Why teaching kids for test results is a bad idea

Parents, I have a question for you: what happens when you label a child as ‘falling behind’ at primary school?

There’s the obvious - you and your child lose confidence - which is devastating at such a pivotal age, when they’re just starting to figure out who they are.

But on an administrative level, what might happen? Often, children who are not making the expected progress are being pulled out of lessons, for 1-1 or ‘group support’. 

Whether they have an educational need or not, when they are pulled out for that extra support they’re missing PE, this can be so harmful. Because this means that they are missing art, or they’re missing playtime with their friends. They have to miss something to have that ‘catch-up’ time. 

Though this is meant to help, and be tailored to each child’s individual needs, it is in fact further isolating our children. 

Because as much as we talk as Early Years practitioners about the unique child, and how they all learn differently and at different rates, the education system as it stands does not allow for that space and time. 

We are in fact hindering them, and failing them, by putting pressure and time constraints on their development. 

And I ask you, reading this post (I’m not sure where you're at in life, but I’m presuming if you’re reading this, that you are literate!)

Have you ever been asked in a job interview what age you learnt to read or if you knew all your numbers by age 5? 

We all got there at some point.  

But the pressure in schools seems to be increasing, and the system wants it faster, faster, faster. 

You need to pass your phonics test by the end of year one, or you should be ‘here’ by the end of key stage two. Sound familiar? 

It's not sustainable, because every child learns at their own pace.  

And that is why I created The Nurture Nook - to create an environment where children can learn and grow at their own pace and away from desks. 

Because I believe our children’s learning experience should be as rich and fulfilling as their imaginations.

So whether your little one is in school and maybe is needs that ‘extra support’, whether you are home educating - or maybe your little one is not school age yet, but you’re thinking about how you to support their development, I’m here to tell you that there is a middle ground.

Wherever you are in your parenting journey, The Nurture Nook is here to support you, to offer you guidance, to share our knowledge - and to nurture your family, far away from any tests and progress reports.

Want to find out more? Join us at our next learning experience.