From next year, all children who are eligible to start school aged four-and-a-half, but were born in January or February, will be entitled to an extra year of publicly funded pre-school education if the school, parents and local authority decide that it is in their best interests to defer entry to primary school. They will then start school a year later, aged five-and-a-half.
Mr Stephen said, 'This is an important change that will be welcomed by parents and teachers of young children. Some children will benefit from extra time in a nursery before starting primary one. It all depends on the individual child's confidence, ability and maturity.
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