Age of starting school and the early years curriculum

06 October 1998

This paper presents an overview of research into early childhood education. It addresses some key questions related to age and learning, including when do children start school, when should they start, and what kind of programme is best suited to their needs.

An annotated bibliography accompanies the paper. It is divided into three main sections:

• International comparisons
• Starting school in England and Wales
• Early experiences - later effects.