[sersi]

That makes complete sense. We live in HK and here most kindergarten will have an interview before starting school either at 3 or 4 years old. We applied to a play-based school and to a Montessori school and our son was admitted to both but that's because those two schools target more play focused parents.

So the interviews for those schools are less strict and competitive than some of the better ranked schools where children are competing against children who have tutored and been coached to ace the kindergarten interviews (!?).

I strongly agree with you that there's absolutely no point in testing for giftedness before 2nd grade. Even testing in 2nd grade is fully ripe for creating an arms race between parents by inciting them to hire tutors.