A MUM from Malmesbury has said she will be taking her son out of the education system as it pushes children “far too much and far too early”.

Diana Murphy, 40, has taken the decision to home school her three-year-old son CJ, for fear that the overly strenuous education system will be detrimental to his development.

“I already see the pressure three-year-olds are under in preparation for school,” said Diana.

“I feel it’s written away their childhood. They lose their love of learning and they don’t get enjoyment out of it.

“That natural curiosity in the child needs to be nurtured and turned to learning in a positive way.”

Diana was born in Budapest but has lived in the UK for 20 years. She believes the European model for teaching is preferential for children’s mental well-being and educational development.

“When you look at other countries in Europe they don’t start school until the age of six or seven,” continued Diana.

“I researched this quite a lot and it came obvious to me that professionals and teachers feel the same, that children are pushed far too much and far too early.

“It became clear that the expectations are completely different [in the UK].

“Children who start later learn quicker as they’re ready then. They start in September and are fully literate by Christmas.

“They have their childhood and have had fun, then, by seven, they start to learn.

“The progress is much better as it doesn’t stem from anxiety.

“Examining small kids like that, leads to them getting so anxious. Kids feeling they’re not clever enough from a young age can be detrimental to them.

“When you compare the academic rates, kids are smarter and more academic in Europe.

“There are studies that show in Europe they read much more.

“You don’t see many teenagers sitting down with a book in England because they hate it.

“It’s about teachers going back to teaching and doing what they love, not box ticking.”

Diana wants to fit CJ’s early years of education around what he wants to learn, and when.

“When I look at my son, there is nothing wrong with him, but he doesn’t have an interest in sitting down and colouring,” she said.

“It’s just not what he wants or needs. I feel I’d be ripping away his childhood completely.

“Reading and writing is not as important for a five-year-old compared to knowing when the sun comes up and goes down.

“Children starting school at four don’t have life experience, there are lots of things they don’t understand about the world.”

The decision of when CJ eventually starts school will however be his own, Diana insists.

“He can start when he’s ready, that’s the good thing, it depends on when he’s ready,” she said.

“I can ask him the question. If he says he wants to go to school, he will let me know.”

The Department for Education was contacted for, but did not provide, a response to Diana’s comments.