ready or not, here i come: exploring the transition to and early experiences of primary school
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14 th September 2012. Ready or not, here I come: exploring the transition to and early experiences of Primary School Paul Bradshaw. Overview. Background to the report Findings on: Entry and deferral Transition to school Parental involvement Summary and conclusions. Thermometer sheet. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Ready or not, here I come: exploring the transition to and early experiences of Primary School
Paul Bradshaw
14th September 2012
2
Overview
Background to the report Findings on:
Entry and deferral Transition to school Parental involvement
Summary and conclusions
3
Thermometer sheet
Hot/warm
Points that have obvious relevance to your practice, make sense or have the
ring of truth
Cold/warm
Points that leave you unconvinced, unable to see the relevance, feeling uneasy or just
surprised
Background to the report 1.
5
Background
Primary Schools play a key role in children’s lives
Well placed to identify need for and deliver support
Significant review and revamp of Scottish school education in last decade
CfE just one of a range of policies which has changed schools and the delivery of education
6
The purpose of GUS“To generate, through robust methods, specifically Scottish data about outcomes throughout childhood and into adulthood for children growing up in Scotland across a range of key domains:
• Cognitive, social, emotional and behavioural development
• Physical and mental health and wellbeing
• Childcare, education and employment
• Home, family, community and social networks
• Involvement in offending and risky behaviour
Such data will encompass, in particular, topics where Scottish evidence is lacking and policy areas where Scotland differs from the rest of the UK.”
7
Study design: overview National sample capable of analysis by urban/rural,
deprived/non-deprived and other sub-groups of interest Sample drawn from Child Benefit Records
Good coverage Some limitations
Three cohorts: Birth cohort 1: 5217 children, born 2004/05, aged 10.5 months
at the 1st interview Child cohort: 2859 children, born 2002/03, aged 34.5 months at
the 1st interview Birth cohort 2: 6100 children, born 2010/11 aged 10.5 months
at the 1st interview
8
Ages and stagesChild’s age Cohort/Year of data collection
Child cohort Birth cohort 1 Birth cohort 2
10 months 2005/06 2010/11
Age 2 2006/07
Age 3 2005/06 2007/08 2013
Age 4 2006/07 2008/09
Age 5 2007/08 2009/10 2015
Age 6 2008/09 2010/11
Age 8 2012/13
Primary 6 (Age 10)
2014/15
9
Sources of information10mths Age 2 Age 3 Age 4 Age 5 Age 6 Age 8 P6
BC1 & BC2
BC1 CC, BC1, BC2
CC & BC1 CC, BC1, BC2
BC1 BC1 (& BC2?)
BC1 (& BC2?)
Main carer Main carer Main carer Main carer Main carer Main carer Main carer Main carer
Partner
Child Child
Ch. height & weight
Ch. height & weight
Ch. height & weight
Ch. height & weight
Ch. height & weight
Cognitive assessmts
Cognitive assessmts
Cognitive assessmts
Health records
Health records
Health records
Health records
Health records
Health records
Health records
Health records
School records
School records
School records
School records
Interviews
Early experiences of Primary School: Content overview
Entry to school
School choice and school characteristics
The transition to school
Parental involvement in school activities
Information from and contact with teachers and the school
Attendance and absence
Additional support needs
Practical arrangements
Satisfaction with the school
Parental aspirations and attitudes to schooling
Summary of findings 2.
Entry and deferral
13%
of children had their entry deferred.
There were no significant differences in deferral by key parental socio-economic characteristics.
53% 47%
automaticdiscretionary deferrals
Deferrals in lower income groups were more likely than for those in higher income groups to be related to health or developmental issues or based on advice received from the child’s nursery.
% deferred by month of birth
1 0 0 0 2 27
14 16
22
41
48
Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb
Entry and deferral
13%
of children had their entry deferred.
There were no significant differences in deferral by key parental socio-economic characteristics.
53% 47%
automaticdiscretionary deferrals
Deferrals in lower income groups were more likely than for those in higher income groups to be related to health or developmental issues or based on advice received from the child’s nursery.
The transition to school
Four key concepts were examined: Parental perceptions of the child’s
readiness for school ‘Transition’ or preparation activities by the
school or parent The child’s adjustment to school in the first
few months How well they coped with change in
learning style and environment
Perceptions of child’s ‘readiness’
Five statements: I was worried that [child] would find being apart
from me too difficult I was concerned that [child] would be reluctant to
go to school I felt that [child] was able to mix with other children
well enough to get along at school I believe that [child] understood enough about
taking turns and sharing to manage at school I was worried that [child] was not independent
enough to cope with school
% agreeing with statement by child’s gender
1219
92 91
810 13
95 96
5
Worried being apart toodiff icult
Concerned w ould bereluctant*
Child able to mix w ithothers**
Child able to share** Child not independentenough*
Boys Girls
School readiness score by age at entry and pre-school readiness
20.621.2
20.6
22.0
19.5
Under 5 yrs 5 to 5.5 yrs Older than5.5 yrs
Belowaverage
Average ofabove
Age at school entry Pre-school readiness score
School readiness by SDQ and cognitive ability scores
Measure
Perceived School Readiness Score
Average or above
Below average
Mean SDQ Total Difficulties Score 6.5 8.5
Mean Problem Solving Ability Score 84.0 81.7
Mean Vocabulary Ability Score 111.2 107.3
School preparation activitiesVisited school without the child
Visited the school with the child
Asked nursery or school for advice
Got info about preparing child from schoolGot info about preparing child from nursery
Practiced reading with childStarted teaching child to count
Practiced writing letters with child
Chatted to child about what school is likeTalked enthusiastically about starting school
Found out what the child would learn
Started teaching child alphabet
Warned child they’d have to behave
Visiting the school
Sought or received
advice about preparing
Practiced reading,
writing or numbers
Talked to child about
school
90%
87%
86%
92%
% of parents reporting different numbers of activities
8
31
46
15
0 to 3 4 to 7 8 to 11 12 or more
Mean number of activities by parent’s highest qualification
Child’s adjustment to school
How often the child had: Complained about school Said good things about school Looked forward to going to school Been upset or reluctant to go to school
% doing at least once a week
31 27
98 96
Complained aboutschool
Reluctant to go Said good thingsabout school
Looked forward togoing
Managing the learning transition
Questions related to: The pace of learning Perceptions of how the child was adapting to school
[Child] was happier with the way he learned things in nursery
[Child’s] teacher knows him well and gives him just the support he needs
[Child] has adjusted easily to the way they do things in school
Pace of learning
3
87
10 123
Too fast Just right Too slow Noqualifications
Higher gradesor above
All children % saying “Too fast”
Adjustment to learning
37 37
6
49
1611
5
25
2 2
42
1 0
10
55
Child's teacher knowshim well and gives
support
Child has adjustedeasily
Child was happier withpre-school
Agree strongly
Agree
Neither
Disagree
Disagree strongly
Summary and conclusions 3.
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Summary and conclusions For most children and their parents, early Primary
School experiences are positive
For some, particularly those in more disadvantaged circumstances, the experience is less positive Deferrals related to health or developmental issues more
common for children with lower SES Children with lower SES perceived to be less prepared for
school and to experience fewer preparation/transition activities Both social, emotional and behavioural development, and
cognitive ability appear to have a bearing on how successfully the child is perceived to have made the transition
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Questions for discussion What findings were most relevant, made sense or
reflected what you know/expect? Was anything surprising, alarming, unusual or
irrelevant? What are the implications of these findings?
What else could be explored using GUS data that would be relevant for your practice?
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