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Call to delay school start and moving on from Reception or Year 1 until January 2021

Early Education and TACTYC are proposing that children in pre-schools, nurseries, Reception and Year 1 classes stay on in their previous setting or class until January 2021 to support children through the Covid-19 crisis.
Experts argue that young children should stay on an extra term in their previous setting or class to help with the transition to their next year group, after the disruption of coronavirus on children's learning, development and well-being
Experts argue that young children should stay on an extra term in their previous setting or class to help with the transition to their next year group, after the disruption of coronavirus on children's learning, development and well-being

The early years education experts are calling for a delay to starting school by up to a term to help children returning to nursery in September experience the best transitions.

Under the plans, the spring term of 2021 would effectively be the start of a shortened school year, when children would transition to their next year groups and new children would start Reception. 

The move follows a call in May by the Covid-19 Response Group of more than 70 nursery groups and organisations for children to delay starting school until January or April 2021. And in June, the UK's largest nursery group, Busy Bees, said it was exploring a funded 'stay-in-nursery' scheme with local authorities, which has a similar aim.

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