Delaying school start for summer born child

[Piper22]

Hi,

Has anyone ever/ or is anyone considering delaying the school start date for their summer born child?

If you have done this, would you mind telling me about your experience? Do you regret it, or would you do it again?

Thank you

why do some people think they will subsequently be forced into yr1 and totally miss reception? is that how some regions handle this?

my bf's son who was the absolute youngest (day before cut off) was also physically tiny (parents under 5'5") struggled massively for all his years of education, hated the experience and did not do well at college or trades. my bf wishes she had held him back, maturity wise he was totally out of sync with his peers. resorted to being the "class clown". his tiny stature compounded the issue as well as being male.

And being summer born is no disadvantage IME. My birthday is 31st August and I have academic qualifications coming out of my ears (DPhil etc). It's even better now that my friends and I are all old, but I'm still the youngest.

Does he go to nursery?
DS is 16 now, but a summer born and they go to school full time in the September after their 3rd birthday here (in Salford).
We had the option of keeping DS in Nursery for a year, but they advised he was very much ready for school.
They did reports of all the targets and might be able to advise if they think he would be best being kept back?

This is really common in Scotland. We deferred both our winter born children and have always been glad we did. Every child is different though so it isn’t right for everyone. Having said that a speech therapist once said to me that he’d never met someone who regretted deferring their child, but plenty who did. Perhaps related to his work.

If a summer born child defers and starts in reception are they a year older all the way through school, including secondary school, or do they miss, say year 5, to go into year 6?

I believe they will have to be in their original cohort, what would be the year above when it comes to sports etc so that might be something to consider.
You can send them as part time as you like until the term aftertheir 5th Birthday. I'd send them but 3 days a week, support their learning at home and move up to 5 days in year 1.

I deferred my DD and im still very glad we did. It gave her a second year in nursery during which she was able to catch up and start reception on a level playing field with her peers.

For us it was a clear decision. DD arrived three weeks early on the 29th August. At the time we would have had to apply for school she was largely non verbal, and potty training was at a very early stage. We had no problems with her ‘being left behind’ when her original cohort went up to reception because she hadn't then started to play properly with other children.

Shes in year 3 now and is now able to understand that she is out of cohort. It doesn't bother her or her peers. She is very much in the middle of her class, size and ability wise - she is still a bit immature socially but the gap is nowhere near as big if she was with the year 4 group. Her best friend is a summer born child a full year younger than her... The school have supported us all the way through and they continue to be happy that she is where she needs to be. Indeed since DD started (she was their first deferred admission) it has something that the school has embraced as a policy and there are several children deferred in each of the subsequent year groups.

If you want to explore this properly then get in touch with the Flexible admissions for summer borns on facebook and they will be able to give you some accurate advice and also help for the process locally to you.

Also, which month? 'Summer' borns are considered to be from April. From what I understand its heads discretion whether they'll go into reception or year 1. From what I understand it is best practice for a July and August baby to go into reception.
June maybe.
April and May I'm pretty sure every head will say straight into year 1.

DS was a July baby and I wondered if I should start him later. I spoke to the HT who assured me it wasn't necessary. It was never an issue and I don't regret it at all.

I used to teach reception and the youngest child I ever taught was born on 31st august - so literally the youngest possible age - and he did absolutely fine.

I have an august born child myself and we are definitely not delaying him.

We delayed our August-born, preterm-born baby & no regrets. He has some developmental delays so would have floundered in his "correct" year group.
Everyone who knows/meets him says it was the right thing for him.

Different LAs have different attitudes towards letting children delay school entry, but all have to follow the government guidance. If you're seriously considering it, look up the Facebook group (there may also be a local group for your area) and get a feel for whether it would be right for you.

I was always adamant that I would defer my very end of August child's application. If he was born 2 days later, I wouldn't have had to even think about it! However, after watching him at nursery and seeing his strong friendship group (having thought at 4 friends can easily be changed and new groups formed, not realising how much they rely on familiar faces), I decided not to. He is in reception now and is definitely happier at school with his best nursery friend. He's very energetic and doesn't stop but I can tell he's learning a lot more than at nursery. I think the tester will be next year when there is a lot more sitting at desks and learning. Still don't know if I made the right decision and probably will always wonder. My brother was the same and I remember my mum saying try to avoid an august baby!!

The cases where children are delayed, non verbal etc are pretty clear that delaying for a year will benefit them. It is more complex for a child meeting developmental milestones. Plenty of posters have said here their kids have been fine. You do have to draw a line somewhere.

I appreciate all of your responses, some really salient points to think about. I still feel totally torn but will head over to that Facebook group a few posters have mentioned

My daughters birthday is beginning of August so was 4 years 6 weeks. She thrived there. Now 21 left school with 8 grade A gcses, 3 A levels grade A, currently studying to be an accountant. All depends on individual child. Mine is 2nd born and couldn't wait to start.

