Age of starting school

[iolaus]

My husband's great grandfather started at Coedpenmaen infants school in Pontypridd (South Wales) on 18 June 1900, only just over 3 years after his birth on 8 April 1897.

His sister, born on 10 Aug 1898, started at the same school on 20 Aug 1901.

These school records - where they survive - are fascinating

Thats where we are my children go to the Welsh medium school but if they went to an English medium it would be Coedpenmaen, but as I said earlier they still start at three in this county

[bykerlads]

It seem to recall my dad saying that he was sent to the local village school from the age of 3. This would have been in 1929, in Hade Edge West Yorks UK. He said he mainly just played in the sand-pit but he thought he was put in school so early because his mother wasn't very well. Clearly there was some useful flexibility in the system in those days.
He did very well at school, got a Grammar school place and unusually for a working class child was actually able to take up the place. ( it used to cost money to go to a state grammar until the 1940's, so most intelligent working class children weren't able to get that advantage - his parents managed to scrape together the money, with the help of neighbours who chipped in a bit)

[coombs]

I have my grandmothers school report from 1932 when she was 10, but it would be good to find when she started school, she was born in May 1922 so I estimate 1925 or 1926 is her school start date. Ditto for other grandparents.