A WORCESTER headteacher says he wouldn’t be in favour of children starting school at the age of just two, after a senior schools inspector proposed the idea.

Baroness Sally Morgan, who heads the Ofsted inspection body, sparked debate in staffrooms across the country yesterday after saying the plan would stop disadvantaged children falling behind.

But David Coache, interim principal at the Oasis Academy Warndon, believes it shouldn’t be up to schools to provide the social skills lacking by some youngsters.

“Not everyone is behind when they start school but that isn’t true for all children,” said Mr Coache.

“I don’t think it is great for children to start as young as two.”

However, he said the passion for learning should start at home, before children get to school.

“The quality of socialisation at home is varied,” he said.

“I think there should be greater provision to allow for parents to give children greater learning experiences.

“There are children coming through to nursery without a grasp of how to behave in a social setting.

“There are mechanisms out there to support them but it shouldn’t fall to schools to provide this.”

Currently, all children living in England have to be in full-time education by the term after their fifth birthday.

The idea has gained some support in Worcester, however, with Whittington Primary School headteacher Gary Richards “broadly behind it”.

“The vast majority of my pupils have attended nursery before they join so they acclimatise to social skills and interaction,” he said. 

“But I think parents should be given the choice.

“If somebody had told me I could send my own children for free at the age of two I would have jumped at the opportunity.”

Baroness Morgan made the comments while addressing an education seminar in London.

She said a lot of the children from disadvantaged backgrounds were “not ready to learn” so the school has to provide nurturing before it can start to educate.

A spokesman for Worcestershire County Council said it needed more clarification as to the details of Baroness Morgan’s proposal. 

“We do support some two-year-olds through early years funding,” said Councillor Liz Eyre, the council’s cabinet member for children and families.

“As always, funding and delivery are interlinked, but she makes a point and we recognise that some children need earlier help.”