There are 5 different child development stages that are oftentimes researched including the cognitive/intellectual, language, motor, physical, and social development stages. Each of the stages answer five basic questions regarding the child’s development and researching it. These questions include:

o Does this stage of child development involve specific gender or population differences (e.g. differences in male and female development)?
o What are the developmental mechanisms that occur during each stage? In other words, what are the aspects of both experience and heredity which causes these developmental changes?
o What is the rate and speed of each of these child development stages?
o What specifically develops in each stage? In other words, what child development aspects change over a specified period of time that the stage typically encompasses?
o Where relevant change is concerned, are their individual differences that are considered to be normal?

Empirical research is a necessary element of the different child development stages and it may follow a variety of patterns based on the answers to the above five questions. Initially, research that involves observing the child will be conducted to provide the answers to each one so that specific aspects can be defined and described properly.

The mechanisms of each stage

Each of the five children development stages involve five questions and topic areas and are broken down as follows:

o what develops during the stage
o the pattern of the development and the speed at which it occurs
o individual differences
o population differences
o the mechanism of change

It is the mechanism of change within each of the child development stages that is the focus.

Cognitive/intellectual development mechanisms – cognitive/intellectual mechanisms can be both biological and genetic in nature, but it is the genetic mechanisms that can be responsible for causing mental retardation. Additionally, certain functions of the brain can cause cognitive events.

Emotional and social development mechanisms – some social and emotional developments will occur as a result of certain genetic factors that are involved in these children’s development stages. Elements such as the attachment to a particular adult (i.e., mother or father) and fear or happiness are oftentimes regulated by these different genetic factors.

Language mechanisms – the expressiveness of words and their meanings results from the input of the parent instead of those factors that are intrinsic to the cognitive/intellectual development stage. This also involves the child’s ability to infer the meanings of words based on certain cues.

Motor development mechanisms – bone and muscle strength as well as the actual size of the child’s body parts involve a variety of genetic ingredients. It also relates to exercise and nutrition. Additionally, research has shown that the frontal lobe of the brain grows from the back towards the front or in more technical terms, ‘posterio-anteriorally’.

Physical development mechanisms – changes in body proportions and the growth rate of the child are typically determined by specific genetic factors that are characteristic of the early physical aspects of child development stages.

Independent boarding schools take the nutrition of their pupils very seriously, as the importance of a balanced and nutritious diet at school age cannot be overestimated. Equally crucial is the education of school children in the benefits and importance of a healthy diet, and the implications of a poor or unhealthy one. By teaching nutrition and providing a healthy diet to boarding pupils at a young age, the school is helping to set up good habits which should last a lifetime.

Effective measures will be put in place at independent boarding schools to ensure a nutritious and balanced diet is provided throughout the day, but also with a keen awareness of the importance of a varied and interesting diet. Provisions will be in place to cater for specific dietary requirements. Some schools go as far as to have a healthy eating committee and pupil’s food committee so all parties have a say in the menu choice.

Independent boarding schools should operate a healthy eating programme, incorporating a well balanced diet with great choice, exciting menus, and supervised, sociable meal times. Life moves so fast these days that many children eat out of the home, in front of the television, or in front of a computer and the social nature of meal times has been lost. The psychology of boarding school pupils eating together at set times echoes that of doing so at home with family. Dietary disciplines are also learned, even if subconsciously, such as not to eat too fast, and to wait for others. It is beneficial in learning social behaviour, not to mention table manners, and gives children the opportunity to interact away from the classroom and unwind. Good nutrition has also been shown to increase concentration, promote healthy sleeping patterns, and help develop good behaviour.

Healthy eating from a young age has been shown to assist not only health and growth but also intellectual development. Health problems can also be avoided such as under nutrition, obesity, and diabetes which are damaging to the health of a child and can cause a weakness to their immune system leading to more days off school with illnesses. Long term complications are also less common in those with a healthy diet such as heart disease and strokes.

Independent boarding schools will often run audits on their food choices for pupils. Making sure they fit to strict guidelines for nutritional value. A healthy diet has been associated success in all areas of schooling including exam results and sporting achievements. By teaching healthy eating and making meal times a social event, independent schools encourage pupils to pick up good eating habits, and give parents and guardians peace of mind that their child or charge is receiving the best start in life.

The menu independent boarding schools should ensure to incorporate the full 5-a-day fruit and vegetables as recommended in the UK. A balanced level of protein and carbohydrates should be factored in, as well as a nod to the fact that they are children, and deserve a treat from time to time. Many schools promote their menus online for parents and guardians to peruse. It’s always worth checking the menu of the boarding school you are considering, making sure they can cater for your child’s needs.