December primary school defer

[Threeterrors]

Help! My daufhter turned 4 in December and is due to start school this year. However I don't feel he's ready. Can I defer school start until Aug 19 instead of Aug 18? i know it's possible for Jan/Feb birthdays but wasn't sure on the stance for December born children! She doesn't have any learning/behavioural issues just her speech isn't where some kids are. I know all kids are different. Do I have an option to defer or no choice but to send to school come August? Thanks

[muttmad]

I think the rules are by their fifth birthday so in theory if she was summer born she could wait it out a term or two but as she's December you could realistically leave it till Christmas at the most.
Not sure it would be worth it as she will then be thrust into a classroom with a bunch of kids that have had a two month head start!

[shakemysilliesout]

I don't know the legal stuff but she has 9 months til school and when you are 4 that's a huge amount of time. She will come on so much in those 9 months, I really wouldn't worry. If she could defer to 2019 she would be 21 months older than the youngest child in the class which could have other problems, perhaps being bored as she will be way ahead.

[muttmad]

And December born will be towards the oldest end of the class makeup so there will be a lot of children much younger and "less ready" unless you have any sen or other developmental concerns.

[IrnBruTortie]

Are you in scotland OP? If so, I think it depends a bit on the authority; I've had friends defer a Dec born with no problems, but others who have had to 'make a case'.
In all instances, I think they had to go to the school and register as they would with a Sep (for example) born, and say to the school they were looking to defer. I'd either give the school or the LA a ring to see what they say.
Good luck!

[DontCallMeJohnBoy]

You can't defer Jan / Feb children, or July / August. The guidance from the government was just that schools should be more sympathetic to parents' requests. What generally happens is that the Head says no because their staff are more than capable of handling the range of needs in Foundation, and your kid starts school in September 2018. In our case with a NQT who wondered why August babies struggled to fasten their coats. Yes, so they understand a range of needs and ages.

I have an August baby who definitely wasn't ready and without a medical diagnosis of some sort there is no way you're getting an extension like this. I'm sorry.

[Glumglowworm]

Where in the UK are you? Rules differ in the different countries

[Threeterrors]

Thanks guys, thought may be the case. In Scotland. Probably just over thinking and panicking over nothing!

[Balfe]

@threeterrors

You are entitled to defer Oct/Nov/Dec babies but you are not entitled to a council run nursery space (Jan/Feb babies are). Some councils will fund your extra year, some won't.

I have only met one deferred Dec baby and that child had quite significant needs.

A lot of parents worry at this point in the preschool year and 99% of their children are absolutely fine.

[prettybird]

I've only ever come across parents who've regretted not deferring - never come across anyone who has regretted deferring their child.

You should maybe post in Scotsnet to get more appropriate advice - many people answering you won't realise you are in Scotland.

Depending on the LA, you may get funding for a December born child for another year at nursery. It may be dependent on the nursery also agreeing to the deferral.

Ds has a September birthday and I was fully prepared, if, in the unlikely event that I didn't think he was ready, to defer him (I didn't need to but I knew it was an option). He ended up being one of the youngest in the year due to very few October and November birthdays and the fact that most of the Dec/Jan/Feb birthdays deferred) One of his best friends at primary school had an early December birthday. (Glasgow seems to be quite good at funding deferrals at least it was all those years ago )

The other thing to consider is the end of your dd's schooling "career". If she starts P1 in 2018, even if she does a 6th year at secondary, if she goes to Uni, she will be 17 for most of the 1st term and nowadays student IDs are less easily altered (I went to Uni from 5th year and was 17 for the 1st 6 months of Uni - fortunately it was a predominantly English Uni St Andrews so the pubs assumed you were 18 )