A Good Start

In Denmark, exemptions can be given to the rule that children begin school the year they turn six. An analysis based on children born between 2003 and 2004 shows that approximately 10-15% of a year group postpone school start, 80-90% follow the norm, and 2-3% start a year early. This report examines the significance of a child’s age when starting school for the child’s development. The analysis compares children born in January with children born in December, and the results show that children who are older at school start perform better in the national tests in Danish and mathematics in the second and fourth year of primary school. This effect may be due to the fact that the child is older at school start, is older compared to his or her peers, or because the child is older at the time of testing. However, this effect of a delayed school start on the child’s academic skills disappears when the child reaches the final years of basic school. A review of international research results also shows that the effect is greatest in school systems that group children based on their academic skills in basic school; however, in general little or no effect is seen on the child’s later academic career or on the child’s lifetime income.