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Original poster

Would you defer your child? (SCOTLAND)

54 replies

mistermagpie · 28/06/2023 12:00

Sorry about shouting about Scotland, just there's often a lot of confusion on this kind of post, and the Scottish board isn't very busy so I've put my question here!

My daughter is only three, she will be 4 in November. She is due to start school in August 2024 and so will be 4 years and about 9 months old.

Simple question I suppose - would you defer her? And why, if you would. We can, it wouldn't have a huge impact on us in any way really, nursery would continue to be funded and she's happy there.

Relevant info - she's a third child and much more advanced than my other two were at that age (they are boys, might be a reason), she wasn't premature or anything and hasn't had any developmental delays. She's quite bright but behaviour isn't great, although nothing outwith normal three year old stuff.

OP posts:
Reugny · 28/06/2023 20:45

Summerishereagain · 28/06/2023 13:04

I know you said Scotland but the research in England is very clear that summer borns (who would be in the youngest in year in the English system) have poorer outcomes than Autumn born children and this lasts throughout their whole school education. They don’t catch up.

The last bit isn't true if the child doesn't have any disabilities/SEN.

I have a friend who is a consultant pediatrician who has looked into educational outcomes in England and Scotland due to having family in both countries as well as it being her job. (She also looked abroad where her own family eventually moved. ) The majority of the children reach the appropriate level when they about the age of 8.

There are issues in sport where due to when they were born so being physically smaller they are unlikely to be picked for school/youth teams.

Summerishereagain · 28/06/2023 21:54

Reugny · 28/06/2023 20:45

The last bit isn't true if the child doesn't have any disabilities/SEN.

I have a friend who is a consultant pediatrician who has looked into educational outcomes in England and Scotland due to having family in both countries as well as it being her job. (She also looked abroad where her own family eventually moved. ) The majority of the children reach the appropriate level when they about the age of 8.

There are issues in sport where due to when they were born so being physically smaller they are unlikely to be picked for school/youth teams.

Show quote history

I would be interested to see link to the research or the names of papers as all the research I read and advice from DoE says otherwise.

Jess5579 · 29/09/2024 10:58

Hi there

Im in the same situation but my daughter should start in 2025. Just wondering what you decided to do?

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3 year olds Families
zeitweilig · 29/09/2024 11:02

Lots of folk defer where we live, but also lots of folk don't. The main downside of all the deferrals is that the Spring/Summer born kids, who actually are optimal age to start, end up in with lots of older kids who probably should have started earlier and are physically larger and sometimes more domineering. Someone always has to be the youngest yet only half the year get a choice. As for being younger finishing school, it's possible an increasingly common, to take a year out after S6. Some folk are also ready for Uni at 17 - I went after S5, just after turning 17, and did as well/better than older starters. I had a 4 yrs honours degree just before I turned 21. 😁

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