CYP Now - Primary education: Late school start option for Islington

Children in Islington, north London, will have the opportunity to start primary school a year later, thanks to a new structure being trialled from October half-term.

Pupils taking part in the pilot will spend their first official year ofschool at a children's centre that incorporates both the reception classand nursery.

Councillor James Kempton, the Liberal Democrat leader of IslingtonCouncil, said the model had been developed in light of evidenceindicating the advantages for children of an integrated curriculum, andin response to parental feedback.

"We wanted to take the opportunity to try something different inIslington," he said. "Parents have told us that they value theexperiential and social learning that's part of the early yearscurriculum. They feel that children move too quickly into a more formalsetting."

Kempton is also a member of the Lib Dems' 4Rs Commission on education,which is likely to recommend that children start primary school later,possibly at the age of six or seven (Children Now, 20-26 September).

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