The admission season for Nursery, KG and Grade 1 is upon us, and for many parents in India, it’s a whirlwind of applications, interviews, and, let’s be honest, a fair bit of anxiety. We all want the best for our children, and the natural instinct is often to push them forward, to get them into the “best” school, into their nursery or KG or grade 1 early – as to ensure they’re on the fast track to success.
But what if we told you that in this race to accelerate to the next grade, we might be overlooking the most crucial element: a strong foundation?
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, is a landmark & globally benchmarked modern reform in India’s education system, emphasizes a holistic, flexible, and multidisciplinary approach. A core tenet of the NEP is that foundational learning is paramount. It’s not about how quickly a child moves through the grades, but how deeply they grasp the concepts and develop the skills necessary for future learning.
Incidentally, all education Boards, including International Curriculum’s’ in India are in sync with the NEP.
SO IS THE MYTH OF “CATCHING UP” WORTH PURSUING?
We often hear the phrase, “They’ll catch up.”
Perhaps your child isn’t quite reading yet, or their fine motor skills need a little more development for writing, or they’re still mastering basic number recognition.. or the child is emotionally not yet mature to settle into a classroom yet. The thought might be, “The school will take care of it.”…why hold back the child in a lower grade?
While schools are equipped to guide and teach – pushing a child into a grade where they haven’t yet mastered the foundational benchmarks can actually be counterproductive. Imagine building a house without a strong base. It might stand for a while, but eventually, cracks will appear, and it will be vulnerable. Learning is no different.
When a child hasn’t solidified the prerequisite skills for a particular grade level, they can experience:
- Increased Frustration and Anxiety: Constantly struggling to keep up can lead to a sense of inadequacy and a dislike for learning.
- Surface-Level Understanding: Without a strong grasp of basics, new concepts become difficult to truly understand, leading to rote memorization rather than genuine comprehension.
- Gaps in Learning that Widen Over Time: Small gaps in foundational knowledge can accumulate, creating significant hurdles in later grades.
- Loss of Confidence: When children consistently feel behind, their self-esteem can take a hit, impacting their overall development.
The NEP’s Vision: Learning at Their Own & the right Pace
The NEP rightly champions the idea of learning at one’s own pace, recognizing that every child is unique and develops differently. It correctly advocates:
- Play-Based and Activity-Based Learning: Especially in early years, learning through exploration and experience is far more effective than rote methods.
- Focus on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN): The policy places a strong emphasis on ensuring all children achieve foundational literacy and numeracy by Grade 3. This means focusing on core skills like reading, writing, and basic arithmetic.
- Assessment for Learning, Not Just Of Learning: The NEP encourages continuous assessment that helps identify learning gaps and provides support, rather than just grading children.
This means that if your child needs a little more time to truly grasp the concepts for Nursery or Grade 1, providing them with that time and targeted support is not a setback – it’s an investment in their long-term academic success and well-being.
What Does “Ready” Mean?
“Ready” doesn’t necessarily mean being able to read and write perfectly before Grade 1. It means:
- Social-Emotional Readiness: Can they follow simple instructions? Can they share and take turns? Can they manage their emotions in a classroom setting?
- Cognitive Readiness: Do they have a developing attention span? Can they understand basic concepts like shapes, colors, and sizes? Do they show curiosity and a desire to learn?
- Language and Communication: Can they express themselves verbally? Can they understand simple stories and conversations?
- Fine and Gross Motor Skills: Are they able to hold a pencil, use scissors, run, and jump with reasonable coordination?
These are the true building blocks.
If these are not yet firmly in place, giving your child the gift of more time, more play, and more targeted coaching at home or through a supportive preschool environment will yield far better results than pushing them into an environment at school, they’re not yet equipped to thrive in.
SO TRUST YOUR SCHOOL IN THESE MATTERS – NO POINT TRYING TO PUSH YOUR CHILD INTO THE NEXT GRADE FASTER, REGARDLESS OF HIS/HER DATE OF BIRTH
The Courage to Prioritize Foundations
It takes courage as a parent to sometimes go against the tide, to resist the pressure to conform to what others are doing. But remember, your child’s well-being and genuine love for learning are far more valuable than perceived academic acceleration.
