Upstart

The case for raising the school starting age and providing what the under-sevens really need

Sue Palmer

• Publisher: Floris Books
• Year: 2016
• eBook ISBN: 9781782502760
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Educational Policy

Why does Britain and its former colonies send children to school as young as four and five, when in eighty-eight per cent of the world the starting age is six or seven? Sue Palmer, author of bestselling Toxic Childhood, uncovers the truth: it's not because of what's best for children, but historical accident and economics. Palmer examines research ranging from neurological science to educational data, and shows that under-sevens gain most -- educationally, physically, socially and psychologically -- from not being stuck behind a desk. Upstart puts forward a passionate case for Britain adopting a proper 'kindergarten' stage that recognises what under-sevens really need. With clarity, ease and vigour, Palmer describes a different way of doing early years education that would have huge benefits both for individual children, and for our nation.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Praise
• Title Page
• Contents
• Summary
• 1: HOW DID WE GET HERE?
• 2: HOW CHILDREN LEARN
• 3: TWENTY-FIRST-CENTURY CHILDHOOD
• 4: THE THREE RS
• 5: MIND THE GAPS
• 6: FINNISH FOUNDATIONS
• 7: CHANGING MINDS TO CHANGE THE FUTURE
• Appendix 1: School starting ages around the world
• Appendix 2: Early education in early-start nations
• Appendix 3: The UK Early Childhood Forum’s Charter
• Appendix 4: The phonemes of English
• Appendix 5: Summerborns and winterborns
• Appendix 6: A Finnish kindergarten’s lesson for linguistic skills
• Notes and references
• Bibliography
• Acknowledgements
• Copyright