英国公立小学压力相对小、课程相对基础，真的适合来自亚洲的孩子吗？在选择与适应中，习惯亚洲式教育的父母应如何平衡期待与现实，守护孩子的成长？
With a relatively light academic burden and a curriculum that mainly drives the basics, are British public primary schools truly suitable for children with educational experience in Asia? Amidst the process of choosing and adapting, how can Asian parents balance their expectations with reality and safeguard their children’s development?
教育的“盲盒”：英国小学的初印象
来英国之前，一位在美国的朋友告诉我，她儿子在小学五年级所学的内容，仅相当于新加坡小学三年级的水平。她建议我们半年后申请跳级，直接进入六年级。英国小学的教育水平与美国相近，或许可以借鉴她的方法。
然而，我们对英国小学的教育并没有抱太大期望，尤其是对孩子们的适应能力尚持保留态度。跳级？对我们家孩子来说，这几乎是不可能的。她们的性格和学习节奏，我心知肚明。
来英国，就像打开一个“盲盒”。唯一确定的是，公立小学的All Saints CE Primary School究竟如何，我们一无所知，只能走一步看一步了。我们的初衷是让孩子们轻松学习，不希望她们为了超前学习而陷入压力之中。我接受她们的平凡和简单，就像接受她们小时候学走路时那缓慢而坚定的步伐。
英国小学的课程：浅尝辄止还是夯实基础？
来之前，我们对英国小学的课程充满好奇。一位老师要教授全班20个孩子的数学、英文、科学、音乐、美术和体育，这与新加坡幼儿园老师的工作量相当。孩子们能学到多少？教学质量能否保证？
带着这些疑问，我查阅了英国小学的教育资料。英文的听说读写和语法要求非常精细，课程编排也相当具体。毕竟，这是他们的母语。然而，其他科目似乎只是蜻蜓点水。比如数学课程，不妨参考来自gov.uk的官方指引：
“The principal focus of mathematics teaching in key stage 1 is to ensure that pupils develop confidence and mental fluency with whole numbers, counting and place value. This should involve working with numerals, words and the 4 operations, including with practical resources [for example, concrete objects and measuring tools].
At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to recognise, describe, draw, compare and sort different shapes and use the related vocabulary. Teaching should also involve using a range of measures to describe and compare different quantities such as length, mass, capacity/volume, time and money.
By the end of year 2, pupils should know the number bonds to 20 and be precise in using and understanding place value. An emphasis on practice at this early stage will aid fluency.”
Source: Statutory guidance
National curriculum in England: mathematics programmes of study (updated 2021)
也就是在小学二年级之前，学生只要会数学术语和20以内的数字即可。这也太浅了吧！往下再看：
“The principal focus of mathematics teaching in lower key stage 2 is to ensure that pupils become increasingly fluent with whole numbers and the 4 operations, including number facts and the concept of place value. This should ensure that pupils develop efficient written and mental methods and perform calculations accurately with increasingly large whole numbers.
At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to solve a range of problems, including with simple fractions and decimal place value. Teaching should also ensure that pupils draw with increasing accuracy and develop mathematical reasoning so they can analyse shapes and their properties, and confidently describe the relationships between them. It should ensure that they can use measuring instruments with accuracy and make connections between measure and number.
By the end of year 4, pupils should have memorised their multiplication tables up to and including the 12 multiplication table and show precision and fluency in their work.”
Source: Statutory guidance
National curriculum in England: mathematics programmes of study (updated 2021)
到了小四的数学，孩子的水平也只是学了乘法口诀表而已。那么杯杯面的小六是怎么样的？
“The principal focus of mathematics teaching in upper key stage 2 is to ensure that pupils extend their understanding of the number system and place value to include larger integers. This should develop the connections that pupils make between multiplication and division with fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio.
