A CONSULTATION on the deferral of the school starting age has been supported by the vast majority of respondents.
Around nine in 10 of those who responded to the proposed changes by the Department of Education were in favour of giving parents the option to delay their child starting pre-school or school.
The changes would allow flexibility for younger children born between April 1 and July 1 to defer starting school for one year.
Northern Ireland's starting age for pupils is currently the lowest in Europe with most children beginning in the September of the school year after their fourth birthday.
The Department of Education has been consulting on proposals to introduce a new policy and changes to the law to allow flexibility for the youngest children in the year group.
Most children will continue to start primary school at the usual time, however, flexibility would allow the youngest children to defer starting pre-school and then primary school for one year.
These children would then start pre-school in the September following their fourth birthday and in primary school in September following their fifth birthday.
Flexibility would be available on parental request and would not involve an educational assessment.
The current law would be amended so that deferred children do not reach compulsory school-starting age until 1 September after their fifth birthday.
More than 750 responses were submitted to the consultation, two thirds of which were from parents as well as 78 principals and 89 teachers.
It found that nine in every 10 respondents supported giving parents the option to delay their child starting pre-school or school if they were born between 1 April and 1 July.
The consultation also found that a majority of those who responded said any child born prematurely, as well as looked after children - children in care - should have the option to defer starting school.
But a small minority of those who responded to the consultation objected to the proposals, citing the benefits of an early diagnosis of any special educational needs for a child as one of the reasons.
A bill to change the law on school starting age in Northern Ireland is now expected to be brought forward by the Department of Education.
