Starting school age to change in new reform

Parents will soon be able to choose to send their kids to school before they turn five.

Until now, children could enrol in school between the ages of five and six. But the Government's set to pass reforms this week that would allow to children to start school sooner - up to eight weeks before they turn five.

Education Minister Nikki Kaye clarifies that they're not saying "a long period of time".

"We're talking anywhere from maybe a couple of days to up to eight weeks.

But Labour leader Andrew Little says that in the life of a four year old, two months is "huge  it's almost a lifetime". 

Early childhood experts agree, saying that when it comes to starting school, sooner isn't always better.

Cheryl Greenfield from MIT School of Education says research shows "you're no better off starting school at four or five than if you started at seven".

"If you've got good experiences, you've been in a richness of a learning environment, then you all come out equal at the top," she told Newshub. 

When the bill becomes law each school will choose whether to accept new entrants before they turn five. But in the end it'll be up to parents to decide when to start the first chapter of their child's school life.

Newshub.