Children’s education
9 Jun
Education is extremely important. It gives children the foundations to go on and pursue a successful professional life, provides them with the knowledge they need to make well-informed decisions and teaches them important morals and life-lessons. Education is a basic human right and a legal requirement for children in the UK, one where all children are required to attend school full-time from the age of 4 or 5 until the age of 16.
Pre-school education
Some parents choose to keep their children at home before they go to school, while others choose to take their children to play groups, nursery schools and other educational and play schemes in the local area. The decision is down to the parents but there are significant advantages of pre-school education, including:
- Getting children used to routines similar to those in schools
- Encouraging social interaction
- Enabling children to make friends with other children (this can be very important because many of the children who go to nursery or play group together will end up going to the same school)
- Introducing children to adults and people in authority
- Getting children used to being away from their parents
- Getting children used to different environments
Many parents choose to combine looking after their children with taking them to nursery. Often, children attend nursery for a couple of days a week or for half-days so that they get the best of both worlds.
Choosing a nursery
Choosing a nursery can be difficult so look at the nurseries and play groups in your area and make a few visits. You can also ask friends, work colleagues and relatives for advice and recommendations. When you visit, get a feel for the place and have a good look around, talk to the staff and observe the children to see if they look happy and if they have a positive relationship with the staff. Make sure you ask any questions you may have and if you like a nursery, go back for another visit with your child and see how they get on. Some nurseries have CCTV so you can watch how they get on without being in the same room.
Preparing for school
You will be asked to choose a school as your child approaches school age, and most parents choose their nearest school but this is not always the case. The local authority will do their best to allocate children according to their preferences but, in some areas, where places are oversubscribed, this may not be possible. If you are not happy with the school you have been allocated, you should discuss this with the local authority.
Some children are excited about school, while others take a while to get used to the idea of being away from their friends, siblings and parents. Give your child time to settle and try not to panic. Initially, children attend half days at school and this helps to get them used to being at school. Try to ensure that you sell school as a fun and exciting place, so that your child looks forward to going rather than being scared or worried.
