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School starting age campaigners call on Northern Ireland Assembly for action

School starting age campaigners in Northern Ireland are today (Wednesday) meeting with the Northern Ireland Assembly's Education Committee to urge 'speedy action' on introducing a more flexible system.

The umbrella group, led by the parents’ organisation-ParentsOutLoud and teaching union ATL, will ask for the Committee’s help in ensuring that Northern Ireland’s education minister John O’Dowd makes the school admissions system more flexible as soon as possible.

In May, the education minister agreed to look at ways of introducing deferred school entry for summer-born children and those with developmental issues, where a child’s parents feel this would be in their best interests.

Northern Ireland has the lowest statutory school starting age in Europe. Children must start school in the September after their fourth birthday.

Campaigners have highlighted the more flexible systems used in the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and England.

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