BOLTON is to offer training to all teachers of four-year-olds, amid national concern that they are too young for school. Early-years workers are drawing up a training plan to help reception teachers and other workers dealing with four-year-olds entering full-time education in Bolton. This week the Pre-school Learning Alliance and the National Campaign for Nursery Education launched high profile campaigns to stop schools taking in youngsters before the age of five.

The lobby groups are angry that local authorities are putting children in reception classes rather than providing more expensive pre-school nursery places until youngsters reach their fifth birthday.

Liz Murphy, chairman of the NCNE, said: "As a result many four-year-olds lack confidence, suffer stress, begin bed wetting again and face problems mixing with other children.

"Also, these children are expected to learn before they understand what they are doing - this can be disastrous for their later education."

But workers in Bolton, where four-year-olds have been entering reception classes for many years, insist the policy is not causing problems in the borough's classrooms.

"The issue is not about whether or not they should be in reception classes but whether or not the provision in that reception class is appropriate for their age," said an education spokesman.

LocaL representatives of the national PLA and the NCNE, the organisations behind the campaigns to lobby the Government, recently helped education chiefs draw up an early years development plan for Bolton.

The plan includes reviewing provision in reception classes and training to help those working with four-year-olds understand more about how very young children develop and learn.

Nursery head and local NCNE representative Mrs Barbara Kenny said: "There are concerns that if children are put into a too formal reception class and expected to do work which is not appropriate to their age, it can cause emotional distress.

"I have not heard of that happening in Bolton. Bolton has very good provision and I have no evidence that four-year-olds are being traumatised."

Nationally, campaign groups fear Tony Blair's promise to deliver places for very young children could lead to children as young as three entering primary schools.

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