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.

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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

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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.”

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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

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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

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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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lesley.kelly@crfr.ed.ac.uk,

GUS Dissemination Officer

For further information