Report shows rise in number of school delay requests for premature children

The Department for Education has released a report following a survey of local authorities and parents about delaying admission to reception class for summer-born children. The report found that 15 per cent of children whose admission was delayed were born premature, which is more than double the rate of prematurity among the general population.

The report also found evidence of a postcode lottery, with local policy affecting the likelihood of a school admission delay request being accepted. Only 11 per cent of local authorities that responded to the survey accept all requests to delay primary school start, compared to 26 per cent that only accept requests if there is very strong evidence about why a delay is necessary. The report also found that fewer requests are received in areas with stricter policies while more requests are received in areas with a more flexible approach.

The full report can be accessed here.