" Your dd Will be one of the oldest in the year" will she? How do you work that out? Too embarrassed to ask in RL

[lizardqueenie]

So dd's bday is end of Oct- Los of people have said "ooh that's good for school then" But, my brain just won't quote work it out! So she'll be nearly 5 when she goes? But surely they'll be kids who are already 5, no? So so confused (and embarrassed as I now this is actually prob very easy!) help please!

[SoupDragon]

Yes, but there will also be children who are only just 4. Your DD will be one of the eldest in the class.

[GupX]

CHildren (in England)go into school in the year they turn 5.

So if they have their birthday at the end of August, they start school in the September when they have JUST turned 4.

But your DD will be nearly 5 when she starts.

This is considered by many to be a big advantage, as she'll be that much more developed when she starts.

Our DTs were born in September - I had my legs crossed for all of August!!

[Meglet]

Because the school year cut off is the start of September. So the Autumn birthday children will be a little more developed than some of the summer ones. It all balances out in time though.

But yes, some kids will be 5 pretty much as soon as the term starts.

[DawnOfTheDee]

The cut off is September so the only children older than your DD will be those born in the preceding month. Everyone else will be younger.

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

The children in her year will have birthdays ranging from 1st September in the same year that your dd was born until 31st August the year after, so your dd will be one of the oldest.

Not that it matters!

[nannyj]

The children born closest to September of the year they start are the oldest in the year and the youngest will be the kids who have birthdays the next year before the end of the school term. For eg my dd will be one of the youngest when she starts reception because she won't turn 5 until the July of the school year. I'm sure someone will come along and explain a lot more clearly than me. HTH though.

[PandaG]

usually children start school the academic year they turn 5, so the oldest in the year could turn 5 on Sept 1st, possibly a day or 2 before term actually starts. The youngest in the year may have turned 4 on Aug 31st, so being nearly a whole year younger than the oldest.

yes, your DD will be 4 and 10 months when she starts school, some of her friends could be nearly 2 months older than her.

[LIZS]

Assuming you are in England birthdays from Sept 1st to August 31st are in the same academic year, so approx 1/6th will be older ie 5 per class assuming they don't just group all the older ones together.

[QuintessentialShadows]

It was a noticeable difference between my son (April born) and his mate who was born at the end of September the year before. It still is, now in Y6!

[ReallyTired]

Children start school in the academic year they turn 4. The academic year runs from 1st September to 31st August. Therefore oldest child might have a birthday on 1st September 2007 and the youngest have a birthday on 31st August 2008. The oldest child will be physically stronger, have better fine motor control, better language skills as a result of being alive for a year longer.

Summer borns do worse at school because of the rigidity of the English education system. The scottish system is kinder as it allows the youngest children the option to defer a year if they are not ready for school.

[kilmuir]

Surely they start in academic year they turn 5? My son was 4 in may and started in academic year that started last month.

[Cheddars]

They start school the September after they turn 4.

[lizardqueenie]

Aaaaaaaaaah!

Thank you very much for all of the replies. Yeah I couldn't really be sure if it mattered at all but a few people said it but started to wonder if it was something people said for the sake of saying, in a nice way of course.

Surely it's just like everything- they all develop / catch up/ fall back a bit in their own time.

Dd is only 2 at the end of this month so I'll have a whole before lurking the primary school board again! Thanks wise MNers

[bruffin]

However there may be a lot of children older. My dc are both September babiesMy ds is 13th and was second oldest in the year but my dd on 18th was 8th out of 30.

[sausagesandwich34]

my dd's birthday is 26th october and she is the oldest in her year of 58

swings and roundabouts

[Jenny70]

They are making inane conversation... yes October is the start of the school year cutoff, but your child might be not ready academically or socially, they may be top of the pops.

Overall, just something to fill the time, smile and nod...

[numbum]

Yes it's just one of those things people say for conversation sake.

DD is in a mixed year 1/2 class and there is a child who was born September 2005 and a girl born August 2007 in the same class but of the same(ish) ability

I'm glad you 'get' it now though OP!

[SpookyAndFrights]

Dp and his brother were in the same school year as he was born in the September and his brother the following August. People assumed they must be either twins or just cousins to have the same surname.

[lizardqueenie]

Thanks everyone Yes I was right in thinking i should put in the same bracket as the "is she sleeping through yet" question