Children studying the British curriculum will not be forced to skip a year when starting school despite changes to age cut-off rules in the UAE, the Ministry of Education said.
It was earlier announced that the age cut-off for school admissions would shift from August 31 to December 31, with the rule to come into force from the 2026-2027 academic year.
The change is to affect children entering Foundation Stage 1 in the British curriculum, or pre-K in other curriculums, through to Year 2. This meant pupils born between September and December would have been eligible to start school up to four months earlier than under previous rules.
This led to concerns from many parents and education experts that in some cases children would start school at a more advanced level than they might be ready for. But the ministry has stressed that would not be the case.
"Children born between September 1 and December 31 who do not turn three by the start of the academic year may be assessed for readiness to join FS1," it said in a post on social media.
"The assessment and final placement are decided jointly by the school and parents. If the child is not found ready, they may be enrolled in FS1 in the following academic year. Schools and parents may jointly decide whether FS1 or FS2 is the most suitable placement."
