When will my child start school

[lightcola]

My son is 4 at the end of October 2017. Will that mean he wont start school until September 2018?

[Seeline]

If you're in England - yes

[lightcola]

So that means almost an extra year of paying childcare than a child that was born 2 months before him? That seems bonkers.


But thank you for your reply.

[Seeline]

THe school year has always started in September. So children born in September/October have to wait longer than children born in July/August. Personally, I think it is bonkers that a child who turned 4 only a couple of days ago is assumed to be just as ready to start school as a child who has been 4 for nearly a year. I know the cut off has to come somewhere, but I don't think childcare costs comes into it

[NaughtToThreeSadOnions]

Well this new people complaining that their child won't be able to start schoo, when their only just four, in fact not even four given that the school year starts in September.

You really want to send your child to school at three because you don't want to pay child care.

Autumn born babies have an advantage of being ready to learn.


Read up on the numerous threads about the struggles of summer burns socially emotionally and acedemically.

Start the child as near 5 as possiable something Autumn horns have an advance on

[NaughtToThreeSadOnions]

See line totally agree!

I'm all my siblings are Autumn born we had an extra year of maturity, my nephews birthday is the 30th August he started school 4 days later, he was still the same as he was when he was 3 a couple of days before.
I think worrying about child care costs is totally the wrong issue

[AnotherOddSock]

You know OP, school is not there to provide free childcare.

Some schools with nurseries are offering free part time places to 2 year olds.

[catslife]

School is about providing education not child-care. There has to be a cut-off point somewhere.
Your son can attend either pre-school or nursery school or a nursery class within a school which receives some funding from his 3rd birthday.

[whatatod0]

op - yes, and 1st september born babies will have to pay 3 months more childcare than you.
Is it really the money that bothers you?
Look at it this way - working parents of autumn born babies can benefit from longer childcare hours before their dc start school and need to be collected at 3pm, and need to find additional child care during the school holidays.
Parents of summer born dc don't get this, and it's not fair either.

[catslife]

OP my child is October born and this meant that she benefited from more pre-school education. Am not sure about funding as this has changed. But essentially dd had some free hours from October which meant she had nearly 2 years of pre-school education whereas Summer born children only has one year.
Most education statistics show that Autumn born children have an advantage over Summer borns for a significant part of their education.

[lightcola]

Yes money is a major issue for us. It's easy to say it shouldn't be when you have some. So thank you for the biscuit...it will help feed my children when we haven't enough to keep a roof over our heads.

Bunch of judgmental witches.

[Haudyerwheesht]

Come on OP it's not like they've changed the cut off date. October born kids have always been the oldest in their year in England.

[Mrscog]

I feel your pain OP - lots of unpleasantness on this thread. Lots of my friends with summer borns are pleased about the saving! Can you get childcare vouchers? They help a bit, and it does help when the 15 hours kicks in.

[holidaysarenice]

Lightcola - only on mumsnrt do people want autum borns.

In real life most parents are desperate to cut the childcare bill.

Ideally I'd like a mid year baby for the best of both worlds.

The majority of people I know plan their maternity, particularly the second one, to cut the childcare bill and to get them to school ASAP.

[lightcola]

Thank you MrsCog and Holiday Like any other parent I am trying to do what is best for my child but unfortunately we live in a world where money is important. We live a very frugal life with no holidays or luxuries and make sure our children have everything they need before our own needs. So yes I am looking forward to a time when life will be a bit easier, and I am sad I let strangers on here make me feel wrong for that.

[MrsJoeyMaynard]

I appreciate that the childcare cost is worse for a baby born in October than in August.

But having seen the problems my August born child had starting school, I'm very glad that my younger child is an autumn born child for his sake. I think the extra year spent growing and maturing, and the extra pre-school education, will make starting school much easier for my younger child.

I know this isn't any help with your money problems, but the plus point is your child being one of the oldest in the year means that your child is likely to be readier for starting school than his summer born classmates.

[whatatod0]

I didn't mean to offend OP, but I was trying to point out that other people will have to pay even more than you. And I was trying to point out that when your child starts school, your working hours (I'm presuming you work as you already use childcare) are cut significantly, and you can benefit from longer working hours for a year more than parents with August born children.
Do you have family near that can help out? Or share childcare with another parent? Or take turns to look after each others dc?

[NaughtToThreeSadOnions]

Sorry light cola I object to being called a judgemental witch when I just can't believe you want your child to start earlier. There are many many parents in your situation for all you know maybe those that you've just called a judgemental witch.

It's proven that summer borns are at a massive disadvantage academically socially emotionally yet you want to put your Autumn baby in that position because you have to pay childcare.

[NaughtToThreeSadOnions]

That's what's bonkers time

[NaughtToThreeSadOnions]

To me

[catkind]

On the flip side, you get two terms more of funded preschool than someone with a summer born. And school is not actually a huge help with childcare as the days are short and the holidays long.