It starts as an innocent mum-chat and ends in a full-blown research spiral: when are you meant to send your kid to school… and why does it feel like everyone’s suddenly delaying?

This week, Kee takes the reins on the school start age debate - from cut-off dates and state-by-state chaos, to the real reasons parents are choosing “later”, and why “the studies say…” isn’t as straightforward as it sounds.

LINKS TO EVERYTHING MENTIONED
2025 Macquarie University Study - Redshirting for remediation or advantage? Which Australian families delay children's school entry and why?
2019 Early Childhood Research Quarterly - School starting age and child development in a state-wide, population-level cohort of children in their first year of school in New South Wales, Australia
School Readiness Guide

HOSTS & PRODUCERS
Kelly McCarren ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@kelly_mccarren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Kee Reece Searles @keereece

AUDIO PRODUCTION
Madeline Joannou - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mylk Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