these three countries seek to integrate education and care in order to provide holistic child development this means that the development of children is seen as a dynamic and closely interwoven interaction between their physical and mental circumstances and the environment in which children grow up the school starting age may differ in sweden it starts at the age of seven while in norway it starts at the age of six and in new zealand at the age of five many countries with a split system have created a learning framework for children in the older age bracket of ecec only from around age twoandahalf or three to compulsory schooling portugal s core curriculum guidelines for preschool education issued by the ministry of education covers children from the age of three until the age of six the compulsory schooling age in portugal