What is early school entry?

There can be many reasons for requesting early entry. If you’re considering this option, you should first inquire at your child’s future school. The staff will inform you of the procedure to follow.

All derogation requests require a multistep evaluation led by a specialist. Here’s the most common scenario:

• An initial meeting with the parents, in which they complete questionnaires about the reasons for their request and discuss their child’s development
• A second meeting to evaluate the child alone
• A third meeting to present and explain the report findings to the parents

During the evaluation, a specialist will observe and analyze how your child is doing in certain areas of development. After a variety of specific tests, they’ll conduct an evaluation based on the following:

• Their intellectual and social development
• Their preschool reading skills
• Their counting skills
• Their level of autonomy
• Their emotional maturity
• Their motor skills (fine and gross motor skills)
• Their desire to go to school
• Etc.

The specialist will also consider several other factors:

• The potential consequences of early or on-time admission to kindergarten or Grade 1
• Any developmental gaps between your child and the rest of their cohort (other children of the same age)
• Your child’s level of development in various subject areas
• Etc.

When your child is ready and meets the admission criteria, early admission can have the following benefits:

• Decreased boredom
• Improved academic engagement
• Challenges compatible with your child’s potential
• Etc.

However, this exceptional measure can have consequences for the rest of your child’s school years. Evidence shows that starting school too early (i.e., before a child is truly ready) can cause the following:

• Academic difficulties
• Adjustment disorders
• Increased anxiety
• Etc.