I found this really interesting, very surprising really!
I was told a while ago by my SIL who is a teacher that they were changing the rules as of 2008, and your child would have to be 5 by December 31 to start school the following year!

Personally, I think I would prefer the child to turn 5 before starting school. This new supposed rule means that Hayley could start earlier too, BUT I did that with Tayla, she made the cut off by 7 days, she was so forward that everyone suggested that I put her in early...BIG MISTAKE!! Tayla is now in Grade 5 and is having a lot of problems, I wish now that I had held her back a year.

The thing is in the average primary school there are sooo many kids that need help and arent keeping up to the standards set that they are often forgotten and dont get the help that they need. There are not enough staff to cope with kids that need help, so they miss out and the parents have to pay privately to get them the assistance that they need. Its cost us heaps so far and we are still going!

Shannen started school at 5yrs 3 months and has done brilliantly, she is in the advanced class at secondary college, is totally blitzing it, whereas her friend who started just before she turned 5 is still struggling in Year 7. Its been pretty much the same with most of the kids the whole way through school.

This will be a very interesting debate. Personally there is not enough funding for schools and I can see a lot of kids falling through the cracks of the education system especially if they lower the age. I guess it will mean more Mums can go back to work earlier, but is it in the interest of the kids or a way for the gov't to save money and spend it on more silly things???