Summer babies starting school

[springishere]

I am sure this problem has been addressed heaps of time on here already but I am really worried about my children starting school, they are both August babies, my daughter is 31 Aug. I just feel that they are too young to be starting school just after they turn four. I feel really strongly about this and am going to try anything I can to avoid them starting school straight after their 4th birthdays. I understand that I can hold them back until the term after they turn five but they would then miss out on reception year and start straight into year one, which is obviously pointless. How can I find out about different schools or schooling methods where there would be more flexibility on when they start.

[ScoobyHaventAClue]

You could go private or move house, as far as I know this system only occurs in England. Some LEAs are more sympathetic than others, Bradford used to offera more flexible start, not sure if they still do.

[piprabbit]

I'd also suggest talking to the schools in your area about their policies for starting the younger ones off gently. School's in our area do all sorts of things from mornings only for half a term through to half-days for a term or more (depending on the child).

Also, please remember that if you child is already attending nursery/pre-school they will already be working to the EYFS curriculum which is also followed in Recepton year - so it may not be such a huge shock to them as the work and approach to learning through play will be something they have already experienced.

[ScoobyHaventAClue]

The schools may be working to EYFS but if they are anything like ours they made absolutely no allowances for summer born babies. If I had my choice again - I'd go for a nurturing school rather than a high performing school - much better from a socialising perspective.

[Malaleuca]

In some parts of Australia parents keep their young children back a year, so that they end up being the oldest in the class the following year and teachers end up with colossal age differences in Y1.

A few years ago the starting age here in Western Australia was changed so that the cut-off date was June 30th instead of Dec. 31st (we start the year end Jan.)so benefitting those younger children who were 6 months older.

It is a problem because with the best will in the world, differentiating the curriculum is more talk than action.

Does not help OP with her problem of course!

[Saracen]

"I understand that I can hold them back until the term after they turn five but they would then miss out on reception year and start straight into year one, which is obviously pointless."

I don't think it's pointless at all, and it's the option I'd go for. I guess it depends on how valuable you feel Reception is. My view is this: if Reception is about learning through play, then children can learn through play at home or at nursery just as well. And if Reception isn't about learning through play, but involves more formal learning, then that's pressure that I don't want my four year old to be under.

Some people will say that Reception offers a gentle introduction to school, letting children get used to being in an educational institution for full days and become familiar with this new environment before being expected to do much academic work. Fair enough. But does this settling-in actually take an entire year, rather than a few weeks?? If it does, maybe that suggests the school is not very well attuned to the needs of young children. Or that we are sending them to school too young, so that adapting is a major task for them, harder than it would be if we waited and sent them later.

I always think that decisions should be made based on what the child needs now, rather than second-guessing the problems which you think may appear in the future. If you meet the child's current needs, she will be confident and happy enough to tackle change further down the line. Take each year as it comes.

[chasingrainbows]

head teacher at my kids school (o/s HMEI report) told me that even if a child is educationally ready at 4 or 4.5 yrs they can be slightly more emotionally immature than the older kids and the ground she has observed is not made up even in year 7.

I have known parents who have deferred and parents who have sent their children to school at 4. Some kids have coped, some have not coped as well.

You know your child/children and will make the best choice for them.

Best wishes whatever you chose

[BooKangaWonders]

It might help not to think of 'summer babies' and instead 'summer born children'. Reception is just a continuation of what children learn in nursery or pre-school, and will be adapted to each child's needs. If you actually go and see a reception class, you'll see that the children work to their own abilities.

My late August dd will be ready!

[BollockBrain]

I have held mine back for a year and then started in year 1 without issue.

Do yours go to nursery? Mine stayed there for a further year which was pretty much the same as reception without the hours.

[CharlieBoo]

I think a lot of summer born children's parents have this worry. I think you need to speak to your chosen school and have a chat with the head. Could they do mornings for a term? A village school near me, the children do until midday everyday until the term they are five, which is a good compromise.

You will be amazed at how the children settle. Reception in my experience has been a world of play and social fun for my ds and has brought him on hugely in terms of confidence, friends/relationships, maturity. He has learnt so much and it has been good for him.

Im not sure about year one to be honest, from what I understand it is another leap in terms of being more structured learning, still through play, but there is no where near as much free play time.

Good luck

[MathsMadMummy]

I worry about this, my DD is late June and DS is 30th Aug. (they'll start 2011 and 2013)

yes, you can hold off starting until they're five, but if that's too drastic you can do what my friend did - her boy has a similar birthday to mine. they were supposed to only do mornings for a few weeks but he's ended up doing mornings for the whole year!

the school got a bit pissy about it and made out like he legally had to be there full time, but she stood her ground, as she knew it wasn't true, he doesn't have to go FT until sept (and he will then)

[piprabbit]

I think CharlieBoo has a good point about Yr1. My DD found the jump from reception to the still fairly informal formal teaching in Yr1 very hard to handle, despite having thrived in reception. I'm not sure how she would have handled going from a few nursery hours straight into yr1, especially if she was a new girl without the friendships that develop in reception.
I guess it all depends on the school.

