More three year olds in schools

June 29, 2004 in Children

The number of three year olds in infant classes in primary
schools has doubled in the past two years, according to official
figures.

Department for Education and Skills statistics show that there
were 3,400 three-year- old children in infant classes in primary
schools in 2004, compared to 1,600 in 2002.

In May Ofsted warned that some schools were insisting children
start school earlier in order that reception class teachers had
enough time to complete the new reception class profiles. Ofsted
has called on the government to “clarify the purpose” of the
profile, which many teachers see as less useful than assessment
tools they were already using.

The statistics on early education also show that the proportion
of children in public sector nursery classes and schools has
remained stable.