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Under consideration PE2195: Establish a kindergarten stage in Scottish education
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to establish a relationship-centred, play-based kindergarten stage for children between the ages of 3-7 years old.
Background information
Children in Scotland start school at an earlier age than children in most other countries. Yet, there’s no educational advantage to an early start. Research has found that children who are taught literacy skills from the age of five do no better in the long run than those who start at seven – results even out by aged 10. The ‘attainment gap’ is actually a ‘developmental gap’. The major difference in high-quality kindergarten care/education and school care/education is that the former is based on developmentally appropriate, play pedagogy and the latter on age-related, standards-driven educational practice.
We need to delay the school starting age and establish a single setting for play-based activity which will maximise development and nurturing. It’s particularly beneficial to children from lower economic backgrounds and fits with the ambition for greater equity in the poverty-related developmental gap.
2 signatures
This petition is now under consideration
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