Article: Ban kids from starting school until they turn five to ensure they don't fall

[Trillian]

I do find it interesting that I never hear teachers suggesting a child start earlier, it's always no they aren't ready.

I tend to agree with peanutter. You can have a 4.5 year old child that is at a 6 year olds level. No one seems to want to acknowledge that though.

Am I missing something?

There are early entry programs into school for identified G&T kids but they would have to show giftedness across the board, not just in one area because there isn't any point to starting a kid at 4.5 because they can read Shakespeare (for example) if that's all they can do or if they are so socially inept that it would severely disadvantage them. But like I said, you would actually have to have them actually tested and identified as gifted/talented which would mean IQ tests and psych reports etc.

Any maybe teachers say no they aren't ready because they actually aren't ready? Realistically, there is nothing a school can do to restrict a child from entering school so long as they are within the age cut off and that's my point of teachers having to deal with the fallout.

And sometimes repeating a year is the only option you have and it's never, ever a suggestion that is made lightly. Teachers and schools are well aware of the implications of what it can mean for a child to repeat and there is just as much stigma around that as what there is in holding them back IMO. Teachers can differentiate all they like, but there does come a time when repeating is the best option when you look at all the available information.