AQW 25229/17-22

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 04/11/2021
Answered On Date: 19/11/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education for an update on the progress of introducing a flexible school starting age for children born prematurely.

Answer:

I have launched an eight week public consultation on my Department’s proposals for greater flexibility in regard to school starting age.

Children born in April, May and June are currently the youngest in the school class. We are proposing that flexibility in regard to school starting age will be available on parental request to any child born between 1 April and 1 July.

Parents will be able to defer their child’s entry to pre-school and in turn primary school by 12 months. This means they would then start pre-school in September following their 4th birthday and primary school in September following their 5th birthday.