Scientists have released findings indicating that until Year 1, parents often do not accurately perceive their children's feelings about school. Research led by Prof Claire Hughes from Cambridge University's Department of Psychology involved interviews with over 200 children in Reception and Year 1 across more than 100 UK primary schools. The study shows a significant gap between children's feelings and parental perceptions, with discrepancies particularly notable in happiness levels during classroom and playground activities.
Prof Hughes explained: “We found a clear and wide gap between how parents think their children feel about the first year of school, and how children actually feel about school.” She also noted that parental understanding tends to align with children's feelings from the previous year by Year 1.
To address this issue, researchers collaborated with Anita Lehmann and Karin Eklund to create the picture book "How I Feel About My School," published by Routledge. The book is intended to help parents connect with their children’s emotions regarding school experiences. “We wanted to create a book that can help parents connect with their child’s feelings about school much earlier,” Hughes stated.
The book features characters with diverse behaviors and traits to resonate with children of varied personality types, aiming to foster discussions about daily school experiences. Hughes remarked: “We want to normalise difference. Kids have ups and downs in a day for lots of reasons.”
Initial results from the Ready or Not study were published in the British Journal of Educational Psychology and the book "The Psychology of Starting School." Recent publications in Developmental Psychology suggest a decline in children’s wellbeing from Reception to Year 1, associated with increased curriculum demands.
Hughes emphasized the importance of parental understanding of children’s school experiences: “A closer understanding of how a child feels about starting school will allow parents to gauge wellbeing and help their child adapt as key stages kick in.”
Further findings show that children's wellbeing in Reception predicts better self-confidence and academic outcomes in later years, such as higher GCSE grades. Hughes highlighted: "If children can have a positive couple of years at the beginning of school and we can really protect that time for building up their enthusiasm and their confidence, then when things do get more serious, the children are willing to embrace it."
The development of the picture book is aimed at enhancing parent-child communication about school, improving understanding, and supporting children’s emotional literacy. Hughes explained, “We hope the picture book will promote conversations about what happened at lunchtime or in the playground, giving parents a better understanding of their child’s enjoyment of school, and building up an emotional literacy for children.”