uk school starting age

Your child must start full-time education once they reach compulsory school age. This is on 31 December, 31 March or 31 August following their fifth birthday – whichever comes first. If your child’s fifth birthday is on one of those dates then they reach compulsory school age on that date.
If you do not think your child is ready to start school by then, they can start part-way through the year or part time – as long as they are in full-time education by the time they reach ‘compulsory school age’.

Children are required by law to receive full-time education at the start of the school term following their fifth birthday but have the opportunity to start in the reception year in the September following their fourth birthday. Children are normally admitted to the reception year at school in the September following their fourth birthday.
Owing to the current exceptional circumstances, there is very limited telephone access to the Pupil Services Team. For any queries, please email [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

I missed the memo on the later school start age when I returned to live in Ireland last year and sent my son to junior infants at four years and six months. With a baby at home, I was dazzled by the convenience of having my other three children in the same school. Because we are a one-income family, the extra childcare that this provided was appealing too. The result? My son is one of the youngest in his class and quite behind on reading and writing. He will hopefully catch up, but should I have been given the choice to send him at four?
Most parents wait, with CSO figures for 2017-2018 showing that just 23.1 percent of children were four when they first

References:

http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/schools-and-admissions/admissions/primary-school-admissions/compulsory-school-age/
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/school-starting-age-should-not-be-a-guessing-game-d0sd3vsm7
http://www.ego4u.com/en/read-on/countries/usa/school