whats the law with 4 year olds and education?

[smeeinit]

ive been told that 4 year olds have to attend at least 3 sessions of education.i.e nursery per week by law.
is this correct?
my dc's are older so dont their schooling but i hadnt heard of this so thought i best ask so im in the know!

no

I thought they didn't have to be in education until the term after they were five. I've never heard of nursery being compulsary.

As far as I know education isn't a legal requirement in any form until they are 5.

who told you that BTW?

No, that's not true.

Nor is it true that nurseries provide education. Unless you specifically pay for such, nurseries are there for the purposes of play and social interaction.

hmm i thought it sounded weird.
have heard from someone whos wanting to pull her child out of nursery

nope they are required to attend school from the age of 5.

before then any education is voluntary

No, they don't need to have any education until they are five (in England and Wales; I believe it's later in Scotland).

they are not legally required to attend school ever. They are legally required to be educated by the school term after their 5th birthday - this does not legally have to take place in school.

thanks everyone for replying. i thought it didnt sound quite right.

I think they get three free nursery sessions a week from the age of three. Could that be what your friend is confused about?

can I ask something then? why someone born in july will have to start reception at 4 rather than 5?

They don't "have to" legally. Legally they could wait until the next year and start in Y1 aged five.

But practically they often have to, because if they don't take the place in Reception when they are four the year group will fill up and there won't be a spare place in Y1 when they are five.

I see... thanks.

No. Nusery education is not compulsary and they don't have to start school until the term after they are 5

Education is compulsory, school isn't.

And nurseries - proper LA funded ones at least - do very much provide an education. It is up to you as a parent to decide what's best for your child of course - pre-school education isn't compulsory.