Can you help - my five year old hasn't started school in the UK yet and is not yet reading and writing..

[dejags]

As you may know we are currently on a big trip around the world with our five year old and our two year old.

Things are really really up in the air as to where we will live when the trip is over (end Oct).

We are waiting for a work visa for Australia - if this comes through, there will be no problem as he will start school with all the other kids (aged 5) over there.

If the visa is denied, we are strongly leaning towards returning to the UK until our Permanent Residence visa is processed (this will take another 18 months). So if you are still with me, the problem is this:

DS1 is five (born May 2001) he has completed a full year of Pre-Reception where they covered the basics of reading and writing as well as 4 months of reception where they did a lot of consolidation work. He can read and write with help, knows the alphabet, is fab at maths (can do multiplication).

If we return in October, does anybody know where he'll be placed in the UK School system. I think he should continue in with his reception year until Jan and then progress to Year 1. He will be 5 yrs 7 months when he starts Year 1. Am I correct?

Sorry for being so long winded.
TIA

[TooTicky]

Yes, that's right. He shouldn't have any problems and his experience of the world will stand him in good stead - much more valuable IMO than early ABC. In some European countries children don't start school at all until they are 6 or 7 - much more healthy.

[dejags]

Thanks TooTicky,

I have been reading with increasing alarm about all the kids who can read and write without assistance by age 5 on here.

DH and I are doing our best to home school him while we are away, but I am afraid that I'm a totally useless teacher.

Do you know if they will let him start school in Oct for just two months or will they make us keep at home for these two months?

[dejags]

I try to tell myself that his knowledge of the world is far more valuable at this age than ABC's but there is such pressure for kids to peform to set criteria these days. Despite my better judgement, I am still feeling anxious about him "meeting the criteria".

[TooTicky]

I think they will be very keen to get him into school ASAP. Education is hysteria these days.

[dejags]

Sorry another question. Is the school day 9am-3pm for 5 years olds in the UK? Or is it slightly shorter for Key Stage 1?

This seems like such a long day. In South Africa they go 8-1 and he was totally knackered after that.

[TooTicky]

My dd1 and ds1 could both write a little before they started school but not read. Dd1 (10 tomorrow) is now regularly top of the class. Ds2 starts school this week, can spell some words (but only typing - he loves the computer - no writing apart from a wobbly attempt at his name) and read some. However, he has speech problems and is difficult to understand. I don't think it will set him back permanently. Schools are used to a variety of abilities.

[SueW]

Why not straight into Y1? He will be the right age for Y1. Then would go to Y2 next Sept.

FWIW, DD went to school for a term approaching her 4th birthday. Then we pulled her out and went to Oz until the following August. In the meantime she did no reading, writing, etc.

She whizzed through it once she got into school though. No doubt your DS will do the same.

[TooTicky]

The school in our village is 8.45 - 3.00. I think this is about standard.

[dejags]

That's what I was thinking the schools might say Sue.

However, His friends born at the same time are finishing reception in Jan as they started Jan this year (born May).

I thought it would keep him an age group close to his peers and allow him to complete a further two months of reception.

[cazzybabs]

If you come back to the UK this OCT I am guessing the school will put hin into year 1 - this would be his correct school year. TBH I would push for this because of the social thing. If he is bright he will pick up the reading/writing thing with some extra help! Don't forget the school years here run Sept to Sept because to ask for him to move to year 1 in Jan will put him socially beind - his peers will have already done a term rather than just a few weeks and he will have to settle twice two new classes with new friends!

If the school has a space they wil take him when ever - don't forget people move jobs all the time!
I can't belive your trip is neraly over - has it really been a year?

[dejags]

Thanks Cazzy. I am so confused, the kids in his antenatal group in the UK all started school in January. Why would this be?

We were only due to travel for six months and yes it's nearly over.

[cazzybabs]

Depends on your LEA - some don't start them till the term they are 5, but I am suprised they are not moveing them up to year 1 until Jan. I would thought they would move them altogther?

[dejags]

Thanks, it's probably a moot point anyway, as we'd not be living in the same area as we did before.

[dejags]

So just for clarification. He will start year 1 2 months later than the rest of the children?

[Judy1234]

Depends on the school. Ours just have a once a year entry in September whatever your age and everyone moves up to the next class together next September. That class you start the academdic year you turn 5 so mine were nearly 5 when they started but some aren't 5 until August the following year.
You don't have to send him to school at all in the UK as you probably know so the date you start is up to you as long as he's being educated at home.

[PinkTulips]

i went into 2nd class in ireland at the age of 7 unable to read or write. the teachers simply did a bit of extra work with me and i had some remedial lessons and by the summer before 3rd class i was rading the hobbit

kids catch up quickly, i wouldn't think him being kept back a year is a wise move as he'll always be a year older and more advanced than his peers

[dejags]

Thanks all.

What sort of level of support is there for kids who are "behind" in the UK? I feel so crap that he is behind but the home schooling has been a total disaster.

[Jasnem]

dejags,
my dd is going in to yr 1 in Sep after a year in reception with reasonable maths, and very poor reading and writing. This is not unusual at this stage, so your ds would probably not be considered to be behind. As a new student his level of abilitywill be assessed and if he needs extra help, he should get it(dd2s school streams them for maths and literacy and she is in the middle group for literacy)

[harrisey]

Dejags - you have so totally not failed, you have given your son the most amazing experience which no amount of school could ever relpace.
I wouldnt worry about his age - my dd1 started school in scotland into p1 at the age of 5 years 7 months and so has just gone into p2 aged 6 yesrs 7 months. SHe has done exceptionally well, socially as well as academically. Your ds will catch up fast I am sure, and what you have done is SO valuable!

[LIZS]

He would probably go straight into year 1. The UK School year starts in September and mid year starts/changes usually only apply in Nursery/Reception not beyond, so his friends may well only have done 2 terms there before also entering yr1 now.

There is such enormous variation in literacy skills within that year group that I think your ds would actually be well within the range. Writing without assistance is a fairly loose term for example - could mean anything from putting the odd letter down on paper the right way round to writing whole sentences accurately for example. dd is just about to go into year 1 and can write the odd few letter sequences correctly then goes into hieroglyphics interspersed with the odd correct letter ! Her school day will be 8.30 to 3.30.

hth