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

I have 2 summer borns - dc1 is the very youngest in his class and dc2 is the youngest boy by nearly 6 months.

Dc1 has largely been fine - it's actually as he's got to the top end of primary I've noticed he is socially and emotionally a little behind his peers. By and large though he's been ok.

Dc2 was premature and 100% would have been much better to have started a year later with the year group he 'should' have been in - he really struggled in early primary and it caused him a lot of stress and anxiety. The rules at the time where we are wouldn't have allowed me to keep him back, but this has now changed.

So there's no easy answer really - so much depends on the individual child, the class and the school.

The local authority where I live (this is ten years ago though, so may have changed!) allowed children to be part time until the Easter after their 5th birthday.
A clause that was so little used that the school had to check! My DD was in nursery at the same school and didn't go full time until the following Easter. She'd been doing 3 days in nursery, which I upped to 4 from September then full time from the following April. Not a summer baby but I thought 4 days was enough.

There were two children at my DD nursery who were summer born and their parents had kept them at nursery an extra year. Both sets of parents found when the children started school they were a lot more advanced than the children in their class and the schools kept trying to move the children up in to the next year's class (which would have been the year if they hadn't been kept behind). They didn't regret their decision but it was a constant conversation with the schools.

I have 2 summer born children. One, an August born, was not ready for school at 4 and 3 weeks when he had to start. He still struggles with school, reading, written work, hand writing etc. and is now in Year 8. When he started, the chance to defer was down to the school head, who refused, stating that the class teacher would be able to differentiate for the range of children's needs. He lied, frankly, the NQT was lovely but didn't meet his needs at all and DS died on his arse.

My July born is starting school this time but is better prepared for school so we're not looking to defer her.

I'd suggest that:

• if you think your child will struggle, go with your gut instinct and defer or look at other schools
• ask if schools have mixed-year classes and avoid them for summer borns at all costs
• look at feeder secondary schools. One of the concerns about deferred entry for primary is if the secondary school need the child to be admitted in their correct year, meaning they go from Year 5 into Year 7, with a cohort of students they won't have been in classes with.

My son is a summer baby - end of July. Also covid started when he was two, which I think is really relevant to this age group.

My son's pre school year was a disaster. Whilst lockdowns didn't help, my son hated being parted from me and never settled. It became a source of great anxiety for him and therefore the thought of him starting school was incredibly stressful - I didn't think he was ready.

Had there been the option to delay, like there is in your area (that doesn't happen here) I would have definitely done that.

Saying that, my son is now very settled at school and has made a friends, but it was a tough first few months. Interestingly, he has been able to more than keep up with his peers in terms of maths and reading. He's even ahead of a lot of them 😊 so my fears that it would impact his learning have actually been unfounded x

I know it goes on birth date... but I do find it strange that the youngest children in the year are the ones that get the least preschool education. I do think that impacted my DD starting school... the older ones had been in the preschool setting for an extra 9 months as well as being older and more physically developed with coordination, grip strength etc.

It depends on the kid - so far my August born daughter is thriving in school. She is very tall and she's in a school - which I think helps. There are many summer borns so she doesn't really stand out too much. She would have stood out if I delayed her. Sometimes I can see she is socially immature, but she'll catch up there.

Her oldest brother is Sept born, and that isn't really ideal either. He has benefited over the years - but he's also been a bit bored and his friends were always a year group up. He needed a lot of out of school activities.

It won't be perfect either way - so I'd go with what you think is best for your child. I also have a March born, and he finds it all rather easy.

Definitely depends on the individual. In DS's year at primary there was a set of non identical girl twins with late Summer birthdays. One was academic and did brilliantly, the other less so and struggled all the way through school.
DH has a late August birthday and it has never disadvantaged him. He even went to a village primary school with only 16 pupils so was in a very mixed age group class.

I wish I'd done it for my son, he's in Reception now and doing okay but no where near ready for Year 1.

Mine has a late July birthday. Youngest in her class but thriving. Another perspective - I was September born but 'put up' a year in school in the 80s (no idea how or why) so some in my class at secondary were more than a year older than me. I came out fine both academically and socially. I think it all depends on the individual.

I wonder if parents place too much thought on that reception year alone, maybe KS1, without thinking about the rest of their childhood too? (I don't know btw, just musing). Because it means further down the line...

1. Can't play sport with year group friends (correctly)
2. Presumably considerable points taken off at 11plus? (I don't know, but I know sept/Oct/nov get deducted points and june/July/august given points so I assume this would be even more points taken?)
3. Possibly will miss a year at some point IF the family move somewhere this isn't allowed.
4. Best friend in year group could be 16 when they're 18.
5. Could they potentially be pissed off in year 13 when their age group are off on gap yah and they're still on a levels?

