What disadvantage? Preemies do just as well in school as full-term babies

With previous studies suggesting that babies born before 37 weeks are at a disadvantage in school - parents of preemies often worry about their child's educational prospects.

However, now major new research of some 1.3m people has thrown-up some reassuring findings. Yes, US scientists discovered that most of those born as early as 23 or 24 weeks into pregnancy were still ready for school by the age of five; almost 2 per cent were deemed to be "gifted".

Those born between 25 and 28 weeks performed only slightly worse than full-term counterparts born at around 40 weeks.

For those born after the 28-week mark, differences in academic ability by age 11 were negligible.

The scientists looked at babies born in Florida from 1992 to 2002 from birth until their teenage years. Their gestational ages ranged from 23 to 41 weeks and they started in Florida state schools between 1995 and 2012.

Professor David Figlio said in response: "While some people might be troubled that very premature infants tend to score well below their full-term peers on standardised tests, I believe the glass is more than half full.

"Most infants born at 23 to 24 weeks still demonstrate a high degree of cognitive functioning at the start of kindergarten and throughout school."

Four years ago a smaller British study of 12,000 people suggested those born early were 50 per cent more likely to fail reading, writing and maths tests at the end of their second year in school.

Children born before 37 weeks of pregnancy were also more likely to be diagnosed as having dyslexia, deafness and other problems that class them as having special educational needs.