's services at Wokingham Borough Council, said the consultation is necessary because the current system was introduced in 2000 and has yet to be reviewed. He said: "Some of the borough's schools have asked us to look at it and our neighbouring authorities are also in the process of reviewing their policies." Children in schools, pre-schools and children's centres are to be asked what age they would like to start school through a storytelling exercise designed to introduce different ideas in an accessible way. Teachers, governors and early years providers will be asked to reply to written surveys and parents will be contacted by direct mail. A follow-up telephone interview of all interested respondents will then take place. However, Chris Davis, media correspondent for National Primary Headteachers (NPH), warned that children must not start school too early. "There is a lot of evidence that this is detrimental to education long term. NPH has believed for many years that children should start school later than at present," he said. "However, we believe appropriate early years education works if it is play-focused and child-centred, much like the government's Early Years Foundation Stage." The formal consultation will last until the end of July and the authority will choose a system in time for the new school year. Edited July 2, 2008 by Marion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzy Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I find this soo sad, i believe we send them too young as it is. we as a whole expect too much from ones so young Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I did manage to get the link to work. I'm with Marion on this one. In a way it is already happening as our children attend the school nursery the term after their third birthday. The school nursery is very good but I still worry about the ratios and there are some children who are really not ready to move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Thanks Marion, I can see it now. Just would put a word of caution on this report. First of all Wokingham isn't even in Surrey. Secondly as far as I am aware there has never been any discussion about lowering school starting age in Wokingham, there has only been discussion about changing the 3 points of entry which many schools feel significantly affects summer entrants. Here is the original release that was sent went the consultation began. Starting on Monday (June 2), Wokingham Borough Council will be reviewing the age at which children join school and will be consulting with parents, carers, children, schools, as well as private, voluntary and independent early years settings to ascertain their views. Currently, the council has a policy that allows for school places to be offered to children at three points of entry, which means children, known as rising fives, can go to school from the start of the autumn, spring and summer terms before their fifth birthday. This allows children to go to school on a part-time basis until they are five, which is the statutory school age. Cllr Norman Jorgensen, executive member for children’s services, said: “The council’s policy for three points of entry was introduced in 2000. We feel it is time to review how this is working as some of the borough’s schools have asked us to look at it and our neighbouring authorities are also in the process of reviewing their own policies. “We are conducting this survey to ascertain the views of many people across the borough on the points of entry into school. These views along with other information collected through the consultation will be considered before any decisions are made.” The five-week consultation will seek views from parents to childcare providers to find out at what age they think children should start school. The borough council has commissioned Hempsall Consultancies, independent consultants, to carry out the review and will be speaking to children and young people as well as wider school communities such as teachers and governors. The consultants will also be seeking the views of early years providers including nurseries. Parents will be contacted by directly with postcards initially and will be asked if they like to take part in the consultation. The telephone survey with parents will start at the beginning of June and the council would like to reassure parents that this is a genuine survey. Chris Jones, head of universal services for children, said: “Parents will be given the opportunity to take part in the consultation. At the beginning of June we will start distributing postcards asking parents to complete and this will be followed by a telephone survey for those who wish to take part. We are especially interested to hear from those parents who have recently been offered a place in a Wokingham Borough school or whose children started school last year.” During the consultation period, face-to-face interviews will also be conducted with headteachers, governors and early years providers across the borough as well as telephone interviews. Once the review is complete, a report will be considered by the council’s decision-making executive in the autumn. - Of course I may be wrong and the consultation has gone down a different path, but I doubt one authority would be able to do that alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 I wondered at how an LA could change the school start age! That article doesnt mention 3 year olds starting school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest budgie1 Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Hi, I live in Wokingham and at present we still have three intakes, I think Wokingham will be considering one intake (like its neighbour Reading is about to start) or possibly two intakes. When they last surveyed parents (about 1998) the overwhelming response was to keep the children at home as long as possible and only let them start the term they are 5 (ie 3 intakes) Not sure what the outcome will be but can only imagine that they will move to one or two intakes. Anyway, not many Wokingham schools have nurserys so many of them simply havent got anywhere to put the 3 year olds, i hope!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 And so many other area have had 1 year intake for years.. remember schools changing to this 1 year entry from 3 a year 10 years ago in another area... almost caused us a a pre-school to close.... why are areas so very different ... we suffer every year in September ..,. work at loss... hoping to make up deficit in summer term.... But 3 year olds in schools with ratios they give is unfair on all .. especially the child Inge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 My last nusery class was actually all full time - I don't recall anyone actually suffering from being there! Cx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.