At What Age Can My Child Think?

Whenever I’m asked this question, I think about the MagiKats way of teaching children in stages of learning, and not ages of learning. Briefly, MagiKats has five stages of learning which mirror the ages at which children develop certain thinking skills. We recognise that development follows the same order for everyone. However there is a catch. Not everyone reaches a stage at the same age.

We don’t learn, necessarily, by the same age. Some five-year-olds will be working as a six-year-old might. A twelve-year-old with lifestyle changes affecting their educational journey (such as moving to a new country or school system, school problems, an undiagnosed learning disability) may be working below their year group. The latter is a sad situation for the child, who feels as if they can’t succeed. The real problem is that at school, it is difficult for them to catch up.

Ages and Learning Abilities

At MagiKats, we can fill the gaps the school system cannot. We embrace diversity, in fact we positively thrive on it, and this is reflected by our approach to learning. To check how your child is developing, have a look at the graphic at the end of this article.

Child Development and Learning Styles

Our MagiKats Maths and English programmes are designed to mentor students throughout their development stages from age 5 up. Our specific Stages provide programmes to develop the subject skills and learning abilities of each individual member of our workshops.

How MagiKats Stages Work

Each curriculum section includes physical, social, and emotional development cues within the topic structures. For example, a mathematical course will teach a student how to tell the time, and then, in the next stage, how to translate time into the 24 hour clock. Workshops include puzzles and games to support tactile learning. There are visual cue cards, discussion topics, close teaching and mentoring, and quiet, written work.

In English and Maths, the core skills required by the National Curriculum are incorporated into workshops. As older students progress with us, there are opportunities to study specifically towards their SATS and GCSEs. We are able to give individual attention to students, in terms of looking closely at how they express ideas, and how well they write or work out problems. MagiKats mentors pay close attention to gaps in learning, with activities and extension work supporting our students to do their very best.

Need Help?

If you have concerns that your child is not achieving at school, remember, everyone will get there, but not always at the same speed. To help your child gain core skills they may have missed, or to fill in learning gaps, we’d love to show you what we offer at MagiKats. Alternately, if you have a bright and intellectual learner who is achieving well (but may be bored), we can help you broaden their education. Feel free to contact us and find out about the variety of Maths and English programmes on offer at MagiKats.

From the team at MagiKats HQ

For more information and to see the age descriptors see Pages 19 & 20 BTEC First Children’s Care, Learning and Development