Thousands of Victorian students starting school a year later

Thousands of Victorian students are starting school a year later as an increasing number of parents attempt to “make up for time lost” during the pandemic.

Thousands more Victorian students are starting school a year later. Picture: Ian Currie

Thousands of students are starting school a year later as more Victorian parents wait until the year their child turns six to enrol them in prep.

Experts predict the trend will continue to gain popularity, particularly in Victoria, as parents attempt to “make up for time lost” during the pandemic when children missed out on vital social and developmental skills.

One in three prep students were aged six or older by July 1, 2022, a Herald Sun analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals.

The number of students who had turned six by July in the year they entered prep jumped by more than 4,000, from 24,575 in 2012 to 28,773 in 2022.

They now make up 36 per cent of enrolments compared to 33 per cent a decade ago.

The trend was most pronounced at government schools, with the number of prep students aged six or older increasing by more than 3,000 from 16,652 in 2012 to 19,733 in 2022.

Independent schools followed a similar trend – increasing from 2,526 in 2012 to 3,259 in 2022.

In Victoria children must attend school from the age of 6. To enrol in government school, a child must turn 5 before 30 April of the year they start school.

Holding some children back from school and sending others when first eligible means the age range in classrooms can be nearly two years between the youngest and oldest students.

Early childhood expert and education lecturer at Australian Catholic University Dr Victoria Minson said it is becoming more popular for Victorian parents to delay kindergarten entry due to its perceived benefit.

This practice, called “academic redshirting”, is intended to give students another year to mature emotionally, socially, academically and physically before starting kindergarten.

“Parents see it as giving their children the gift of time,” she said.

But research from the University of New England showed delayed school entry does not have “a large or lasting influence on basic reading and maths skills”.

The study found students who were held back received slightly higher results in NAPLAN results on average in year 3, but that advantage dissipates by the time students reach year 9.

Dr Minson said research shows families who come from higher socio-economic contexts are more likely to delay school start, with boys also more likely to be held back.

“Lower socio-economic families are less likely to, as in some cases continuing to pay for childcare is not financially viable,” she said.

Dr Minson said there is evidence to suggest the practice will grow as a result of the pandemic.

Mariam Khoder’s daughter Medina will be turning six years old in March when she starts in Prep next year. Picture: Ian Currie

“Children born in 2019 did not have access to the same early childhood education given Victoria’s lockdowns and restrictions, and some parents may want to give them extra time in kinder, to make up for that lost time,” she said.

Clinical psychologist and senior lecturer in psychology at Deakin University Dr Elizabeth Westrupp said parents’ concerns were justified as a lot of key social skills are learnt at childcare.

“A lot of key brain development happens over that age five and six period,” she said.

“It’s best to think about the individual child, their circumstance, and what works best for them.

“For some kids if they’ve got developmental delays or learning difficulties, they often do better when they’re a little bit older as there is more chance to develop impulse control and socialisation skills.”

Melbourne mum Mariam Khoder is enrolling her daughter Medina Khaled in prep next year, who will be six in March.

Although Medina could have started prep last year, Ms Khoder said her daughter “missed out on learning vital social and organisation skills” as a result of the pandemic.

“During Covid Medina couldn’t interact with other kids at the park or at kindergarten, she was stuck at home,” she said.

“I feel like (starting later) will help her settle into school more easily.”

A Department of Education spokesperson said: “Our rollout of free three and four-year-old kindergarten through our $14 billion Best Start, Best Life reforms means that every Victorian child can now access two years of teacher-led, play-based learning before school for free – setting kids up to thrive in their education.”