As autumn arrives, a new school year begins. For many families, this also means preparing to send their toddlers to primary school to start reception.
In the UK, the compulsory age to start school is five years, but most children typically start after they turn four. Depending on your child’s birth month, they could be heading to school as a young four-year-old or nearly five. This is much earlier than many of our European counterparts where children head to school age six. However, if you live in Estonia, Finland, Latvia or Lithuania, compulsory school age is seven - a whole three years after us!
While parents of summer-born children have the option to delay or defer their start by a year (so they begin school after their fifth birthday), the decision to do so, is highly debated. Recently, comedian Katherine Ryan revealed that she will send her son Fred, born in June 2021, to reception class part-time. Heavily pregnant with her fourth child, Katherine explained to The Evening Standard that Fred will only be attending three days a week, admitting that she’s a little Scandinavian in her beliefs and is "conflicted" about institutionalising children at a very young age. And she is not alone.
Tamsin Grimmer is an expert in early childhood development, an Early Years consultant, author and mum of three. She believes children start school too early in the UK. She cites statistics from the World Bank (2021) comparing 210 countries. "It would appear that in 72% of countries, children begin school at age 6 and 17% children start at the older age of 7. In only 11% of countries, children begin at age five or younger. And in the UK, in real terms, it is at 4 years old. This is too young."
Research from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) questioned the benefits of early formal schooling. The report, which compared the UK's policies with international models, found that any academic advantage gained from an earlier start is not sustained, with children who start later often catching up by age eight.
While delaying a child's school start is an option for summer-born children, Tamsin believes it's not a silver bullet. "If a child misses this, they could, technically, go straight into Year One, which would be a major shock to the system! In Year One, sadly, there is less time for play and the pressures from the National Curriculum mean that learning is often more formal."
Many schools understand that young children (and parents) can be anxious at this time. For this reason, they have 'settling in' sessions made up of some mornings and some afternoons so young children can get used to the school day in small, manageable steps. Tamsin believes that this time in reception year are fundamental to a child's learning journey. "If a child misses some of the reception year, they could also miss out on building the friendships that are so vital at this age. Developmentally, children only begin to collaborate and cooperate with others from about three years of age, so the preschool year and reception year are when a lot of social development takes place."
Tamsin believes the ultimate decision should be based primarily on the child's individual needs. "Although we do need to consider the wellbeing and health of parents, I feel the final decision should be made focusing on the child themselves."
If you are still concerned, speak to the school directly, as staff and specifically reception teachers are fully trained to support children who are not emotionally ready.
How can I delay my child starting primary school?
If your child is four and you want to delay or defer the start of school, you must apply for a primary school placein the usual way but request a delayed or deferred start when applying. This is usually by the age of 4, for their chronological age group. If you want to delay your child's entry and start school (reception, not Year 1) at 5 years old, you need to provide a written request to the school’s admission authority and offer supporting evidence. Depending on the type of school, the admission authority will be either the local authority, the school’s governing body or the academy trust. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
Tamsin adds, "If a parent applies for a reception place and informs the school that they wish to defer entry, the school must hold the place for the child until the beginning of the summer term (term 5), provided the child starts school by then. Parents should apply for the school place in the normal way and accept it. If their child does not start by the beginning of term 5, their place will be lost, and the parent will need to reapply for a Year 1 place, which is counted as in-year admission as it is not a typical point of transition and the school will not guarantee a place will be available."
Can I send my child to school on a part-time basis?
Yes, parents and carers can arrange a flexible start for their child at primary school. This only works with the school's agreement. This could mean a part-time schedule or a gradual approach that starts with part-time hours and slowly builds up to staying for lunch and then eventually a full day. "This can be helpful if everything at once is overwhelming to the child," adds Tamsin.
Have your say! Do you think starting school at four is too young? Let us know by clicking a response below.
About the expert
Tamsin Grimmer is expert in early childhood development and works as a principal lecturer at Norland College. She is also the Education Director of Linden Learning, an Emotion Coaching Practitioner and Early Education associate and self-employed consultant. She offers early years training and early childhood consultancy services for schools, PVI settings, parents and associated organisations.
About the author
Keya Modessa is our Senior Digital Writer, bringing over a decade of digital experience to Mother&Baby. With a BA Hons degree in Journalism and Sociology, she has contributed to M&B for just under a year and is also a mum of two. Her extensive portfolio includes work for national women's magazines, Food and Travel, and Muddy Stilettos.