Early Admission into reception?

[Housewife36]

Hi,
My son is only 2 but he's confident, social and above average for his age.
He's ready for school already (although I'm not ready to let him go)!
Problem is because he was born 11th September he won't start reception until the week before his 5th birthday.
I'm trying to find out what I can do to get him accepted, the week before his 4th birthday.
His sister is 3 1/2, in the few minutes he's in preschool with her, he's joining in the games with the other children and is accepted as part of the class.
His sister is also at the top of the class as she is reading.

Cheers

[wannabestressfree]

Can't you find a good nursery?

[EdithWeston]

I don't think you can do this in the state sector.

[DriverSurpriseMe]

Oh blimey, all the hand wringing over summer borns and delaying admission into reception, and now we have parents wanting to send their autumn borns a year early!

You have no chance OP. Personally, I'm glad my September baby gets to start school so late. I daresay she's ready for school now, academically speaking, but dealing with toileting and lunchtimes and long days? Nope.

[EcclefechanTart]

How can he be ready for school at 2?? Or do you mean, ready for pre-school?

[CremeEggThief]

I don't think you can either, but my cousin in Ireland (coincidentally born on the 11th September) was allowed to join her Junior Infants class after she'd had her 4th birthday, so a few weeks after the other children. This was in 2004 though.

[bruffin]

Why
Both mine and i were born in the same week as your ds and were mature for their age. They went to a good nursery and then thrived in reception. There were lots of september borns in both their classes so he wont be alone

[PinkSquash]

Just because a child joins in with an older child it doesn't make them able. My 3 year old can play well with his 9 year old brothers friends and holds his own, but that doesn't make him suitable for year 5.

[Wolfiefan]

Perhaps look instead at what you can do to prepare him for school. From writing his name to dressing himself.

[Iliketeaagain]

Why would you want to do this? My dd is a November birthday, and probably was "ready" for school from the Christmas after she turned 4. But, I'm really glad she is one of the oldest in her year - I think they go to school too young in England, and I think children who are younger and start reception just after they turn 4 generally find it harder (not all, but it's a big jump between 4 and 5 in my albeit limited experience).
Surely, the fact that he will be older when he starts school is a benefit to him?

[HeyMicky]

My DD was moved up to the preschool class at her nursery as soon as she turned three (mid-September) - there are some summer babies not much older than her but it means she'll be in that class for two full years before school.

I suspect she'll be bored next year but I'd MUCH prefer that and have her be oldest in her year when she starts school.

There's no rush. Treat nursery/preschool as a social education and extend at home if you need to

[JasperDamerel]

I think you are just a little bit crazy for wanting that. I have two autumn born children, and being at the older end of their school year is a huge advantage, not just in terms of mental and emotional maturity but things like the fine motor control which is useful for art and handwriting.

He can go to a good preschool from the term after his third birthday, and if it's any good, he won't be bored.

He will effectively get a whole year extra of child-led, play based learning compared to a summer born child, which will put him at a huge advantage. Why on earth would you want to deprive him of that, just so that he can be a year younger than the other children in his class when it comes to GCSEs and A levels?

[cheekyfunkymonkey]

Is he toilet trained?\ emotionally ready? If not then he's not really ready for school. A decent nursery should be able to provide similar level of education with more phasis on optional support.

[LynetteScavo]

So he's just turned 2 and you think he's already ready for school?

Reception is Early Years, but with age appropriate expectations, which will obviously be higher than that in a nursery. But a decent nursery should be able to provide enough educational stimulation, even for a bright, older child.

You really want your DS in a setting with a ratio of 1:15, rather than 1:8? Reception children are expected to be a lot more independent than nursery children.

[HeadDreamer]

I suspect not only can he wipe his bum, he can get change for PE and carry his tray of food to the table during meals.

[Housewife36]

Hi my son can spelland recognise his own name, push creative boundaries beyond what I expectof my 3 yr old daughter and is a social and loving child. My daughter is bright and suits the preschool year she in. I have never pushed my son and just let him tag along with what I'm doing with my daughter. There's no need to pressurise him it's all about the fun. I want my son to fit in, enjoy school and not be bored.
I really feel all children are special and should be in the right class for their needs to do well.
I struggle to be separated from him (he doesn't have that worry) so I really do feel that he would be better in a class of four year olds at reception when he's only a week off turning 4 himself at the start of the year.
I desperately want to do the right thing and everyones comments are really helpful in my decision and what to do.

[LIZS]

The only way you could get him a year ahead would be in an independent school, but not all are open to this.

[EcclefechanTart]

I could read and write at 2. I was not ready for school!

Unlike you, apparently, my mother was incredibly pushy. She too wanted me to start school the year before I was allowed (at 3 and 11 months). It wasn't approved and I'm so thankful it wasn't. I might have been academically ready to go, but socially I was nowhere near ready. I was much better off being the oldest in the year instead of the youngest. I tend to think we start school too early in the UK anyway!

As a side note, her telling me I was exceptionally exceptional from a very young age pretty much messed up all my social relationships with my peers, until I figured out that being bright is not the be all and end all, and learnt not to look down on the other children. Please don't do this to your child!

[Hexenbeast]

I'd leave him be, op.
Even if there are elements where you feel he can cope with children a year ahead (and at such a young age, a year's difference is huge) there will be lots of others where he won't be.

Even silly little things... like the fact that all his peers would be celebrating and getting excited about their 5th birthday while he was still only 3 or 4.
Socially, it takes time to be ready for school. Not just ready for a short play at nursery/playgroup, but able to be at school for a full day, working and playing with others.


My DD is Oct born. For me (and her) it was great that she was one of the oldest in the school. Confident, capable and more than ready.

[SuburbanRhonda]

cactus

[LadyPenelope68]

State Schools won't accept a child a year early, no matter how bright you think they are. There's also a huge difference in skills such as being able to spell/recognise their name and being emotionally mature enough for school.

[namechangedtoday15]

I also think it would be a mistake. Children develop at different stages and he might just be hitting various milestones early - that doesn't necessarily mean in 2 yrs times he'd still be ahead. He would be almost a year younger that some children. He'd be taking exams a year early.

[Cel982]

All the evidence out there points to it being better for children to start formal education later, and the UK already starts school very early by international standards. Honestly, OP, I think you'd be doing your son a real disservice by pushing this.