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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠

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&hellip; and why does it feel like everyone&rsquo;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 &ldquo;later&rdquo;, and why &ldquo;the studies say&hellip;&rdquo; isn&rsquo;t as straightforward as it sounds.
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LINKS TO EVERYTHING MENTIONED 2025 Macquarie University Study - <a href="https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/redshirting-for-remediation-or-advantage-which-australian-familie/">Redshirting for remediation or advantage? Which Australian families delay children's school entry and why?</a> 2019 Early Childhood Research Quarterly - <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0885200619300110?via%3Dihub">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</a> <a href="https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/kids-health-hub/growth-and-development/preschoolers/school-readiness#:~:text=If%20you%20child%20has%20difficulty%20using%20a%20pencil%20or%20texter,support%20from%20an%20occupational%20therapist.&amp;text=using%20a%20lunchbox-,Get%20your%20child%20to%20practice:,be%20wrapped%20like%20a%20sandwich.">School Readiness Guide</a>
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HOSTS &amp; PRODUCERS Kelly McCarren&nbsp;⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kelly_mccarren/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@kelly_mccarren⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> Kee Reece Searles <a href="https://www.instagram.com/keereece/?hl=en">@keereece</a>
AUDIO PRODUCTION Madeline Joannou - <a href="www.mylkmedia.com.au">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mylk Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>&nbsp;⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hosted by Kelly McCarren and Kee Reece Searles, Eat Sleep Repeat is a weekly virtual mother’s group in your ears. It's a judgement and shame-free zone where Kel and Kee share their raw, honest, funny and relatable experience being first time mums, trying desperately to survive.

Hosted by Kelly McCarren and Kee Reece Searles, Eat Sleep Repeat is a weekly virtual mother&rsquo;s group in your ears. It's a judgement and shame-free zone where Kel and Kee share their raw, honest, funny and relatable experience being first time mums, trying desperately to survive.

Eat Sleep Repeat

Hosted by new mums and besties, Kelly McCarren and Kee Reece, eat sleep repeat is a virtual weekly mother’s group for your ears. It's a judgement and shame-free zone where Kel and Kee give advice and talk to other everyday mums. But mostly it’s a raw, honest, funny and relatable look at being a first time mum, desperately trying to survive.

Hosted by new mums and besties, Kelly McCarren and Kee Reece, eat sleep repeat is a virtual weekly mother&rsquo;s group for your ears. It's a judgement and shame-free zone where Kel and Kee give advice and talk to other everyday mums. But mostly it&rsquo;s a raw, honest, funny and relatable look at being a first time mum, desperately trying to survive.

When Should I Send My Kid To School?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/3ea926be-9be7-482a-8ac3-a44f016e43d1/clips/db0a3d51-75d3-4ae4-960a-b3e501849129/transcript