The decision about whether to send a child to school “early” or “hold them back” can be a tortuous one for families who have a child born in the first half of the year.
So a recent New South Wales proposal that all children should start school in the year they turn six may seem very helpful for parents, taking the guesswork out.
But if we are going to have stricter rules around when children start school, we need to make sure it does not harm those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
