Pre-primary suspensions rise

The excitement of starting school could be short-lived for some youngsters as the number of pre-primary student suspensions continues to rise.

Figures collected in recent years show WA, along with Queensland, has one of the highest numbers of pre-primary suspensions in Australia.

South West Education Regional executive director Neil Milligan warned that with about 20,000 pre-primary students in the WA State system, a rise in suspensions should be kept in perspective.

Mr Milligan said 91 pre-primary students were suspended throughout WA in both 2013 and 2014.

"Suspension of our youngest students is only ever a last resort," he said.

"At this age it is generally only for serious behaviour such as kicking, biting or punching others."

Author and parenting and resilience educator Maggie Dent said she had been tracking the figures since 2013 and was alarmed to learn that the number of suspensions of pre-primary students in Australia had climbed to more than 400 in 2014, compared to "what used to be just three or four".

A strong push toward formalised learning, being allowed less play time and the "tsunami of technology" were identified by Ms Dent as causes.

"Children aren't playing enough either at home or at school and aren't developing codes of socialisation like they used to," she said.

Ms Dent said pre-primaries that placed emphasis on classroom-based learning often created extra stress and anxiety for young boys who already had "delayed readiness" compared to girls.

"There's a large amount of boys who struggle to cope with these stresses and that's where the problems start," she said.

Balancing formal learning with substantial amounts of play were strategies that Ms Dent said would help reduce the suspensions.

WA Primary Principals Association president Stephen Breen said the number of pre-primary school students being suspended was "extremely disappointing" and blamed large classrooms, lack of free play and parents not setting enough boundaries.

"Children learn from role modelling and aren't developing ideas about acceptable norms from home," he said.