Too Absolutely Small ? © Lauren Child

1870 rationale for starting school at 5: Why 5? 1870 rationale for starting school at 5: To obtain time for an education without trenching on time for gaining a living To inculcate the habits of decency, cleanliness and order However... Some MPs considered that five was “too tender an age for compulsory attendance.” Whitbread 1972

Comparative ages for starting school Country Four Northern Ireland Five England, Malta, Netherlands, Scotland, Wales Six Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey Seven Bulgaria, Estonia,Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden Euridyce2009

PISA 2006 Programme for International Student Assessment Excellence? PISA 2006 Programme for International Student Assessment UK results from amongst 57 countries: Science: 14th Reading: 17th Maths: 28th ?

PIRLS 2006 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study Russian Federation 565 Hong Kong 564 Singapore 558 Luxembourg 557 Italy 551 Hungary 551 Sweden 549 Germany 548 Netherlands 547 Belgium (Flemish) 547 Bulgaria 547 Denmark 546 Latvia 541 United States 540 England 539 Countries Reading achievement distribution (mean scores) School starting age 5 School starting age 6 School starting age 7

Enjoyment? Enjoyment is the birthright of every child Charles Clarke 2003 “data shows that children in England had less positive attitudes to reading than children in most other countries and that their attitudes were somewhat poorer than in 2001 PIRLS 2006 Charles Clarke 2003 PIRLS 2006 x

Freddy Wasn’t Ready Myelin is the fatty tissue that surrounds axons in the brain. A fully developed myelin sheath allows messages to transmit through the brain more rapidly. Myelin sheath development continues beyond 5. Marianne Wolf

Rose “the preferred pattern of entry to reception classes should be the September immediately following a child’s fourth birthday” Maintain EYFS goals for writing and phonics ease transition between EYFS and KS1 high quality teaching is the answer to ‘word poverty’

Alexander continue EYFS until 6 years old commence primary education at 6 with only one Key Stage Removes one of the transitions and allows time for extra maturity

QCA Aims for the curriculum To enable young people to become: Successful learners, who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve Confident individuals, who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives Responsible citizens, who make a positive contribution to society Impressive aspirations or minimum expectations?

The QCA aims are not statutory for primary schools Targets: “ The QCA aims ....emphasis on the development of personal qualities might serve to counterbalance or perhaps outweigh, the longstanding focus on test and examination results as a measure of schools’ and pupils’ performances.” (Alexander 2009 p 181) The QCA aims are not statutory for primary schools

Radical new Curriculum or Missed Opportunity? Ease of transition to be welcomed.... But Freddy still won’t be ready