In reference to lowering the age of children going to school, to four years old, for them to attend school for at least 15 hours a week, either mornings or afternoons, who are the Government trying to kid? They say it is in the child's interest and will improve their chances of keeping up with other children.
In other countries children start school at a later age than here and start learning to read later, and they do not suffer - in fact, they are quite often better off.
I believe the real reason is that schools have been moaning to the education secretary because from next April they will be on a level playing field with private and voluntary sector providers, as far as recruitment is concerned, in the pre-schools that are attached to school. Previously schools enjoyed being able to claim funding for the children's places in multiples of 13 and not like the rest of us, who could only claim on actual head counts.
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