Summer birthdays - part-time in reception year

[dollybird]

Both DS and DD have summer birthdays (dd is 31/8!) so both will start school part-time (I have heard it is six weeks of half days). Is this similar to other schools? How flexible are schools with this if children have been to nursery etc before? Not sure what we're going to do with regs to childcare as both working!

[JingEllBells]

Hiya. My dd1's birthday is May, so not as late as yours but still Summer Term. Here they start full-time in the term in which they are 5 (she started full-time after Easter last year). Before that it depends on the school. In our school they do two terms in Reception part-time (one term of afternoons and one term of mornings). I was worried about my dd going into year 1 with people who'd been full-time for the whole of the Reception year (or for 2 terms as opposed to her 1) but it seems to be working out OK.

[dollybird]

God, I'd have to give up work if they were part-time till Easter!! My ds goes in September and he is a May birthday (only just 31st also). I'm dreading it already.

[mumofthreebeauties]

My DSS are August birthdays and they did the first term of mornings only then went full time after Christmas.

[tortoiseshell]

All children in ds' year started the same, irrespective of age - they had a 4 week induction period of half days then full time.

Ds' nursery had the facility to have the children for the times they're not in school, because every school seems to be different, so you just booked the times you wanted. We didn't use this in fact, but I think it was a godsend for some parents.

[ladymuck]

Each school seems to have a slightly different policy. All of my NCT class had birthdays between 14 January and 26 March. One boy started full days straightaway, ds1 had 3 half days and then full time, most started half days by end September and were full time by half-term, one is half days until Jan.

As far as I could see there was absolutely no flexibility in the arrangements whatsoever.

[bonkerz]

my DS was 4 at the end of july 2004 and started full time on 6th september 2004! He is the youngest in the class and although he found it hard at first he was fine after about 3 months!

[FrenchKissUnderMistletoeGirl]

DD (birthday 9th July) started reception in september 2003 at just 4, full time (8.30am to 4pm). She did very well, was a bit tired for the first two weeks, but got used to it quickly.

[Hulababy]

If DD had been going to state school, she would have started FT January 2007 (birthday is April 2002). There was no PT option.

[geogteach]

DS (April birthday) started p/t Sept, will go full time after christmas in previous years he would not have gone full time till easter but this year summer borns are going from Christmas, I did end up giving up work and i'm not the only mum in his class.

[LIZS]

dd went full time from the beginning of the year at just 4 - private school. In the state school she'd have gone part-time until end of January - initally just am's then am plus lunch, then full time. Think it is very common to have a staggered intake into Reception, even for full- time September starters, but the extent of this would vary according to LEA policy and from school to school. You could ask the school if they could accommodate you or perhpas arrange nursery or a child minder to cover those few weeks.

[Hulababy]

Forgot to add that DD is going to a private school and will start in September 2006, FT - a term earlier than if she went to a state school. She'll be 4y 5m.

[cod]

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[Enid]

dd1 did part time for the first term (not an early birthday but not independent enough to cope with it) and it was great for her she didnt get too knackered and ended up settling really well.

agree with cod it really is NOT the same as nursery, much harder for them

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[Enid]

everyone gets a sept intake here Hula

friends little boy started this sept and he was four in AUGUST poor mite

[Enid]

yes and sitting on the mat shuffling around twiddling hair and sucking thumbs bless them

[LIZS]

I can see why it might be a problem if you are used ot the flexibility of childcare hours to cover your/dh's working day. However think you may have to reevaluate this in the short term.

Agree the structure and expectations of a nursery are very different to school, in particular the level of independence and concentration demanded. They do find it tiring but soon get used to it.

[cod]

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[CranberryCupcakes]

I've heard of some children being allowed to go part time even though they were technically old enough for full time but never the other way round.

[Jasnem]

DD1 went part time for half a term, then increased full days over next half. First full week was last week of term ( so didn't miss christmas partys etc) June birthday. She went to sleep in the afternoon when she got home, even though she had been at nursery for longer hours. I agree that it is not the same. It worked for us, but I do know of summer babies who were allowed to start full time, when they had been at full time nursery. All schools have their own policies, so its definitely worth speaking to the head teacher

Educationally she has not missed out at all and now (shes in y2) you couldn't identify the late starters.

[Enid]

it happened here cupcakes

dd1s friend june birthday stayed all day

they do it by level of independence here rather than birthday (they all go half time till half term then they pick some to stay all day)

[coppertop]

At ds1's school the older ones do a week of part-time and then go full-time in the 2nd week. The younger ones go part-time for 2 weeks and then full-time in the 3rd week. Ds1 was allowed to build up his hours more slowly but was attending full-time by about November.

[frogs]

Our school (state primary) is full-time from the off, both nursery and reception.

[bigdonna]

in our school children with birthdays between sept 1st and march the 31st,start in sept.All children with birthdays between april 1st and aug 31st start in january.Both my kids were jan starts one the 23rd of april and another on 3rd of august.I did not want my kids to go any earlier.