KINDERGATEN STARTING AGE DIOCESE OF LISMORE Students turning 5 on or before 31 st July. This is in line with all other dioceses in NSW and the DET enrolment policy

IMPLICATIONS Transition Programs Transition Programs Some modifications to existing Kindergarten Programs may be necessary Some modifications to existing Kindergarten Programs may be necessary

STUDY INVESTIGATES THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL STARTING AGE ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 28 MARCH 2009 A study has suggested that students who start school later are more likely to lack motivation and to have lower academic performance when they reach secondary school. The study of 3,684 secondary school students was undertaken at the University of Sydney and was published in the Journal of Educational Psychology. It claimed that the academic benefits to children of starting school at a later age, which had been identified in previous studies, did not continue into secondary school. Instead, the study argued that student performance on literacy and numeracy benchmark tests and student motivation were higher for children who started Prep when they were between four and a half and five and a half years of age, compared to students who started school later or who were held back a year at school. The researcher, Associate Professor Andrew Martin, argued that ‘school is a much longer haul than the first two or three years. Even though there may be an advantage at the start of school, towards the end, when the stakes are high, there can be some negative effects from being markedly older in your year.’ He also argued that any decision to delay a student’s entry into schooling should be based on formal assessment by an appropriate medical practitioner, ‘and not on the say-so of a neighbour or preschool teacher’.

RISING 5 “There can be no provision for “Rising 5” type classes (separate classes for younger students who make take up to 2 years to complete kindergarten) such as the DET run in some schools. Department schools are primarily funded by NSW Government, we are primarily funded by the Australian Federal Government and therefore attract no recurrent funding for such an exercise.” “There can be no provision for “Rising 5” type classes (separate classes for younger students who make take up to 2 years to complete kindergarten) such as the DET run in some schools. Department schools are primarily funded by NSW Government, we are primarily funded by the Australian Federal Government and therefore attract no recurrent funding for such an exercise.”

BEST START A continuum of the critical development aspects of early literacy development A continuum of the critical development aspects of early literacy development Aspects of writing

CATHOLIC EDUCATION OFFICE PARRAMATTA DOES STARTING AGE MATTER? Gives a balanced perspective!