AQW 50431/11-16

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 05/11/2015
Answered On Date: 10/11/2015
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education whether children starting school later than four years of age can be placed in a year group which is different to their own chronological year.

Answer:

Parents of children who did not start school at four years of age, and were educated outside the formal school system, can apply for a place in a grant-aided school at any time. A child applying for admission to a school would be admitted to his/her chronological age group.

Nevertheless, the flexibility does exist for children to move outside their chronological age group. Any such decision is made by a school’s Board of Governors, taking into account the views of parents, the Principal and the Education Authority. This could see a child moving to a year group below his/her chronological age or to a year group above his/her chronological age.