Admissions code to be revised on primary school starting age
Parents will have the option of starting their children’s education from the September after their fourth birthday under proposed changes to the mandatory Schools Admissions Code laid before Parliament this week.
Local authorities currently have a legal duty to make sure all children have a place at a school at the compulsory school starting age of five.
The proposed changes to the admissions code will come into force in February 2010 and affect admissions in September 2011. They will allow parents to:
- choose when their children can start primary reception classes full or part-time in the September, January or April after their fourth birthday up to the compulsory schooling age of five;
- choose a free full-time place in other early learning or nursery settings if parents judge their children are not ready for school; or
- choose to hold back from formal childcare or school up until the compulsory starting age of five.
The Department for Schools, Children and Families will provide up to £80m funding to support the changes.
The move follows a recommendation in Sir Jim Rose’s review of the primary curriculum, which was published in April 2009 and found that children born in July or August are at greater risk of poor outcomes. Research conducted as part of the review found that 61% of parents of children aged 4-10 felt that children should start school in the September after their 4th birthday.
Children’s Secretary Ed Balls said: “Parents know their children best and know when they are ready to start school – so we should give them that choice. There is clear evidence the sooner summer-born children start good-quality pre-schooling, the sooner they close the gap on their peers.”
