A new report from England is gaining a lot of attention for suggesting that kids could start kindergarten at age six, but some headlines got the idea backwards by focusing on that age change.

The Cambridge Primary Review suggests extending quality early learning, and all of its benefits, through age five. One of the report’s concerns is the transition from play-based early education into formal learning, with its testing and more structured subjects, is too abrupt.

“The consensus of evidence and opinion garnered by the Review is that the formalities of the key stage 1 curriculum risk denting five-year-olds’ confidence and causing long-term damage to their learning – and the youngest children in class and those with special needs are particularly vulnerable. Hence the Review’s recommendation that the foundation stage be extended to age six.” – Introducing the Cambridge Primary Review.  “This would give children enough time to establish positive attitudes to learning and to begin to develop the language and study skills essential to their later progress,” the report added later.

Then the review offered this evidence:

“In 14 of the 15 countries that scored higher than England in a major study of reading and literacy in 2006, children did not enter school until they were six or seven. And more children read for pleasure in most of those countries than do so in England.”

The report didn’t even say kindergarten necessarily should start at age six, but called for a full debate. For example, kindergarten could be revamped to extend the quality of good early learning to kindergarten classrooms, researchers suggested

With the No Child Left Behind law coming up for reauthorization, the U.S. Congress and Obama administration should note the debate happening across the pond – it’s already hit The New York Times’ Motherlode blog, which highlighted the report. Many U.S. kindergarten classrooms are full of tests and more formal subjects, and maybe it’s time for a debate about a better balance between that and play-based learning.

There is a lot to digest in this 608-page report – ideas about decentralizing primary education, a call for a full review of special education needs and of assessments – that’s the result of a comprehensive three-year review of England’s primary education system.

You can start with a 42-page summary of the report’s key findings, background and recommendations - a lot of the early learning work is on pages 16 and 17 – and then dig deeper on the Web site.

The report is generating a lot of attention, and hopefully will spark a broader, maybe even global, dialogue.

“As important as the specifics is the need for a more mature and informed way of talking about primary education, free from the polarisation, myth-making and mud-slinging of recent years. The debate should exemplify, not negate, what education is about.” – Cambridge Primary Review news release, 10/16/09.