Ministry of Education figures show 101 schools have dropped the Kiwi tradition of letting children start school on their fifth birthday in favour of a system they say works better. "It's that opportunity to come and start school with a group of children, you're not the only one starting by yourself," he said. "Having the cohort entry means you're intentional about that a couple of times a term." He was surprised only 101 schools were using cohort entry, and suggested that might be because of its impact on funding calculations. So they come as a group and they form their relationships as a group rather than trickle in one by one and join a group that's already established."

Source: Otago Daily Times June 29, 2020 23:48 UTC