Admissions code for summer-borns to be revised
Summer-born children will be given the right to start in reception at the age of five,
Schools minister Nick Gibb said admissions rules must be changed so that children born between 1 April and 31 August cannot be forced to go straight into year one if they wait to start school until they turn five.
In an open letter he encourages schools and local authorities to take immediate action in advance of the proposed changes, and allow summer-born children to start in reception aged five if their parents wish.
He said: 鈥淎s part of our plan to extend social justice and opportunity, we want all children to have an equal chance to excel in school regardless of when they are born.
鈥淲e are going to make changes to admission rules - but we want councils and academies to take immediate action.鈥
A consultation will now be carried out and the reforms will have to be approved by parliament.
Neil Leitch, Alliance chief executive, endorsed the decision.
He said: 鈥淲e warmly welcome the fact that the government has recognised that no child should be forced to start school before they are ready, and that it is for parents, not admissions authorities, to decide when this is.鈥
He added that the government should now work to ensure that 鈥渢here is no longer any room for misinterpretation on the rules around summer-born admissions鈥.