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Article: `Starting school too young can be bad for children's education'
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- November 8, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2002 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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CHILDREN IN the UK are starting school too early, one of the
country's most respected education research bodies said yesterday.
"There is no education rationale for a compulsory school starting age
of five or for the practice of admitting four-year-olds to infant
classes," a study by the National Foundation for Educational Research
(NFER) said.
It suggests starting school at six could help stop many youngsters
leaving formal education later. The study says England, Scotland and
Wales stand almost alone in Europe in having a compulsory starting
age of five. In Northern Ireland, it is four. Most countries start at
six, with at least half a dozen delaying formal entry to school until
the age ...