I must admit to getting quite worked up - maybe even angry on this topic. The statements that "kids are not ready to read" at age X, or that "they are ready to read" are each misleading, unhelpful, and the route to future problems.

Some kids ARE ready to read at an early age. My niece can read numbers up to ten, and she's just had her 4th birthday. Other kids aren't ready till later. It depends on how your brain specialises and how fast you develop. (For all that my kids read like gangbusters, only one of them can catch a ball!).

I get worried about "girl vs boy" things. Even "positive action" is discrimination and it's divisive. We need to engage everyone as equals, without making anyone feel inferior, or anyone superior, YET we must reward success, or nobody will bother to acheive anymore.

We have to reward success, but of the right sort.