Formal lessons to start at 6 - progress or counter

0370 270 6000

Search Mobile

collapse

already registered?

Please sign in with your existing account details.

Email address

Password

need to register?

Register to access exclusive content, sign up to receive our updates and personalise your experience on brownejacobson.com.

Privacy statement - Terms and conditions

Forgotten your password?

collapseSign

Browne Jacobson home

Home

Insights

Blogs

Formal lessons to start at 6 - progress or counter-productive?

16 October 2009

A review of primary education announced today that there is no evidence that children who start formal education before the age of 5 gain any advantage over their peers. The study suggested it can actually do some harm.

The Cambridge Primary Review proposes extending the Early Years Foundation Stage past the age of 5 bringing English children in line with many European countries, where standards are often higher. The review stops short of stating compulsory schooling should start at 6, but does open up the debate on the subject.

Vernon Coaker said the government is already reforming primary education and so feels that delaying the starting age would be counter-productive.

Related opinions

Schools face scrutiny over Covid-19 vaccinations for children

On 4 June, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved the use of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds.

View blog

School not liable for reckless actions of a student

The decision reinforces that the standard of the duty of care owed by schools is one or reasonableness.

View blog

Avoiding grade challenges on ‘unconscious bias’

A system based on teacher assessed grades, rather than external exams, was inevitably going to give rise to speculation about bias and objectivity in teacher assessment and grading decisions. Schools can prepare now for these kinds of challenges by ensuring that they have clear written evidence readily available.

View blog

Teachers report inadequate training on peer-on-peer abuse

Despite the increased media and regulatory focus on peer-on-peer abuse within schools, teachers are still reporting that they feel undertrained and ill-equipped to recognise and respond to allegations and incidents.

View blog

View all blogs