Not to send my child to reception year?

You're right that it's ridiculous but as a pp said, it's a hangover from the past. I imagine 95%+ join in September in their correct school year so it's not been a priority to change.

Of course age isn’t an irrelevance. Just because you or your kid were fine doesn’t discount the studies which look at the broader data.

Thanks, @Grasshopper7. As an August baby, I'll take your comments on board.

@Hillarious
Age is not an irrelevance. There have been multiple studies which have proven that summerborn children do worse not just at school but throughout their lives .

Age is an irrelevance. My daughter started in September after she was 4 in May, and my son in September after he was 4 the previous November. She settled much more quickly. He had a lot of energy to burn off every day, and it was real effort for him to "keep it all in". They'd both done a year of half days at a state nursery, so the first of the two years of the Foundation stage. All play-led. Children learn a lot through play.

My eldest was born in the last week of August, and was only just 4 when she started - we thought long and hard over whether to delay. We decided to start her with everyone else in September of her ‘proper’ Reception year instead of skipping it and going into year 1 a year later - I’m happy we did. It was mostly play-based and she loved it. The days were shorter than her nursery days, so although we went from 4 days at nursery to full time at school she coped fine.

I think she would have had a harder time trying to catch up on the phonics and maths covered in the reception year if she had skipped it and started in Year 1 - I wouldn’t have wanted that affecting her confidence given she’s already the youngest, so playing catch-up developmentally vs some of the older ones. It’s such a tough one though - she did seem very tiny when she started.

In some areas you can delay starting by a year for summer borns, and go into reception a year later (rather than skipping) but it’s definitely not a given.

Keep in mind that the admissions authority (this could be the LA or a individual school depending on type of school) might not be willing to agree to deferred entry and hold a place for a child starting later. So that could be an issue if your preferred school is full and oversubscribed.

@IzzyPopp the issue with the government having the "term after they turn 5" as the starting age (so technically a child could start halfway through the academic year) is it's outdated now as almost all schools only do September intake.
It's an old hangover from years ago.
It's rare for it to happen now.

This.

I think what I missed from saying on here is that reception is so important because we do most of this during play!! My reception children sit down on the carpet to do work for a grand total of 1 hour a day. And not in one go either - it’s split up and bookends their play. We do phonics first thing for 20 mins and then they play for 2 and a half hours then a quick maths before lunch. The rest of their learning is in play!!

I understand what you’re saying and in countries that start later it works well. But if your child is joining our education system, to miss any of it would be to the detriment of your child.

I know it must seem so strange when it's not the system you're used to. You'll see yourself when you get there, there's nothing forced about it - they pretty much all LOVE school at this age. It's so lovely to see them all running in every morning, all full of smiles and happiness.

My eldest was reluctant to do any reading etc at home, I spoke to the teacher who was adamant we shouldn't force it or make a big deal of it. She was happy and settled at school and progressing well in the classroom so that was what they wanted.

It's all about good foundations, socially and academically, but they have a ball in the process.

Also, my eldest is April born and she was definitely ready for something more than the nursery environment by the September she was 4.5.

I wanted to send my youngest DD after easter as she is summer born, but the school said I would lose her school place because they had a big waiting list. (oversubscribed village primary). I sent her at just turned 4, but I do wish I hadn’t and had waited until the January at least, as she did struggle for the first two terms. Same school “corrected” her left handedness by insisting she wrote with her right hand (she naturally used her right hand for scissors and her left for writing and drawing, so the teacher thought it was a good idea to correct it 🙄) leading to a lifetime of struggling with her handwriting. It really depends on the child though- my eldest was more than ready for school at the same age.

Reception year is the most fun year...it's all play based and very important as the children learn to interact with each other and start their phonics...I don't know a single child who jumped this year. I know one who repeated reception as was young in the year.

My DC is born in March, so if they turn 4 in March 2026 they would start reception in September 2026. Or alternatively, when they turn 5 in March 2027 they must start school the term after Easter in 2027 which would be reception and then they would start in year 1 in September 2027? Are those the options?

@IzzyPopp Pretty much yes. Bear in mind even if nursery/preschool accept them for the extra terms they would follow the same EYFS curriculum just not in a school environment and with younger children. Unless your dc has additional meeds a delay due to being young in the year is difficult ti argue, A March birthday is right in the middle, Comparison to other systems is a red-herring as some other countries have compulsory nursery/kindergarten attendance before formal school.

Just a slightly diff take on this. My DD wasn’t able to start uk primary school until half way through year 1 and then covid struck and she was back out and didn’t return to school when every one else did until and missed year 2. She then went back in to school year 3.
she is now working at the same level as her peers and with no issues.

I deferred my summer born twins starting reception as they would have only just turned 4.

They started the month after their 5th birthday. They have thrived in reception. They are doing brilliantly with their reading and writing and have really come out of their shells.

Reception is so important. Please don't skip it for your childs sake!

Why wouldn’t you-it’s free. It’s not about learning stuff, more about socialising, learning to sit and listen etc

Same. She’s loving the learning process! She’s learned substantial amounts from Sept, she turns 5 next week.

Or still stuck in school doing your A-Levels when you're 19. It's only been the last few years that significant numbers of Summer-born children have been held back a year. Though I appreciate that there are probably a few children that really need this, I do wonder how some of them will feel when they are older than anyone else in primary school and the rest of their age cohort have left for secondary.

You can only defer a summer born I.e. let them start reception the September after they turn 5 and only with the permission of the school (they are supposed to consider each case on its merits but ime most just don't consider it) but you can delay a start in reception year for any 4 year old. You apply at the normal time but tell the school you won't be taking up the place until they're 5.

You have to factor in that a preschool or nursery can and quite often say no to keep children after 4 if they're school age. It really depends on the circumstances but kids do make quite firm friends and I'd say reception does matter. Some people keep a summer born child back but that has implications, it's ok when you're 6 in a class with 4 year olds but not so when you're 12 in a class with 10 year olds

I thought you could only defer if your child is summer born i.e April - August? If your child's birthday is in March, wouldn't the expectation be to start school in the September? I could be wrong though.

I'm sure your child will cope ok, most will be tired when they first start, but it soon passes.