To head to prep, or not...that's a tough question!

We are now well into Term 4 and many of you with Kindy kids will be watching and hoping they are ready to enter the enormous world of primary school in 2020. As decisions go, for many people it's actually a really stressful one make. Over the coming weeks we'll pop up little ideas to think about, as we believe knowledge empowers.
This first one will be a few links to research articles about beginning prep, whether to send or whether to delay entry. They're a couple of years old and from Stanford and Cambridge but the information is still relevant.
Depart of Ed Q has this information about the topic.
"Delayed entry to Prep for children who have not previously been enrolled in Prep
Parents may delay their child's entry to Prep (and subsequently Year 1) if they feel that the child is not ready to start school. For example, the child is still developing their social and emotional skills. The child can then commence Prep when they are of compulsory school age (6 years and 6 months).
No formal documentation, assessment or approval is required for delayed entry to Prep.
Principals do not make decisions on delaying a child's entry to Prep. While some parents may choose to discuss their decision to delay entry with the principal, it is not necessary for them to do so."
This is important to remember as many children may enter Prep still between the ages of 4.5 - 5 years of age.
Happy reading!

https://ed.stanford.edu/…/stanford-gse-research-finds-stron…
Dee, T., & Sievertsen, H.H. (2015). The Gift of Time? School Starting Age and Mental Health (CEPA Working Paper No.15-08). Retrieved from Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis: http://cepa.stanford.edu/wp15-08
https://www.cam.ac.uk/…/di…/school-starting-age-the-evidence
Here are some points from some of the studies which are available about delayed entry and links to the studies : 

• Study finds improved self-regulation in kindergartners who wait a year to enroll
• A new study on the mental health effects of kindergarten enrollment ages found strong evidence that a one-year delay dramatically improves a child’s self-regulation abilities even into later childhood.
• Study finds improved self-regulation in kindergartners who wait a year to enroll
  
• A new study on the mental health effects of kindergarten enrollment ages found strong evidence that a one-year delay dramatically improves a child’s self-regulation abilities even into later childhood.
  
• See more at ED.STANFORD.EDU