PUPILS could start school a term earlier – some at barely three-and-a-half years old – if council plans go through.
The County Times understands the plans are due before the council’s board soon – and could still be pushed through in time for September 2010’s intake.
A drop in Welsh Assembly funding means the council is unable to afford to fund the 10 free hours a week for children three and above for the whole year. Instead it will pay it for just two terms, and then move the children into a formal school setting.
Children do not have to start school until their fifth birthday – so parents could choose to keep their child in a pre-school setting but would have to pay the fees – the council pays around £350 for the final term but pre-schools would charge parents less .
Some schools and pre-schools have been advising parents the change is definitely happening in September – but the authority insists the move is still to be ratified.
In 2007 the Welsh Assembly changed the method of paying funding for early years education. As a result Powys has seen a drop in ‘income’ of 60 per cent. As a consequence the PCC budget has been reduced from £1.8 million to £810,000.
A letter from Gareth Jones, school modernisation manager, to headteachers and early years providers, states: “The local authority managed this in two ways; firstly by using its reserves to meet much of the shortfall in the current year and secondly by reducing payments to early years providers.”
Mr Jones added: “In the current economic climate the local authority will not be in a position to continue allocating reserves to make up this shortfall.”
£400,000 of council reserves has been used to keep the current status quo going. However, funding from the reserves will only last until the end of the summer term 2010.
The PCC plan is to lower the school admission age to the term a child turns four – currently it is the term after. According to the letter: “This would mean the authority would only need to fund two terms worth of early years provision as opposed to the three terms currently funded.”
The plan could have serious implications for some pre-school settings.
Mr Jones’ letter adds: “The local authority understands that this is a difficult matter as any option and decision taken is likely to have serious implications for providers.
“However the simple fact is the authority is now in receipt of a massively reduced early years education budget, while at the same time having a statutory duty to provide early education places to all three year olds who wish it.”
Schools could welcome the move on a financial level as it will mean increased numbers and increased funding.
However, smaller schools may be forced to have children ranging from three to six in the same class. And some pre-school providers have expressed fears that not only will they lose out on vital funding – but children just will not be ready for school.
Cylch Meithrin in Llanfyllin is one such pre-school. A committee spokesperson told the County Times: “If this happened it would have a major impact on young children entering school, some children aren't nappy trained, would teachers have the time and numbers to be changing nappies?
“Some children may be mature enough but others whose birthdays are at the end of the term would be at a disadvantage in terms of learning and maturity. The young children would find themselves in a group of older children not only in the classroom but also in the playground.
"The teachers will inevitably find themselves spending more time with the younger children in a class with consequences being felt for the older children.
“From the point of view of Ysgol Feithrin we would be losing children sooner – this is obviously going to have a financial impact on already stretched resources. Our figures suggest we’ll be down by four or five children each term – without funding from Powys the parents may end up paying more.
“As not only child care providers but as parents of children who will be affected by this, we struggle to see the benefits for the children – the focus appears to be financial reasons rather than educational.
“As far as we know nothing has yet been decided, so we want the council to give us the positive side of why changing would be of benefit to the children?
“Without having the positives identified we may be worrying parents unnecessarily.”
Border Pre-school in Llanymynech is perhaps in a unique situation. Although most children go to schools within Powys, the pre-school is in Shropshire and funded by Shropshire. As a consequence parents will still get funded sessions.
Leader Sandra Hayward said: “This is not new, this used to be the situation some years ago. We used to see children going to school before that were just not ready.”
“We hope parents will ask us for advice on whether their child is ready or not.”
Sandra admitted the uncertainty had not helped: “I had parents asking me,” she said, “some were panicking about it, they wanted to prepare their children for school and had heard this was coming.”
“I felt I needed to know what the situation was. We have a programme preparing the children for school. If they were suddenly going to tell me it was changing in three months we wouldn’t have had time.
“I don’t know why they’re doing this. The Welsh Assembly Foundation Stage says children are ready for formal learning until they’re six or seven, yet they want children in school at three.”
A spokesperson for Powys County Council said: “Officers have reviewed our current age of admission arrangements and will be submitting a report with their findings and recommendations for the council’s board to consider.