Social Sciences Essay: Starting School at A Later Age Is More Beneficial

Starting School at A Later Age Is More Beneficial
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Name and Number
Professor’s Name
Assignment Due Date
Abstract
This paper sought to assert and support an argument regarding school starting age and academic achievement. A statement was proposed that children who start school at a late age have better academic achievements. A systematic literature review was conducted to support the proposed argument. According to the findings presented in most studies, there are no benefits associated with starting school at an early age. An early age may differ from one country to another. However, based on the wide range of literature used, an earlier starting age is four years while a late starting age is seven years. In countries where children started school at the age of four, they were found to retain lesser numeracy and literacy skills compared to their senior counterparts. Also, they were slower in their cognitive development process. Thus, based on this evidence, it was concluded that a late starting age is better compared to an early starting age.
Starting School at A Later Age Is More Beneficial
Introduction and Position Statement
Over the years, there have been constant debates regarding the appropriate age for starting school. In most European countries, children start school at the age of five, six, or seven. In the United Kingdom (UK), children start school at the age of four. Since Great Britain colonized a significant portion of the world, many of its former colonies have adopted their policies. School starting age is one of them. In African countries, for example, you will find children as young as two reporting to school. It has become a common belief that the earlier the child’s chance at school, the better. However, there is something that every parent and teacher should know. School starting age determines the child’s cognitive development. Aside from this, it affects the child’s social development.
This paper will also emphasize cognitive development. According to Beckley et al. (2009), cognitive development concerns the child’s development as a knower, thinker, and learner. Also, cognitive development pertains to the child’s ability to remember, understand, and solve problems. In general, the child is attempting to draw their understanding of the world using their basic senses (Beckley et al., 2009). There is no restriction on the starting age of your son or daughter. Still, there is research that suggests that starting early or late has individual benefits. As will be seen in this paper, there are different authors whose works have contributed to either of these assertions. But, this paper aims to show that starting at a later age has more benefits for the child in terms of academic achievement.
Literature Review
As noted, the UK has had a significant impact on the school starting age of many children around the world. As indicated in Cleave and Brown (2003), children in the UK start school at an earlier age when compared to children in Europe and the United States (US). According to the country’s law, all children are required to start school after their fifth birthday. But, most parents are op...