Despite the concerted opposition of pre-school leaders and parents, Sutton Councils major decision-making body pushed through proposals to admit children into mainstream schooling at earlier ages than at present.

The Sutton Pre-school Alliance has led a campaign against the proposals, which were opposed by 207 out of 324 respondents during the councils public consultation period.

But though the committee noted their concerns, it went ahead nonetheless with the plans to alter admissions arrangements to reception classes and mainstream school nurseries from September 2002.

Their decision means that spring-born children will be admitted in the autumn term and summer-born children in the spring term currently both categories enter in the summer term.

As reported in the Comet (July 8), the youngest a child could enter nursery and reception classes would drop to three years and four months and four years and four months respectively.

It is likely to cost £200,000 in 2002/3 plus a further £600,000 in the following year.

The alliance, which represents community-based establishments providing a mixture of education and care to under fives across the borough, claimed the changes will leave many children starting school too early and put pre-schools out of business.

But council education chiefs have argued the changes would address the disadvantages children born later in the school year having less education than their slightly older peers.

And it would enable schools to overcome the difficulty of appointing temporary staff to take reception classes for just one term each year, as is current practice.

Council education chief Dr Ian Birnbaum said: Headteachers and the councils early years inspector have confirmed that, with proper support, schools can and will be able to provide for the needs of younger children in nursery and reception.