Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that children born prematurely are not disadvantaged by delays to the start their education.

The statutory School Admissions Code requires schools to provide for the admission of all children, including those born prematurely, in the September following their fourth birthday. A child reaches compulsory school age on the prescribed day following their fifth birthday, or on their fifth birthday if it falls on a prescribed day. The prescribed days are 31 December, 31 March and 31 August. Parents can defer their child’s admission to school until they reach compulsory school age, or may arrange for them to attend part time until this point, but all children must receive suitable full time education from the point at which they reach compulsory school age.