Dawkins says evolution – 'the explanation for our existence' – should be a compulsory part of the primary school curriculum

Children in the UK should be taught the science of evolution by natural selection from the age of five, says Prof Richard Dawkins.

The Oxford biologist argues that evolution is so important to our understanding of the world that it should form part of the primary school curriculum. He is dismissive of the notion that evolution is a difficult concept for young children to grasp.

"Evolution is a truly satisfying and complete explanation of existence, and I suspect that this is something a child can appreciate from an early age," he writes in the Times.

"If we are going to be prescriptive about teaching history, comparative religion, maths and English – and I wouldn't wish to sweep those things away – I don't see why we shouldn't be prescriptive about teaching the explanation for our existence."

Although teaching evolution is not compulsory in primary schools, many already introduce some aspects in classes. The proposal to add evolution to the national curriculum – accepted by Labour in 2009 – was dropped last year by the coalition and is currently being reviewed by the Department for Education.

Dawkins expresses surprise that many parents still teach their children the Adam and Eve creation myth even though very few people believe it literally. "Perhaps they think it harmless like Father Christmas."

"But I would argue that the truth of evolution is more interesting and more poetic – even more fun – than this myth, or any of the hundreds of creation myths from around the world," he writes.

Evolution could be taught to young children in a way that would make it "easier to understand than a myth", he adds. "This is because myths leave the child's questions unanswered, or they raise more questions than they appear to answer."

Dawkins also considers the potential harm in teaching fantasy, even to very young children. "Magical transformations are anti-evolution. And anti-science. Complex things, such as horses, coaches and princes, cannot spring spontaneously into existence from nothing," Dawkins writes.

Apart from being a vigorous advocate for evolution and atheism, Dawkins is a celebrated author of books including The Selfish Gene and The God Delusion. His new book, The Magic of Reality, is a set of explanations for scientific concepts such as the composition of atoms, what causes rainbows and ideas about what aliens might look like.

• The Magic of Reality is published on 15 September by Bantam Press and is available from the Guardian Bookshop for £16 (RRP £20)