The reasons parents delay sending children to school

Australia Broadcast Center

26-05-2025

Nadine Ensor always suspected she would delay sending her daughter, born in June, to school.
"She was very advanced with language and the standard things they check off, like being able to count and recite the alphabet, so I had no doubts academically she could have gone [when first eligible]," says 36-year-old Nadine, based in Brisbane/Meanjin.
"For me, [the motivation to delay] was definitely more the emotional side of things."
Regulations around the age children start school vary across Australia, and between public, Catholic and independent schools.
Typically, however, children born in the first part of the year can be sent to school in either the year they turn five or the year they turn six.
If Nadine's daughter started school when she was first eligible, she would have been four and a half, and one of the youngest in her class.
"I also worried about the social aspects, and also fatigue," Nadine says.
"If she was starting school when [she was] four and a half, she would just be too burnt-out."
New research from Macquarie University found that of Australian parents who could choose when to send their children to school, 66 per cent planned for them to start later.
The study surveyed 226 parents.
Co-author Penny Van Bergen, an associate professor of psychology in education at the university, said one of the most interesting findings was that academic concerns didn't typically play a role in parents' decision-making.
"A lot of international research says academic competitiveness is why you might hold a child back, but there wasn't a sense [parents in Australia] were making those choices for competitive reasons," Dr Van Bergen says.
Like Nadine, many parents are concerned about their children's social, emotional and behavioural readiness for school, Dr Van Bergen says.
"Whether a child would make friends, be able to sit still — parents were seeing that as a sign they are probably not ready and won't enjoy themselves if they are still developing those skills."
Rebecca English, a senior education lecturer at the Queensland University of Technology, says parents may also be concerned about their child needing a nap or rest time, and other factors such as whether the child has toileting accidents.
Another motivation for Nadine delaying her daughter's schooling was the family dynamic.
"I had a newborn that year, so I didn't want the whole commitment of school alongside a newborn as well," she says.
She also wanted to spend more time with her daughter, a desire shared by some parents surveyed in the Macquarie University study.
Dr Van Bergen says there is a philosophy of "they are really little, let them enjoy life, there's plenty of time for school".
"They recognised they were privileged to make that choice, but talked about wanting that extra 'gift of time'."
Parents were also considering milestones ahead, such as when their children would reach the ages they could drive and drink.
"We don't want them to be the last to get their drivers licence," Dr Van Bergen gives as an example.
Because early childhood education and child care are more expensive than public schooling, some parents felt they had to send their child "on time", Dr Van Bergen says.
Work demands also played a role.
Boys are more likely to be "held back", Dr Van Bergen explains, due to "beliefs about boys not being social and emotionally ready".
Parents she surveyed were almost four times as likely to report they intended to start boys later than girls.
"There is a narrative that boys are less mature, or less developed, than girls that floats around, and that drives parents' decision-making," Dr Van Bergen says.
She says while at a group level there are school-readiness trends that favour girls, on an individual level there is a "huge overlap" between genders, showing readiness really needs to be considered case by case.
Parents reported concerns about physical size, usually more with boys than girls.
This is particularly in the context of bullying and "sporting prowess", Dr Van Bergen says.
Five per cent of the parents surveyed by Macquarie University said they were still unsure about when to send their child to school.
Dr English says it can be hard for parents to know what to expect from school because things will have changed a lot since their years of education.
"Talk to the school. Talk to your peers. If you have a psychologist or occupational therapist or speech therapist, talk to them as well," she says.
"If you are on the NDIS, talk to your providers."
She says it can also be helpful to ask relatives and friends with older children about their experience, as well as instructors of the child's extra-curricular activities, such as swimming.
Dr Van Bergen says parents should follow their instincts.
"School teachers do an amazing job to support children and bring them into a different educational context, but it's still a big transition," she says.
She recommends parents avoid being "fatalistic" about their decision.
"If there are any education gaps between younger and older children to start with, [research shows] it closes over time."
Nadine says she "100 per cent" made the right decision by delaying her daughter's schooling.
"There is so much pressure on prep and so many commitments … it's full on."
This is general information only. For personal advice, you should see a qualified professional.