The benefits of summer study

A child's summer holidays are often jam-packed with energetic activities like bike rides, swimming, dancing and football, but it is important to keep their minds active too.

Think about when you take a break from exercising your body; a few weeks off the treadmill and it seems so much steeper when you get back on! Your mind is much the same, it requires regular exercise to continue growing and developing. Ensuring your child continues educational activities throughout the summer holidays can mean they are confident, equipped and ready to tackle new work when they get back to school.

Research spanning 100 years shows students typically score lower on standardised tests at the end of summer holidays than they do on the same tests at the beginning of the summer (White, 1906). How much more, however, may well come as quite a surprise.

Most students lose about two months of learning in mathematical skill over the summer months, and more than two months in reading achievement compared to their peers who keep their brains active (Cooper, 1996). As well as the 'lost summer months', it's common for teachers to spend at least a month re-teaching material students have forgotten over the holiday period. That month of re-teaching eliminates a month which could have been spent teaching new information and skills. Like musicians and athletes, maintaining practice levels is often key to high performance and achievement.

Established for over 60 years, daily study of the Kumon programmes can make all the difference when it comes to keeping the brain active between school terms, as well as throughout the year. The summer is the perfect time to develop and enhance your child's maths and English ability and strengthen their love of learning.

At Kumon, learning is always for the long run: our individualised programmes enable students to progress to an advanced level, at their own pace, ensuring they maximise their ability and begin to realise their full potential.

Kumon students initially start at a comfortable level, with a focus on building a strong foundation in the way they study; they will develop invaluable study skills such as concentration, pace and rhythm, before progressing to more advanced work.

The summer holidays provide an ideal opportunity for your child to settle into their new routine of daily Kumon study, before getting off to a flying start in the new school year.

To find your nearest Kumon study centre, simply enter your postcode in the search function at the top of this page and contact your local Instructor to book a free assessment.