Would a child go straight into Y2?

[GorgeousLadyofWrestling]

That’s what my NDN has said is going to happen with her 3 year old. So at school starting age, skip Reception and Y1 and go straight into Y2.

He’s undeniably bright - reading and can remember times tables. She mentioned today that the nursery SENCO person has recommended this. But surely there’s all sorts of other problems with this - being much younger and not emotionally at the same level as Y2 children. The difference in Reception aged kids and Y2 is vast. Is this something a school would really do? And then also the reading and maths - what if he just has a phenomenal memory but needs to learn the comprehension element?

My children are much older but I don’t know if I would my child doing that, no matter how bright they were.

Absolutely no way at our school!

I have never heard of this happening, and wouldn't want this for my child even if they were exceptionally clever.

Nah.
the kid won’t even have a school place yet how can she possibly know?
as you said regardless of academic ability for the early years of primary school it’s as much about learning the rhythms and social aspects of school as it is about the
actual academics
i can’t see any school accepting a 4 yo in year 2. She sounds away with the fairies tbh

Maybe the SENCo said 'when x starts school he'll already be working at Y2 level' and the mum has misunderstood.

No chance. I’ve heard of children going up 1 year in private schools if they are really exceptional in every way and have the maturity to match. But never in a state school.

I'd be utterly amazed if this actually happened. A child starting Reception may be very bright but is no way equipped or ready socially and emotionally to mix with 6/7 year olds. They need to mix with children their own age to bring these skills on and develop in an all round way not just intellectually.

I cant see it happening apart from maybe in a private school that is more interested in the parent money than the child's well being but even then I think it would very very very rarely happen.

Definitely not in the state system, there is no facility for this. I would highly doubt any private schools would do this either. Would she therefore be planning on them starting secondary school at age 9?!

DD used to join the Y2 upper ability group for phonics when she was in reception.

It wouldn't have been a good idea for her to permanently join that class.

It's all evened out. She's still bright but has plateaued and is now the bright side of average and definitely not working 3 years above her age level anymore.

the nursery SENCO person has recommended this

The nursery senco may have said this. It doesn’t mean it is a good idea or it will happen. I’ve taught for 25+ years in primary schools and have never known it to happen.

I think it would be unusual. I have a child starting school next September who can read and is ahead of the curve in maths. The school have talked to use about him taking part in some y2 lessons if needed but not skipping. As you said the difference in maturity level and social skills etc is too much.

@2reefsin30knots i hope this is what the SENCO person meant and my NDN has misunderstood. There’s so much to school outside of academia. I’d be worried they wouldn’t make friends or learn other important social skills - I’d imagine some bright, lonely little kid who didn’t fit into the class. The dynamic would be so strange for them and the rest of the class.

Of course not.
It’s almost unheard of for children to skip one year now, let alone two.
Just nod and smile if she brings it up again.

I was - in an Asian country, private school - “double promoted” from kindergarten to Year 2 on grounds of academic exceptionalism.

I was bullied, frightfully, by the older children all through primary. I was terrified and petrified of school.

my career then did indeed end up very successful but I know that the scars of that decision and the resultant bullying and emotional struggles of the little girl still persist.

In the UK state school setting thankfully this isn’t a thing. So my very very bright and able DS has not had to go through what I went through. He’s always joined highest ability groups even in reception - he was doing phonics with the highest groups including year 2 - but he was in t reception. With his own mates, in his own age group.

never ever ever would I put him through what I had to go through when I was “double promoted”.

When I was at school (a very long time ago) there were 2 pupils in my year who were a year younger than the rest of the class because they were very bright. But that was only 1 year up not 2. I doubt it would happen now though.

No way at the beginning, if a child works above age they generally will be still in the same class, occasionally children are put into a higher (or lower) year but this will be after rigorous assessment once at school. Some small schools have mixed age classes though

I think even private schools may avoid, else you have a big problem when it comes to secondary and then presumably university.

I know the grammar schools (near us) don't accept children out of year, which I imagine may be the usual choice for a bright child.

Sorry for being thick, but what does NDN mean?

No, this for various reasons is purely a fantasy.
First of all, as many other people have said, the child would not be capable of the social skills needed, and would likely do more harm than good in the long run with their mental health.
Secondly, what would happen when the child gets to the end of year six at age 9? Or do they repeat the final three years with their year group or would they try for a secondary school to take them (I can say, now they wouldn’t).
Thirdly, if one parent demands, their child goes up to year two, where does it end? it will open the floodgates for many parents who want their children in different year groups, which at the very least would be a nightmare for admissions.
The only reason I can see this happening is if They are transferring from Scotland or another country, where year groups don’t align the same way as they do in England/Wales.
Age groups of the academic year are pretty much set in stone. Occasionally a child will be put in the ONE year below they would normally be in. This is usually because 1. The child is a summer born and the parents think they are not yet ready to start school 2. The same reason as above but because the child is Neurodivergent and/or has SEND. (and even then, often the children just miss reception and go straight to year one with the rest of their cohort).
No, there is no way this would happen in a state school. And I actually doubt this would happen in a private school as well. Not only because of the reasons above, but think of it from the schools perspective: it’s less years of fees being payed.

I'm a teacher and I've never heard of this.

Sometimes in schools though, especially those following Read, Write, Inc, children are grouped into mixed age ability groups for phonics. If he is already a confident reader and writer then he could well be placed immediately into a predominantly year 2 phonics group.

The reception year is incredibly important though and places a huge focus on social and emotional development which are often skills that very academically bright children need support with most. It would be doing a child a real disservice to strip them of all these vital experiences just because they're good at times tables.

I did this as a child. It put me at a huge social disadvantage all the way through school. It’s a terrible idea

This definitely won’t happen

Also the child is likely an early developer and will plateau in progress, so taking any action on the basis of what you describe would be very foolish

I’m in Y1/2. This has never happened in 14 years of experience.

@Readytoplay next door neighbour

one of my DC is bright so joins the class two years up for advanced maths. I don’t know anyone who has skipped years tbh. I think it’s better socially for them to stay with their year and do extra classes with other years as necessary.

My friend's child's birthday is 1st September, she was told that the school cannot take them a year early/put them into year one, under any circumstances.