At this stage, pupils should develop their ability to solve a wider range of problems, including increasingly complex properties of numbers and arithmetic, and problems demanding efficient written and mental methods of calculation. With this foundation in arithmetic, pupils are introduced to the language of algebra as a means for solving a variety of problems. Teaching in geometry and measures should consolidate and extend knowledge developed in number. Teaching should also ensure that pupils classify shapes with increasingly complex geometric properties and that they learn the vocabulary they need to describe them.
By the end of year 6, pupils should be fluent in written methods for all 4 operations, including long multiplication and division, and in working with fractions, decimals and percentages.”
Source: Statutory guidance
National curriculum in England: mathematics programmes of study (updated 2021)
小学六年级就学了代数的方式，还有基本的几何算法。（到小六下半年孩子还在学时间的算法）
我和孩子们聊了聊她们的学习情况。一年级下学期的数学还在20以内的加减法，面包脸觉得非常无聊（这些内容在新加坡K2时就已经学过了）。英文课主要学习自然拼读法，但她仍然错字连篇。其他科目则只是浅尝辄止。
疯猴子在新加坡已经学会了乘法，她觉得数学很简单，但对历史和法语表现出浓厚的兴趣。杯杯面自然不用说，她的每个科目都可以“吊打”全班，也不再抱怨数学难了。然而，这未必是好事。
公立 vs 私立：教育的分层与选择
我开始担心孩子们学得太少。如果她们在私立学校，潜能可能会被更好地激发。于是，我查阅了私立学校的资料。私立学校在课程深度和广度上确实比公立学校高出几个台阶，教学也更加严格。一些批评西方宽松教育的文章指出，公立学校的“快乐教育”可能导致孩子将来无法进入精英阶层。
金刚爵却提醒我，不要被网上的信息所诱导。我们来英国的初衷是什么？是让孩子们有更大的空间自由探索，体验与新加坡不同的生活。如果选择私立学校，那和在新加坡的忙碌生活又有什么区别？
他的话让我深思。私立学校固然能提供更优质的教育，但也可能带来更大的压力。我在新加坡生活了二十年，见过许多家长为了让孩子进入名牌小学而绞尽脑汁。他们认为，邻里学校的内容太浅，如果不去好学校，将来PSLE（小学毕业考试）考不好，就无法进入好中学，更别提跻身精英阶层了。
然而，我在高中执教时发现，来自名牌小学和中学的孩子未必都能进入顶尖高中。相反，许多在普通邻里学校上学的孩子通过努力改变了自己的命运。金刚爵就是一个典型的例子——他的小学早已被合并，但他通过自己的努力实现了逆袭。而我，虽然从国大毕业，却只是一名普通的打工者。
教育的本质：自由与成长的平衡
人与人的差别，从来不只是由教育背景决定的。胸襟、眼界和心态等因素同样重要。也许英国公立小学的教学内容确实较为基础，但这与孩子将来是否“碌碌无为”并无直接关系。
如果孩子们把所有精力都放在“学得多、学得深”上，她们就没有时间去做自己想做的事。小学阶段是孩子们建立自我认知的关键时期，宽松的环境能让她们保持对世界的好奇心和求知欲。如果有一天，孩子们认为学习比兴趣重要，作业比自由重要，她们可能会迷失自我。择校的过程让我们明白，教育的意义不仅在于知识的传授，更在于为孩子们提供一个适合她们成长的环境。无论是公立还是私立，无论是宽松还是严格，最重要的是让孩子们在探索中找到自己的方向。
作为父母，我们的责任是为孩子们创造一片沃土，让她们像野马一样恣意驰骋，像野花一样野蛮生长。也许，这才是给她们生命的底气。
English Summary
Arriving in the UK, AvoYo is surprised by how relaxed and basic education in public primary schools feels compared to Singapore, especially in math and science. She worries that the kids might not be challenged enough, but also recall the downsides of high-pressure schooling. After weighing the pros and cons of public versus private schools, she reflected that educational success isn’t necessarily determined by school prestige. The key takeaway is that education should balance freedom and growth, allowing children to flourish naturally. The family eventually embraces a philosophy of supporting their kids’ interests and well-being over relentless pursuit for academic achievement.