[gladders]

have a late July daughter starting reception in September - i know she will be fine as she has been there at nursery for a whole year already and is desperate to get going.

she will be on lower reading levels and not as good at writing as some of the older kids, but i think that's fine - she'll catch up soon enough.

it's a tricky area this one - personally i think the reception year lays so much ground work that skipping it altogether would cause issues. they would also miss out socially and would then join a class that had been together for 3 whole terms in year 1 - that can't be good?

whatever date is adopted as a cut off, there will always be someone who's the youngest. as parents we just have to work with the school to support these younger children and make sure they remain happy and confident at school.

[mrz]

As the mum of two summer born children (not babies at age 4 but small people) and a reception teacher for more years than I care to remember I don't follow the logic that reception isn't important (of course I'm biased) but it isn't called the foundation stage for nothing. Even politicians recognise that children need a learning base to grow from each stage in a child's education should develop from what has gone before so saying it doesn't matter or it's not important seems foolish. Yes it's learning from play ... but don't we all learn that way sometimes? I know I learnt to use a computer by "playing" around to see what it does and found the "perfect" recipe by "playing" around with ingredients. I wonder if anyone would say don't worry about Y7 they just do more of what they did in Y6 ...
From experience most summer born children cope well in school some even better than their older counterparts and it's down to individual characters rather than DOB ~(and how upset mum gets) to how they settle in school.

[BollockBrain]

I think if you stayed on at nursery like 2 of mine did, then it also depends on the type of nursery/pre/school they attend. Mine went to a montessori nursery. They had a ratio of 4 children to 1 adult and did more than my 3rd child when she was in reception.

Granted, she went in to year 1 with esetablished friends/peer group, but my others went into year 1 more advanced workwise. Swings and roundabouts.

[MathsMadMummy]

I've heard it's more of an issue socially than 'academically' for younger ones. I'm not worried about that with DD though, she's really sociable, confident and well-behaved... so far!

[taffetacatski]

I am August born, as was my mother, as is my DD. My mum and I were fine at school, didn't feel behind at any stage, although this obviously depends on the child and the school.

My own DD ( 4 next month ) has a term of kindergarten from Sept, as our school operates a split year system. The children born from Sept - March start in September Reception class and the children born April to August start in a January Reception class. This only really has the advantage of delaying the inevitable by one term, and then they have one term less in Reception.

My DS's (6) experience of Reception was much better than Kindergarten. He has never been keen on learning through play. I think a lot depends on the individual as mrz says.

[mrz]

I've taught some socially immature September born children over the years just as I've taught some very mature August borns it really depends on the child

[prh47bridge]

I agree with other comments that you may well be worrying unnecessarily. If your children are attending nursery they will find Reception very similar.

Just to deal with the legalities, whilst you can hold your child back until the term after her fifth birthday, you are correct that she will then be starting in Y1. However, the school will not hold the place open for your daughter. You will probably find that you have a very limited choice of schools.

Holding her back within the year is more practical. Many schools already allow you to delay entry until January or after Easter. You have the right to request that. There seems to be some confusion as to whether schools have to grant such requests this year but they certainly do from September 2011.

If you want to defer entry to later in the year you should discuss this with the school. If they refuse you should point out that the School Admissions Code says they have to comply with your request.

However, as others have said, you may well find that your children are fine and that your worries are groundless.

[Fizzylemonade]

Ok, my son is not August born but June born and was very shy and clingy. He started school when he was 4.3 back in 2007 and did amazingly. Hand on heart, I felt he wasn't ready but he went to the preschool attached to the school in question and I was able to talk to the staff who have far more experience of this than I do

There are children who are August born who are in Gifted and Talented at my son's school. It is outstanding on Ofsted reports even after the new measures were brought in by Ofsted, so yes it does push the children but he has never struggled with it.

The jump from reception to Yr1 is big IMO, and they would miss out on making friends and all the playing, stories, learning to read and write.

I agree with mrz that it is to do with maturity, my friend's son is November born but is very immature IMO.

Why don't you let your child start and then see how they do. Talk to the teachers, they deal with this all the time.

[simpson]

My son is also 31st August and has just finished reception and has be fine

I did feel exactly like you this time last year though.

One of his best friends has a Sept birthday and seems a lot more mature than my DS but in terms of school work etc he is coping just fine

[jackstarbright]

Springishere - you are right about this issue coming up many times before. Here is a thread set up by MNHQ for parents of summer born dc's and The Jim Rose Webchat. Jim Rose published a review of primary education which recommended that all children start school in the September after they turn 4. I'm pretty sure he mentions in the webchat that this start date should be agreed with the parents and places should be held open if needed - but read it to check.

[jackstarbright]

See also this report on summer born's GCSE results in the Guardian Online today. It mentions Rose and his recommendations.

[mrz]

you might be interested in completing the parents section of the EYFS review

www.education.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm?action=consultationDetails&consultationId=1727&e xternal=no&menu=1