We are considering it for our July born DC. He really didn't get the same opportunities as his brother to develop during the lockdowns. Haven't made any decisions though. Elder DC was a more clear cut case as he was raring to go. I think the difference in ages shows up when the play based curriculum stops in Y1 and 2 especially.

Everything improves when they go school, speech, motor skills and counting. It’s fun in reception and although they wouldn’t miss reception as I think they do still go through it, I don’t know why you wouldn’t send them? There will be other summer born children there too.

I have summer born twins, one girl and one boy. They were born on 31 July at 35 weeks so had I gone full term they would have been next school year.

I held them both back even though my daughter could have started aged 4. As it was they have both thrived from starting school aged 5 and even though they are the oldest in their year, they are not exceptional! They went into Reception not Year 1 by the way.

There are other benefits which I didn't realise til later on:

1. You extend their childhood by a year which sounds obvious but it means they do everything a year later than most others. I think this has stood both my children in good stead as they are both very confident. It also means things like getting a phone will happen a year later than it would if they had gone to school aged 4.

1. Mine do sports outside school including tennis and football. The Football Association requires them to play in age groups so their team mates were all in the school year they should have been in. Result is they have good friends in the year above which has massively expanded their social network unintentionally. Again good for confidence.

We are at secondary stage now and all schools in my area have already confirmed they will go into Year 7 after leaving primary. So it just flows through.

Hope helpful.

We're in Scotland. Our oldest was born early February. All her wee baby pals born in January and February were deferred. I've never met anyone who regretted deferring. We decided she was ready socially for school and sent her at 4 and half. She was desperate to read and write and all the nursery staff told me she was more than ready. It turned out to be a good decision for her. She hasn't struggled academically so far and landed in a cohort of great kids through primary school. She's in secondary school now and doing well. She won't sit exams until next year and I've always slightly worried it will be at this point things will get a bit tricky. We shall see. She's not long turned 14 and she's got pals who've now turned 15, but you'd never know she was a year younger. I've perhaps had to let her be more independent that I might have liked earlier so she could do things with pals. One of the upsides is she'll definitely do a sixth year at school.

This is a long way of saying there is no right or wrong to this. You make a decision for your kid based on what's best for them and your family.

@OhMygodddd

Everything improves when they go school, speech, motor skills and counting. It’s fun in reception and although they wouldn’t miss reception as I think they do still go through it, I don’t know why you wouldn’t send them? There will be other summer born children there too.

Because the child isn't ready to start school in some cases. My son wasn't ready aged 4. The extra year at pre-school enabled him to mature to a suitable level to start school.

On the process, it varies across the UK so you'll need to speak to the local Admissions team as well as each individual head teacher of each school you apply for to confirm they will accept your child 'out of school year'. I had to get an approval from the Council.

My submission to the Council included a) medical evidence of my due date versus when they were actually born as my children were prem and b) written evidence from my children's preschool teacher and the head teacher who provided information about my children's progress and level as well as their readiness for school. They were also prepared to be interviewed which ultimately wasn't necessary.

Definitely depends on the child.

I live in a permissive county so had automatic agreement to defer my Aug 2014 child, but at the last minute decided not to defer her and sent her in her "correct" cohort and she's now in Year 3 and utterly thriving. Highest book band in her class, a sociable little butterfly.

When I see her play with the year 2's, the year group she "could" have been with, they are like babies to her. Socially she wouldn't have the bonds she has now with her amazing friends who are all on her wavelength, and she'd have been bored stiff academically.

I think generally for most kids without prematurity or additional needs, their own cohort probably works best - I'd hate for my daughter to be the first going through puberty etc 1 year+ ahead of other girls, and it's made sense for sport groups/rainbows etc, where she wouldn't be with her classmates if I'd deferred her.

We receive a few applications each year for our schools. The LA has to consult with all the schools listed as preferences. You are not allowed a blanket policy and must judge each application on it's own evidence. If we agree a request then we state that the parents must be clear about it being their responsibility to apply the following year in the application window, that they understand that the child will remain 'educated outside their normal age group' for the duration of their primary education and cannot expect to move year groups, and that they understand that they have to re-apply to remain educated outside their normal age group in Year 5 when their peers are applying for a secondary school place.

If you have a reason, eg, premature and with developmental delay that can be closed or significantly narrowed with another year in nursery, or similar, then I can understand it but not if a parent wants it because 'it's my right!'

...and a request....if you are going to apply, please don't start your letter quoting the legislation at us. We deal with admissions all day and understand the legislation.

Parents can also apply for a school place and choose not to take it up until the term their child turns 5 - that could be the Summer term if your child has a Summer birthday. Some parents do this as a halfway compromise. You should be eligible for nursery funding for the first 2 terms if you do that.

Maybe it is a good idea to talk to the teachers at pre-school and ask if they think your child will cope at school or benefit from an extra year at pre-school?

I delayed my son and he will start reception this year a few days after his 5th birthday.