If the learning and development benchmarks for the next grade are not yet achieved, and your child genuinely needs more coaching and time to get ready, embrace it. Seek out resources, work with their current educators, and create a nurturing environment where they can solidify those crucial foundations.
Because ultimately, a strong foundation isn’t just about academic success; it’s about building confident, resilient, and joyful learners who are truly prepared for the exciting educational journey ahead.
Let’s empower our children to build their houses on rock, not on sand.
LETS EXPLORE NURSERY ADMISSIONS AGE IN INDIA – AS PER NEP WHAT IS THE MINIMUM AGE FOR A CHILD TO JOIN GRADE 1 ?
As per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 – THE MINIMUM AGE FOR A CHILD TO JOIN GRADE 1 (CLASS 1) IS 6 YEARS.
This policy aims to standardize the age criteria across states and Union Territories in India and emphasizes a “5+3+3+4=15 years” pedagogical structure for school education.
The first five years of this structure, known as the “foundational stage,” include:
- 3 years of pre-primary education (Nursery/Bal Vatika, Lower KG, Upper KG) – ( however these terms/class nomenclature may vary across schools dear parent )
- 2 years of Class 1 and Class 2
Therefore, the recommended age breakdown for admission, as per the NEP, is generally:
- Nursery (Bal Vatika/Preschool 1): 3+ years
- Lower KG (Bal Vatika/Preschool 2): 4+ years
- Upper KG (Bal Vatika/Preschool 3): 5+ years
- Class 1: 6+ years
While some states/schools might have had different age criteria in the past, the Ministry of Education has been urging all states and UTs to align with the NEP 2020 guidelines and implement the 6+ years age for Class 1 admissions. This has already been implemented in some regions, like Delhi NCR, from academic session 2026-27.
So some schools do vary/lower the age of entry into “nursery” class – but they may have classes in 3 or 4 years /steps before they allow all kids to necessarily turn 6 years – before they allow kids to join grade 1 ( as per NEP – mentioned above).
TRUST YOUR SCHOOL IN THESE MATTERS – THEY HAVE YOUR CHILD’S BEST INTEREST IN MIND.
What are your thoughts, fellow Gurugram parents? Have you reflected on these key points or are grappling with this matter?
Do share your insights and strategies in the comments below.
We hope this helps you, dear parent!
Meanwhile enjoy developing your child at a good neighborhood school, home and outdoors
There are some great parks/green spots/sports fields near at as well near our school campuses – consider locating a suitable one in your neighborhood, for encouraging physical activity – the seeds of any sports – near say:
- SouthCity1
- Sector31
- Sector40
- Sushant Lok
- Sector72
- Sector70
- Sectot71
- Sector48
- Badshahpur corridor*
- Leisure Valley
(*) which is right next to the Sixth Element – Tata Primanti campus – and the trees near our school’s north/east boundary – help filter our school campus air, too.
Why – the Sixth Element School?
The Sixth Element was a phrase coined by the school founders 20 years back to illustrate igniting the joy of learning – crucial for children’s development – as we nurture and prepare them for the future.
How to Foster a Well-Rounded Child?
While there is lots of operating structure and detailed SOPs in the school’s daily /weekly/monthly/annual – schedules – “how” the same is executed is unique – i.e., the Sixth element way of incorporating co-curricular & scientific & artistic activities, project work etc – leading to children enjoy learning & look forward to coming to school each day (and interestingly they do miss school on holidays 😊 ! )
Some examples of what’s done to instill values & character building:
- Instill values: Understanding differences between right and wrong is often discussed in its many facets. Discussing environmental issues, volunteering for community activities, clean-ups, and respecting all living beings.
- Values as a Compass: Values are the moral principles that guide our actions. The Cambridge International Curriculum emphasizes global citizenship and community service and fosters values like respect, empathy, and responsibility.
- Embrace sustainability: Reduce waste, conserve energy, and grow your food together. Encouraging minimalism (BTW, we are a uniform school), upcycling, gardening, and exploring green technologies like rainwater harvesting, recycling, etc.
