There is a new trend to send  children  to Grade R when they are 4 years old going to turn 5, meaning that the child spends 2 years in the Grade R class at primary school. This article attempts to paint a picture of the 4 year old turning five and address the above question. 

WHO IS THE 4 YEAR OLD TURNING 5? 

a) Stage of development  

Even though each child is different, all children go through the same stages in their social and emotional development.In the first stage the 0 – 18 months child needs to develop trust in their primary caregiver, and themselves. In the second stage, the 18 months – 3 year old  child needs to develop independence and begin to do things for him/herself. 

In the third stage, 3 - 6 years, the child needs to become an initiator, and to have confidence in attempting new tasks.The older pre-school children who have gained trust and some independence and self-control, will be confident enough to explore and experiment with many different things. They can begin to make decisions for themselves, for example,they can choose what they want to play with and this is using INITIATIVE. (i.e. make  decisions, solve his/her own problems, not afraid to try new things, to experiment, come up with new ideas.)They can also draw, paint, and build things using their own ideas, and this is being CREATIVE. The child at this stage has an overwhelming drive for play and exploration. 

Another critical task is the development of a conscience. The child wants to get along with his friends and wants be accepted by them. But acceptance by others demands specific social skills from the child. Proper social norms and conduct become important to the child. During this phase the child has to start knowing “from within” whether his/her behaviour is right or wrong.  

Parents’ primary task at this stage is to encourage children's attempts to try anything new, encourage the child to take 

initiative, and believe in their abilities to succeed, focus on building their self-esteem, and allow them to fail and try 

again. Any mistakes they make at this stage are good opportunities for learning. 

b) Social development  

Socially children are also different at different ages: 

0 – 2 years - the child plays alone 

2 – 3 years – the child starts to play alongside but not with another child 

3 – 4 years – the child can play together with a partner 

5 – 6 years – the child can play with other children in small groups 

c) The transition from 4 years to 5 years old 

Children go through lots of changes as they move from 4 to 5 years old. A 4 year old girl or boy tends to be extremely 

exuberant, enthusiastic, out going, out of bounds. 

At 5 the same child will in all likelihood be, much of the time, calm, self contained, adaptable, conforming, well-adjusted, 

easy to get on with, happiest and most comfortable while engaging in conservative, close to home activities. 

The change in the child tends to be rather gradual, and sometimes the child himself seems a bit confused, as he really does 

not know whether he is wild 4 year old or a calm and quiet 5. At any rate, adults often find his behaviour highly 

unpredictable.  

At four and half, the child does tend to be bit more self-motivated and is able to concentrate on what he’s busy with.  

Play is less wild than at 4, and they are better able to stand frustration.  

At 4 and half, the child is becoming aware of authority, and questions authority. Parents may need to bargain with the child. 

Now the awareness of “good” and “bad” things begins to dawn.  2

d) Temperament  

Every child is an individual and different from every other child, even from others of their same age, sex, or background. 

It’s their temperament that makes children very different. Temperament is the child’s first and most natural way of reacting 

to the world, most natural behaviour from birth. This must be taken into account when we are trying to understand our 

children, guide and support them, and especially when we are making important decisions about their lives and future, like 

whether he should go to Grade R at primary school and at what age. For example, a child who takes long to adapt and who 

is very active may struggle in Grade R in primary school at 5 years old, because learning is more structured and formal and 

children have to sit for long periods of time.    

YOUR 4/5 YEAR OLD AND SCHOOL  

Young children from birth to about 7 years of age need a protective and nurturing environment to support them in their most 

vulnerable developmental stage. The children need to be sheltered as much as possible from the stress of modern time (such 

as noise, pollution, sensory disturbances, social disruption and violence) through the creation of a warm, loving, caring and 

harmonious atmosphere.  

Learning informally, through play; through exploring; experimenting and discovering, is the most sound and most age 

appropriate manner for younger children to learn. There is no better learning situation for any child of this age than one in 

which he finds himself at the tender mercy of children his age. Here, rather than from books or in forced learning situations, 

is where the child of this age really learns.  

YOUR CHILD’S MIND 

You need to answer his many “whys” and encourage his imagination and creativity. 

Do not feel that you must teach your preschooler to read. If by chance he is somewhat advanced and is already asking what 

certain letters mean, or is trying to spell out words, give him the help and encouragement he seeks. Research by the National 

Institute of Economic and Social research has shown that children whose pre-school literacy is good do much better at 

school than the long-term performance of children who are taught to read at a younger age.

It is better to let them start school on the basis of their behaviour age rather that their age in years or their intellectual 

level. It is the age at which a child is behaving, not his birthday age, that should ideally determine the time of school 

entrance. 

It is recommended that all children be screened before they start Grade R at primary school using some sound behaviour and 

developmental tests. If your own school does not offer pre-Grade R screening and you have no way of finding out your 

child’s behaviour level, then you will more or less have to go with his chronological age. Boys, as a rule, develop more 

slowly than girls, so it would be best if your daughter is fully 5 years of age before she starts Grade R at primary school. 

You son will do best if he is fully 5 and a half. 

Teachers at primary schools have found that children who only turn 5 in Grade R have the most trouble. They often have 

trouble not only in Grade R but in all the years to come.   

Below are  some of the things and changes he/she will experience and have to get used to very quickly:  

o  Having to do the same work as the 6 year olds, because there is no  differentiated learning for each age group  

o  Having to repeat the same work again the following year. 

o  Having to stay in the same class when their older friends move over to Grade 1 next year 

o  Being bored in the following year 

o  Having to be at school for 14 years and not 12 years, the child will become tired of formal compulsory schooling 

o  Feeling pressurised to achieve, feeling drained and tired from trying to keep up with the pace and the other older 

children 

o  School can be a stressful environment and can become a negative environment for the child  

The advantages for the child remaining at an educare centre  for 1 more year.  

o  Child will have time to become more emotionally mature 

o  Child will develop socially and so be able  interact/play/work  in small groups of children of his own age in Grade R 

o  Child will become more independent  

o  He will benefit from learning informally through play.  

o  Teacher-child ratio in most centres  are smaller, meaning he will get more individual attention from his crèche 

teacher  3

o  She will feel secure and develop greater self-confidence in this familiar environment, and may become the leaders 

and helpers. 

o  He will not  feel pressurized to achieve beyond his  capabilities 

o  Child is more ready to learn when they are 5 turning 6, understand concepts better and will be  ready to do own  

research better in Grade R 

6. CONCLUSION 

We need to look at the big picture. 

As parents, we may be putting undue pressure on our children if we send them too early to primary school. This in the longterm will have an effect on their self-esteem and self-confidence. What messages are we giving the child when we send him 

early to primary school? Maybe we are  telling him that achievement and pushing oneself is a very important value, no 

matter what the consequences or effect it may have on the child now and in the future.  As a result the child may fear failure, 

fear performing, and feel insecure, inferior and incapable of trying out new things later in life.  

In the end, it is your decision when and at what age and if you will send your child to Grade R at a primary school. 

Look at your child as an individual, who is different from every other child. Consider what will benefit him/her now and 

many years from now. Be very honest with yourself about where your child is at. Make sure that you are putting him in an 

environment where he will cope and grow.  

Jann Watlington