Quarter of boys aged five cannot write their name

 

 

By Laura Clark

Last updated at 12:53 AM on 26th March 2010

 

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One in four boys aged five cannot write their name yet, while most girls can. (Posed by model)

 

One boy in four cannot write his name at the age of five, researchers found.

An analysis of children's skills after their first year of schooling shows a stark gender divide.

Girls were ahead in almost every area of early development including writing, social skills and the ability to concentrate.

Twenty-four per cent of boys were unable to write their name at the age of five - compared with 13 per cent of girls.

Sixty-two per cent of girls could maintain attention and concentration - against 48 per cent of boys.

The findings are the clearest evidence yet that the education gender divide begins in the earliest years.

The figures are based on teachers' observations of youngsters in reception or nursery classes - before they began compulsory education - as they played and carried out tasks. Out of 117 skills on which children were assessed in 2008/09, boys were ahead of girls in just three.

They were better at getting to grips with new technology, constructing objects and using different strategies to add and subtract.

The figures, from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, are based on a sample of 274,000 children in England.

The gender breakdown is the first since the Government's controversial 'nappy curriculum' for under-fives became mandatory in schools and nurseries in September 2008.

 

 

 

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Experts said the curriculum forced boys into formal learning too soon, raising the risk of them switching off education.

Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham, said: 'If we don't get it right at the beginning, it's disastrous.'

Children's Minister Dawn Primarolo said: 'It is reassuring to see that we are making good progress in early years development, with over 90 per cent of young children achieving a solid grounding in the basics.

 

'Whilst boys' achievement is improving, girls continue to improve at a faster rate.'

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1260777/Quarter-boys-write-aged-five.html#ixzz0jFMxyJWM

LOL RETARDS.

 

I could read and write etc way faster than most, cos I am awesome.

:confused:

LOL RETARDS.

 

I could read and write etc way faster than most, cos I am awesome.

same, I could read and write better than all of my classmates going into kindergarten...and I grew a superiority complex because of it.

same, I could read and write better than all of my classmates going into kindergarten...and I grew a superiority complex because of it.

 

I also developed inherent laziness, as I got used to everything being so easy.

I also developed inherent laziness, as I got used to everything being so easy.

I am now surprised in how you are nervous for your interview on Saturday, things in fact do come very easily for you.

I am now surprised in how you are nervous for your interview on Saturday, things in fact do come very easily for you.

 

I'm not arrogant about it though, I'm really shy.

I can't remember that young but I wouldn't say overall boys are any less inteligent than girls at school age their just more likely to be distracted and mess about.

 

You're going for an interview?, good luck with it:)

Maybe if they had normal names they would, but with all these "unique" ones....eh :confused:

Mark and a thread about 5 year old boys.......no surprise there then.

Boys should be out destroying ants with magnifying glasses and making bows and arrows for killing small game / the neighbor's cat.

 

Girls should be indoors playing tea party and learning cursive.

 

Neither should be obese.

Girls > Boys

 

Boys should be out destroying ants with magnifying glasses and making bows and arrows for killing small game / the neighbor's cat.

 

Girls should be indoors playing tea party and learning cursive.

 

I did both, what does that mean? :P

Girls > Boys

 

 

 

I did both, what does that mean? :P

 

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Thanks. :blank:

 

XD

Maybe like...a quarter of boys aged five have like, really hard to spell names.

 

same, I could read and write better than all of my classmates going into kindergarten...and I grew a superiority complex because of it.

 

I also developed inherent laziness, as I got used to everything being so easy.

 

I'm not arrogant about it though, I'm really shy.

Wow this all pretty much sums me up as well.

i thought it was pretty well know that the majority of girls are smarter at that age.

 

But most guys catch up pretty quickly.

I remember in primary school, from when we were about 10 onwards, the three smartest pupils were two boys and I.

 

( then again there was 5 girls and 12 boys in the class, but still )

At least Emma's stats are more reliable then the Daily Mail.

anyone's stats are more reliable than the daily mail.

Yeah. 50% of Britain don't know the time, because I asked a person on the street the other day and they didn't know, then I asked another person and they did.

lulz