Comparison of Great Britain's and other countries' school admission policies suggested that, while Great Britain already has one of the lowest statutory admission ages in Europe and the United States, there is a trend in England and Wales to admit children to school at an even younger age. (Author/CB)

Noting the importance of procedures for welcoming and admitting children younger than 5 years of age into English Infant schools, this paper presents the results of a survey which compared the ways three schools work with parents before and after children's school entry. Personnel from the three schools were asked questions concerning the nature…

This discussion of kindergarten education is intended to provide information that educators can use in their efforts to provide equal access to an excellent education for all children. Current and past approaches to kindergarten are delineated in discussions of changes in the nature of schooling, in society, and in the understanding of how…

This document reports on a conference that disseminated to Norwegian parents and educators the findings of the Council of Europe's Council for Cultural Cooperation's Project No. 8, "Innovation in Primary Education." The main address was given by Professor Maurice Galton of the School of Education, University of Leicester, United Kingdom,…

Screening programs are now widely used with children who are age-eligible for school entry. Screening is used to identify children who may be at risk of future difficulty in school (e.g., inability to meet academic expectations) and those who may have special needs in learning (e.g., extraordinary abilities and talents or handicapping conditions).…

This paper (1) reviews the literature on the relationship between entrance age into kindergarten and academic achievement and (2) reports a study of the effect of entrance age on school success. Some experts say that age alone is the best indicator of success. Others say that chronological age, mental age, intelligence quotient, readiness,…

Third in a series of publications of the New Jersey State Department of Education, Division of Research, Planning and Evaluation, this paper compares and contrasts the historical paths traveled by two contemporary, highly technological countries (the United States and England) in determining a prevailing age for entry into schools. Through…

This study investigated the relative effects of kindergarten experience for boys and girls, based on considerable evidence that there is a developmental difference between the sexes around 5. Emphasis is in the areas of language and readiness skills, which are traditionally not evaluated until the end of kindergarten. Groups of 93 boys and 89…

Examines the educational debate surrounding the question of whether or not four-year-old children should be in public schools. (HOD)

Explores recurring themes in early childhood education that strengthen professional identity and commitment. Historical issues of continuing relevance are discussed, including school entrance age, kindergarten and early reading, child care services as social change agents, increase of child care services due to the changing role of women, and…

One hundred and fifty-two children were classified by birthdate and sex and compared on their performances on the Gesell Screening Test, the Gesell School Readiness Test (GSRT), and the Stanford Achievement Test. Females scored higher than males on the GSRT but no interations between birthdate and sex were found. (Author/ABB)

A 1983 survey reveals that in recent years there has been an increasing trend in England toward admitting more children under statutory age to infant school. The implications for nursery and infant education and for the children are outlined. Statistical tables are included. (CT)

Used hypothetical student profiles to investigate factors other than achievement that influence kindergarten teachers' retention decisions. Found that teachers were not more likely to recommend retention for boys, nor for children born in August, although the trend was to retain younger students. Teachers were more likely to retain children…

Teachers' ratings of 327 elementary-school students with hearing impairments were studied in relation to demographic characteristics and educational treatment parameters. Better speech production performance was associated with better hearing, higher socioeconomic status, consistent use of amplification, and later commencing of preschool training.…

Two studies examined the effect of school entrance age on the social acceptance and self-perceptions of kindergarten and first-grade children. Teachers' ratings and peer nominations described initial social problems in youngest children, which were overcome by first grade. Found no differences in self-reported school adjustment, loneliness,…