Editor's view

We report in this issue on interesting moves in Islington, north London, where a council pilot scheme is keeping reception-age children at children's centres to complete the whole of the Foundation Stage at the same setting (see News, page 4). Although the experiment has not been positioned as such, it effectively raises the school starting age to rising six, something that many in the early years sector have long called for. If it works well, the system should provide reception-age children with more opportunities for play-based learning, a less disruptive Foundation Stage with no awkward transitions, and an experience less...