The Effect of School Entrance Age on Academic Achievement and Social-Emotional Adjustment of Children

The relationship between school entrance age and academic and social-emotional adjustment was examined for 104 first-grade pupils toward the end of the school year. The sample population included only the oldest and youngest pupils in the class (i.e., those born between January and March and between October and December of the same year). The oldest first graders surpassed their younger peers in all tests of reading and arithmetic skills. They were better adjusted both socially and emotionally and were more highly rated by their teachers. Younger girls showed a slight advantage over younger boys in the sociometric measure only.