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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

My daughter doesn't start reception until mid October, so therefore has no funding for about 6 weeks

38 replies

sherby · 02/07/2009 11:20

Is this usual practice?

Preschool says she can't return after septmeber as her primary will be getting her funding. But the primary won't take her until October 12, so therefore are sitting on her funding for 6 weeks without her being there.

Surely that can't be ok? Playschool v unhappy about it too

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sherby · 02/07/2009 11:21

Not to mention that she will be off for about 12 weeks on her own, there are only two children starting in October

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titchy · 02/07/2009 11:35

It's usual practice for younger ones to start a bit later than Autumn born children AFAIK.

Re the funding issue - the primary will still have staff to pay, premises to maintain etc even though your dd is starting a bit later.

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sherby · 02/07/2009 12:14

I understand that but it still leave DD with no place for 6 weeks

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titchy · 02/07/2009 12:27

Enjoy the extra time at home! She'll be in FT education for the next 14 years.

Alternatively if you're desperate put her into a private nursery for a few week.

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katiestar · 02/07/2009 12:30

It doesn't sound right to me.The school are4 getting 6 weeks funding for nothing.Have you spoken to the LEA ?

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Lulumama · 02/07/2009 12:32

why is she starting so late?

DD starts reception in September, on the 10th , she is one of the youngest in teh year.. school only does one intake though
she has will have done a full academic year at pre school though

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MrsGokWan · 02/07/2009 12:39

At my DC1's primary school they start the younger ones on part time and depending on age will go full time October or December.

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sherby · 02/07/2009 12:39

Her primary has two intakes, one in sept and then one after the half term for summer borns, so 6 weeks later.

I am not at all desperate for DD to be in childcare, but she would love to go back to playschool after the summer holidays and can't because they have not got any funding for her.

I just can't believe the school can accept her funding and not take her for 6 weeks.

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sherby · 02/07/2009 12:41

Actually the more I think about this the angrier I get, why should she have to be off for 12 weeks without her friends because the school have got her funding, she would love to be back at playschool but can't go and would love to start school with her friends but can't

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happywomble · 02/07/2009 12:51

I would just tell the school you will keep her on at nursery until January and then take up the school place. (they have to keep it open if her birth date is January or beyond) I would not be happy with my child missing out on nursery/school for a whole half term.

Or contact the council and ask for the funding to be given to nursery for half a term and school for half a term.

Third option pay the nursery fees but I don't see why you should have to.

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sherby · 02/07/2009 12:56

Can't afford to pay for the sessions myself

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bumpybecky · 02/07/2009 12:57

could you pay for the sessions at preschool until she starts school?

our preschool would have space to elt you do this (autumn term is always short of children)

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Lulumama · 02/07/2009 12:58

agree with happywomble

12 weeks out of the pre school/school seems harsh. and lonely .

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Fimbo · 02/07/2009 13:01

Have you asked the school if she can start earlier? I managed to start ds a week earlier than he should have.

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Northernlurker · 02/07/2009 13:01

This split start times is bollocks imo. I don't see how the school can justify not taking her at the start of term ring them up and say that's what you want and see how they try to squirm out of it. Then contact your MP and ask him to look in to how schools are claiming full term funding for patients but compelling parents to accept late starts and part time places.

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Bramshott · 02/07/2009 13:07

Is it an independent school? If it's not, then they haven't "got" her funding so to speak as there's no funding specifically for early years through the vouchers.

It does sound unfair that she'll have no nursery sessions for half a term, just because she's starting school at half term. What happens when a child leaves a nursery halfway through a term for which they're claiming vouchers?

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FabBakerGirlIsBack · 02/07/2009 13:09

Pay for her to go to playschool?

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Katymac · 02/07/2009 13:11

Bramshott the nursery 'keeps' the vouchers if a child leaves mid-term

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sherby · 02/07/2009 13:13

Going to ring the school after lunch, only two children from DD's class will be starting in October, the rest in September what is the point?

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Bramshott · 02/07/2009 13:13

So essentially if she started in January she would get an extra (funded) term of pre-school, but because she starts in October, she has no provision for 6 weeks? Sounds crap to me!

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sherby · 02/07/2009 13:17

Yes that is right Bramshott it doesn't make any sense does it!

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sherby · 02/07/2009 14:22

Well I spoke with the school. They said there is nothing they can do about it and it is admissions policy

I still don't really understand, she said that they don't get her funding, so why can't playschool claim it?

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Bramshott · 02/07/2009 14:36

I think that's what you need to clarify Sherby, although IIRC there is something on the form about "the child will not be attending a state school between these dates". Can you ask the nursery if there's anywhere to phone for queries about early years funding?

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happywomble · 02/07/2009 15:09

I thought that the early years funding continued until the term your child turns 5. If your daughter were going to a private school you would be able to use the funding towards fees. I assume with the state sector the money goes directly to the school. You don't have to apply for it.

I know of people who have chosen not to send their children to school until they are 5 and kept them at nursery and they have continued to receive the early years funding for nursery.

I would talk to the school bursar and your council. The school secretaries may not be aware of the ins and outs of the system. If you keep your child at nursery till January the school will lose out on funding so it is in their interests to address your concerns properly and ensure that your daughter doesn't miss out on half term's education and funding.

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Bramshott · 02/07/2009 15:32

I think the issue is that you have to claim Early Years Funding in whole terms, and Sherby's DD won't be in the nursery for the whole of the term. The problem is that the School are insisting she starts part way through a term, which is how she loses her funding.

If the nursery would agree, could they claim as if she was doing 1 or 2 sessions a week over the whole term, rather than 5 sessions a week over half a term (or however it worked out, to get the right total)???