TORONTO — Sweeping changes to combine daycare and kindergarten into a single full-day program at Ontario's schools would mean greater success for children, according to the author of a report into the overhaul of the province's education system.

The long-anticipated report from Charles Pascal, a former deputy minister of education, comes almost two years after he was appointed to advise the province on how to implement full-day kindergarten.

"This is comprehensive. It's going to provide greater success for kids," Pascal said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

Currently, more than 25 per cent of children are "significantly" behind their peers when entering Grade 1, the report said. Children who have attended full-day programs before Grade 1 fare better academically and have better social skills.

"This is going to give a big boost to kids and their parents," said Pascal.

Parents, however, would still have a choice about whether their four- and five-year-olds would be enrolled for a full or half-day of kindergarten, or nothing at all.

In Ontario, school is not mandatory until Grade 1.

The long-anticipated report also recommends moving services like daycares into schools for what's described as the "seamless day." Research has shown that children, especially younger children, benefit from fewer transitions between locations.

The report also stipulates that if a group of 15 or more families gets together and asks the school to provide classes before and after the traditional school day, it must be provided.

The move would give parents the option to leave their children from 7:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the school -- for a fee. The report does not provide specifics about the cost.

"A lot of parents are right now running all over the place trying to patch together services they need for their kids and their families," Pascal said.

The plan does have its problems. It means finding adequate funding to pay additional staff as well as finding space for the influx of students who will spend extra time at school.

For instance, the before and after school program would incorporate the newly designed curriculum and means the hiring of additional early childhood educators.

Ideally, the full-day program would start in September, 2010, and be available province-wide within three years, the report said.