'Starting school too young can be bad for children's education'

Children in the UK are starting school too early, one of the country's most respected education research bodies said yesterday. "There is no education rationale for a compulsory school starting age of five or for the practice of admitting four-year-olds to infant classes," a study by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) said.

It suggests starting school at six could help stop many youngsters leaving formal education later. The study says England, Scotland and Wales stand almost alone in Europe in having a compulsory starting age of five. In Northern Ireland, it is four. Most countries start at six, with at least half a dozen delaying formal entry to school until the age of seven.

The study, by Caroline Sharp of NFER, says an early introduction to formal schooling could "increase anxiety and have a negative impact on children's self-esteem and motivation to learn". In most European countries, there is a strong kindergarten or nursery system where children from ages three to five can begin their learning in a more informal atmosphere of play.

Since Labour came to power in 1997, there has been a massive expansion of nursery education in England and Wales, with every four-year-old being guaranteed a nursery place if their parents want one. This pledge is being extended to three-year-olds.

The NFER study lists several pitfalls to early schooling, saying reception class teachers allow children to spend proportionately less time on tasks of their own choosing. It adds they are also physically less active and spend less time exploring their environment. In addition, adult-child ratios are higher in pre-school settings with staff having qualifications specifically focused on the needs of young children.