Children may start school at four in education shake-up

[mrz]

Summer-born children should start their compulsory schooling at the age of four, a major government inquiry into the primary school curriculum will recommend tomorrow.

Children to go to school at just 4

Parents' anxieties ignored over age summer-born pupils start school

BBC

Mail

??? Have I missed something? I thought four was the age summer born children did start their schooling. At least if, as so often happens, school only do one yearly intake.

The statutory school age is 5 in England at the moment parents have the technical right to wait until the term after the child's fifth birthday.

Yes, they usually start the Sept after they're 4 at the moment (in most parts of England, at least). The proposal is that summer-born children should not be able to defer entry, but may be able to start school part-time (15 hours). The first 2 articles present the story in a misleading way; 3rd and 4th articles are clearer.

The impression I've got from threads on here is that it can be difficult to defer entry at the moment, and children who defer then have to go straight into Year 1 without having experienced reception, which is obviously far from ideal.

Shocked at the stat in one of the links that August-born boys are 25% less likely to go to university than Sept-born boys (20% for girls)

You're right Cory, but I think that a lot of people were expecting Sir Jim Rose to recommend something more flexible - possibly even the current provision in Scotland where parents are able to decide which year their children start in, if they are the youngest in the year.

I have to say that I'm a bit by these interim findings, but I definitely support the idea of all younger children being able to attend part time for an extended period of time.

My ds, due early August but born earlier, started reception full time this term and hasn't had any problems nor have the three August born children in his class. My brother was a late August baby and again had no problems. Developmentally my ds is behind others of his age and there is obviously a difference between him and the Sept born children in his year but not hugely so and I certainly wouldn't have thought about deferring a year.

In our LEA those born after 1st May miss out on reception completely unless they go private (which we did for reasons unconnected with school starting age). I do think that if you look for problems you will find them.