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Repetition of the pre-primary year: The impact on literacy and socio-emotional outcomes in year 2

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 October 2015

Janet Fletcher ,
Jemma Millar  and
Frances Davies
Janet Fletcher*
Affiliation:
The University of Western Australia
Jemma Millar
Affiliation:
The University of Western Australia
Frances Davies
Affiliation:
The University of Western Australia
*
School of Psychology, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, CRAWLEY, WA 6009, Email: jan@psy.uwa.edu.au
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Abstract

Davies and Fletcher (2001) reported on the practice of pre-primary grade repetition in Western Australia. The current study examines the longer-term academic and social outcomes for children who participated in the 2001 study. Its purpose was to determine whether significant longer-term differences existed between children who had repeated pre-primary, children who were considered at risk of not coping in year 1, and a control group of children who were considered competent at the start of year 1. The differences between the literacy levels, self-concept, and social skills of the 3 groups (ṉ = 33) were examined at the end of year 2. The competent group had significantly better literacy skills than the at-risk group, while the retained group lay midway between the two groups on these measures. No significant differences were found between the 3 groups on measures of socio-emotional development. The implications of these findings for school policy on grade repetition are discussed.

Keywords

LiteracyPre-primary RepetitionSelf-conceptSocial SkillsSocio-emotional Development
Type
Research Article
Information
The Educational and Developmental Psychologist , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , 2005 , pp. 4 - 17
Copyright
Copyright © Australian Psychological Society 2005

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