I guess there's not too much info around yet on child's thoughts by the time they're 18.

I'm thinking it's a big decision and not just 'oh they ll be a bit behind in reception otherwise' since reception teachers are well versed in a vast range of development already.

My DDs was deferred - slightly different system in Scotland where children start P1 aged 4.5 to 5.5 and January/February children have the option to defer to the following year. He started P1 aged 5 years and 7 months and is achieving well - had he started when he was 4 I doubt he would have done so well, particularly socially and emotionally. The additional time in nursery gave him time to mature and as one of the oldest in his class he’s doing really well. I’d defer unless my child were particularly mature.

I'm an August birthday. I would have been incredibly annoyed with my parents if I had been delayed by them - i was top of my class for most of my schooling.

Just one other consideration - sports in particular have very strict cut off dates, if you child is held back they cannot take part in inter school sports etc with their year group.

My dd has played competitive sports at a high level and I had to prove her age with her passport every year!

We are in the process of deferring our DC. Some of the information held out as fact by pp is incorrect. The Facebook group has all the relevant information and guidance.

Also to the pp who told applicants not to quote the legislation/ guidance in the first letter because all admissions teams know it - they really don’t as we found in our process (this in a permissive area and with 4 fairly easy yes’s in the end). Quoting guidance saves time.

If you are in an eleven plus area (or move to one), do the children have to take the exam a year early?
Is the move up to secondary school a given or could there be issues?
Playing sport with an older year group is even harder than being the youngest in the actual year group.

I have a July born. He is thriving at school now (it took a couple of years for him to rise to near the top) but I do feel a little sad for him that he will be the last to drive and the last to (legally) drink when he gets to 17/18 after all his peers.
But someone has to be.

Is there any funding for the extra year at nursery, or would this option be just for those who could afford it for another year?

@ilovemyboys3

My son was born on 17 August. I didn't delay starting and he started school 2 weeks after he turned 4. He is thriving and wouldn't know he is the youngest in his class. If you delay then they miss reception and go straight into year 1. Reception is an important year I think, they establish friendship groups and it's a lot of play rather than working.

I wish people would stop pedalling this bullshit. This is totally untrue.

I have delayed my 31 august son. He will start RECEPTION this coming September. It’s been the best decision. His emotional regulation is a bit better and we’ve had another year to play, go swimming, etc etc

As an aside I also have a late June born who did go a couple of months after he was 4. He has thrived at school. Different strokes for different…..kids

@ilovemyboys3

My son was born on 17 August. I didn't delay starting and he started school 2 weeks after he turned 4. He is thriving and wouldn't know he is the youngest in his class. If you delay then they miss reception and go straight into year 1. Reception is an important year I think, they establish friendship groups and it's a lot of play rather than working.

This is completely incorrect information. Op, please join the Flexible summer born group on Facebook for lots of information and support. My ds started school (in Reception!!) age 5 and not 4. He's end of August born. It's the best decision I've ever made.

I’m anti delayed starting for many reasons but obviously you should do what suits. I do though think you should be aware that the school system isn’t set up for this. Fine to not start but expectations/targets/lack of soft start/settling in time will not be altered so in later years the expectations will be high.

The evidence shows that overall they are disadvantaged.
But evidence doesn’t mean everyone will be the same, individually it can be totally dependant on the child of course.

My late summer baby (youngest in class) is pretty shy and a bit emotionally immature compared to his much older class mates at pre school but he’s very switched on, he’s bright, he’s imaginative, he’s resilient and he’s got great motor skills so whilst he’s a little shy and quiet around the older kids, his interaction with his teachers and the activities they do is great. I’m not worried about him, he’s been in full time nursery since he was 1, plays with lots of older children there and is very independent for his age. He’s just a little shy - which could be his age but also could just be his personality.
We’ve chosen not to hold him back after discussing with his nursery carers and the school staff - If it comes to it, I’ll get extra help with a tutor in the future

On the flip side I know another very late summer baby who is now in seniors and although super confident in her personality, really really struggles with academics. Could have possibly done with being held back.

@ThePenIsBlue but it does seem the case in some areas so its not strictly not true

@ChairCareOh but do these studies take every thing into consideration? Where did theSe children start of and will not just change that if everyone held back we will then have the younger ones being the sept babies so studies will be sept babies now are disadvantaged
Maybe we could just follow europe and start formal school a little later when all are more ready , I don't sed this mentioned so much as a difference there between summer and winter babies