School starts at four in Wales

The statistics show a steady increase during the past decade, with just over 80 per cent of under-fives in school in 2000-01 compared with just under 70 per cent in 1990-91. The number of these children attending school full-time also rose slightly during the same period.

The report, A Statistical Focus on Children in Wales, published earlier this month, found that since 1991 the number of places in day nurseries has trebled to 12,330. But by 2001 the number of places in pre-schools and playgroups had fallen by 14 per cent from a peak of 27,367 in 1997.

The Wales Pre-school Playgroups Association pointed out that the decrease in playgroup places started in 1997 after the Government introduced its nursery grant scheme. Wales Pre-school Playgroups Association director, Barbara Parkinson, said, 'Historically, in Wales children have been accepted into school as rising fours. But people need to recognise the value of play in an informal setting such as a local playgroup, and also the importance that playgroups play in offering choice and rights to children and adult training to help empower families in the local community.