Best age to start school
New research reveals mental health benefits associated with delaying school IT’S the question that can make decision-fearing parents anxious – when is the right age to send my child to school?
There are so many differing opinions on what is right but a new study seems to have some compelling evidence. Benefits of children being ‘held back’ The study has shown that delaying the start of school until the age of seven provides mental benefits for the child. Yes, seven.
The study, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, was conducted in Denmark, where the children don’t start school until the year they turn six. So for them, it would mean holding back for one year. For us in Australia, it would mean holding back for two years or more.
It seems like a stretch but perhaps there is something in it.
There is strong evidence to suggest that delaying school until age seven reduced inattention and hyperactivity, with the benefits still showing until they are 11 years old (when the research ended).
Professor Thomas Dee, who co-authored the study with Hans Henrik Sieversten, explained the findings in a Stanford press release:
“We found that delaying kindergarten (until age seven) reduced inattention and hyperactivity by 73% for an average child at age 11,” Prof Dee said.
“And it virtually eliminated the probability that an average child at that age would have an ‘abnormal’ or higher-thannormal rating for the inattentive-hyperactive behavioural measure.”
What does that mean?
Reducing levels of inattention and hyperactivity is a key indicator of improved self-regulation. Self-regulation is a person’s ability to control their impulses
and modify their behaviour when they are trying to accomplish goals. A higher level of self regulation is linked to student achievement.
This study showed that children who started school later were able to sit still, pay attention and stay focussed for longer, which eventually resulted in higher scores at school.
“This is some of the most convincing evidence we’ve seen to support what parents and policy-makers have already been doing – choosing to delay kindergarten entry,” Prof Dee said.
Is my child ready for school?
Prof Dee agreed that a parent needs to take into account many factors when deciding on the right age to start school and this study has only addressed one area.
Melbourne education consultant and early childhood expert at Early Life Foundations Kathy Walker spoke previously to Kidspot about how to make
this big decision. She said parents were not expected to make the choice completely on their own.
“The best person to assess school readiness is the child’s preschool teacher,” Kathy said.
“It’s important parents listen to the advice given because this person has been trained in early childhood development.”
Kathy has spent so much time talking about school readiness with parents that she’s written a book about it, called Ready Set Go.
“When to start your child at school is a major decision for parents,” she said.
“And understandably because parents, and the school, want their children to thrive and to flourish and not struggle to keep up and on top of things.
“What I tell parents is that there’s no need to rush – children are going to be at school for a long time, so let’s ensure they are great years.”
To take the pressure off parents, Kathy is calling on the Federal Government to introduce a national starting age – and she is pushing for it to be at the older end of the scale rather
than the younger.
“Australia has one of the youngest starting ages in the world, yet there is no evidence or data to suggest that starting school early is better,” she said.
Kathy stressed that school readiness was not about being able to read or write, know colours or count.
“These skills will be taught at school so they are not a priority for starting school,” she said.
“To enter school ready to thrive, flourish and enjoy the challenges – rather than merely just coping – we are taking the issue of school readiness more seriously and carefully.
“Readiness is really mostly about emotional and social maturity – aspects of development that we cannot fast-track. We cannot make a child who lacks the necessary maturity become mature.”
For more, visit www.kidspot.com.au.