Testing to start school early?

[Wallace]

I have just found out that a little girl in my dd's nursery is being tested to see if she can start school a year early (her mum's idea not the school's!). She was 4 in June so would not normally start school til next August (we are in Scotland), but if she passes this test she will be going straight into Primary One, even though it is almost the end of the first term.
I cannot imagine why anyone would want to send their child to school early! They are little for such a short time anyway...This girl is not especially bright, though her mum thinks she is (don't we all ), neither is she mature for her age. Does anyone know what they test for? Is it what they can do academically, or how they would cope in a school environment?

And while we are discussing birthdays and their educational consequences don't start me on nursery vouchers as we have to wait until march for ours as dd is a septmeber baby. DD loves her nursery and I know she would love to go for more than two afternoons a week but at £80 a month for two afternoons a week we just can't afford it until the vouchers come.

March? I thought it started in January? My ds1 is Sept 13 2001 and have started spending that nursery voucher money already on some virtual tesco shops in new year...

God I am being thick I meant january was thinking rather selfishly of my own birthday as I ahd just been telling my partner how much women love to recieve sparkly things in small boxes on their birthday