- Building Confidence: The curriculum’s focus on individual & team achievement (over experiential projects in small groups) and overcoming difficulties – and making progress, encouraged by the teacher, helps build self-esteem. Students develop a strong sense of confidence and resilience by setting and achieving goals.
- Life Skills for Real World: The curriculum’s focus on independent learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving equips students with essential life skills. These skills are invaluable in navigating challenges and opportunities- building confidence.
THE SIXTH ELEMENT’ School’s commitment to sustainability?
At the Sixth Element, we believe that education should go beyond classrooms. Our green, airy, spacious campuses are a living laboratory where children learn experimentally about sustainable practices. From solar panels to rainwater harvesting, recycling & near no plastics usage.
Our curriculum integrates sustainability into every subject, fostering a deep appreciation for nature, science, commerce & the arts – while instilling a desire to protect our planet.
By igniting the joy of learning and nurturing curiosity, confidence, values, and environmental consciousness – we empower children to become successful individuals and equally responsible members of society and global citizens.
Does a unique International Curriculum School like the Sixth Element help?
A progressive holistic school following Cambridge International Curriculum significantly contributes to lots of experiential learning and project-based work.
The Sixth Element School: Where Cambridge International meets India- in an exclusive, low-density, impactful format.
The reason why we chose the Cambridge International curriculum is that the blend of teacher-directed as well as learner-self-driven learning & research seems to be relevant for aspirational kids from Indian families, keen on preparing their kids to be global citizens of the future – whether based in India or overseas.
Is the Sixth Element School duly registered with Cambridge International?
Yes, The Sixth Element School – is duly registered as one of over 10,000 schools globally – as a Cambridge International school with a global registration number IA 892
Keen to see what a unique school like The Sixth Element School offers? Schedule a visit and see why it could be the perfect launchpad for your child’s bright, global future!
We started the first sixth element school 20 years back in 2004 @ Gurgaon.
Our schools & afternoon extended school & afternoon’ activities enriched’ daycare centres are unique, exclusive, compact neighborhood green campuses – where many outdoor activities & experiential learning (physical – not digital) occur with children on most days.
Our unique Smaller campus – with only two sections per class grade – and minimal children on campus allow us to focus on each child’s growth & development properly.
We are proud of our high-quality, committed teachers – the backbone of any good learning environment.
We raise well-rounded future ready individuals who are prepared to face the challenges of the world with confidence and integrity – with the proper methods and practices. For example, our foundational fitness program delivered in partnership with fit Kids, our gym, our green playgrounds and great coaches gives our school kids a great foundational fitness start.
A good understanding and partnership between parents and schools is key to nurturing the future leaders of gurugram, our great nation and planet.
THE SIXTH ELEMENT SCHOOL WE BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF CATALYSING & ENSURING “THE SIXTH ELEMENT – i.e. THE JOY OF LEARNING ” FOR EVERY CHILD. OUR CURRICULUM IS BENCHMARKED WITH THE BEST INTERNATIONALLY WHILE DRAWING FROM OUR VERY OWN CORE ANCIENT INDIAN BEST PRACTICES SUCH AS THE GURU SHISHYA PARAMPARA) & VALUES. THANKS TO ITS 20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND ITS CORE CHILD DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES DRAWN FROM PIAGET, VYGOSTKY AND BRUNER – WHICH IS INCIDENTALLY THE RESOURCE POOL – FOR THE FOUNDATIONAL YEARS SCHOOL CURRICULUM OF THE UPGRADED NEW EDUCATION (NEP) UNDER ROLLOUT IN INDIA NOW.
So, in line with some of India’s top and the best globally, we are now a unique 100% Cambridge International School.
the Sixth Element School
the schoolchildren love
SOUTH CITY 1. TATA PRIMANTI (sector 72)
85272-74695 or 97736-32626
since 2004(20 years)
Limited enrollment available in pre-NURSERY, NURSERY, KG & DAYCARE, grade 1 now – in our prenursery to K12 school programs.
@ Gurgaon’s only single-section “exclusive” boutique VENTILATED, AIRY, SPACIOUS. GREEN SCHOOL CAMPUSES
