This isn’t flexi schooling is it?

[Unclear]

Letting the school know that a summer born child will only be doing half days in reception for the first 2 terms then full
days for the last term - this isn’t a request for flexi schooling it is just letting them know as the child will be under csa for the full year so it’s not something we have to ask permission for but just something we need to inform them of ?

@Unclear confused!! what is csa???

You could be talking about my DD here OP. You sound like you are doing absolutely the right thing, the mental health part is so key. DD did end up in burnout shortly after starting year 1 & it took a long time for her to recover. Even though we had a diagnosis by then the school were slow to implement any adaptions until it was too late.

Compulsory school age (the term after a child’s 5th birthday)

We had to put a request in to the head teacher telling them why we wanted part time (August b'day). Even though it was an option on the website for summer born children to attend part time we were told no!
I've deferred until January instead.

Oh can you defer for just part of the year I thought you had to defer the whole year ?

You won't be fined and the school can't refuse. School is only compulsory in the term after they turn 5.

The school has no right to refuse. The headteacher clearly doesn't understand the law, or thinks they can bully parents.

I don't know if it depends on each school to decide, but they said yes. I don't know if it's the 'done thing' but I just prefer the thought of her being at home with me (where she will be learning sooo many things) and will be closer to 4.5 when starting.
She's a very sociable kid and attended the taster sessions in July so has met her teacher and peers and made friends with some already so I don't have any concerns about her fitting right in when January comes around.
I know some are saying kids will miss out on learning etc but at this school they have 2 x 20 mins of learning a day and the rest is play.... so I can't really see how my DD will end up with any delay?!

@LaeralSilverhand I didn't realise they couldn't say no!!!! Do you have a link so where I can find more info on this please? I mean it's done now but I would like to know.

This is off the government website

So if CSA is the term after their 5th birthday, am I right that no child legally HAS to be in education until Jan? Even Sept birthdays?

https://www.gov.uk/schools-admissions/school-starting-age

"Your child must start full-time education once they reach compulsory school age. This is on 31 December, 31 March or 31 August following their fifth birthday - whichever comes first. If your child’s fifth birthday is on one of those dates then they reach compulsory school age on that date."

The corollary of this is that a child under compulsory school age does NOT have to be in full time education.

There is even a register code for an under-compulsory school age absence. It is different from the unauthorised absence code and does not count as an unauthorised absence.

Respectfully (and sorry OP - a real derail...) those of us who work with children can see huge differences with this cohort of children. Yes lots of them were well supported and aren't struggling academically down the line - but my god are they hard work!

Children need to not have 1-1 attention - it is good for their social development. They need to learn they are not always the most important person in the room and have to wait, take turns, miss out sometimes.

The argument of "I gave my child better because she didn't have to share me with 29 others" is taking a really narrow view.

@LaeralSilverhand
Thank you.

I'm really annoyed about this now!!!!! Seems they've made up their own rules!!

Seems that way from the gov website

@AntParade I understand where you're coming from but my child has a sibling and has lots of friends that we see every week so does learn these skills / disappointments etc.

A child in my DD’s school did mornings for the first couple of terms & it seemed to work well. I suspect they were ND.
Another child started straight into year 1. This child did not settle well and had missed a lot academically. Not all schools allow children to defer a year and still start in reception.

OP I would stick to your guns & explain your rationale as it sounds in everyone’s best interests.

For others considering not sending their child on the days they don’t work or starting them a term late, I would really think about this as they would miss out on key learning. Also they may get into a habit of eg not thinking they need to go to school every Tuesday.

@AntParade - there wasn’t much socialising for anyone during lockdown, so it’s not that my child did better at the expense of their social development. If you read my post again you will see that I was pointing out that attending school part time during reception year does not mean getting behind academically as the academic side can be covered very quickly and succinctly by the parents if necessary.

I think, to some degree, it depends on the school. DD is autistic and has ADHD. She was an August baby but also v premature. We found a v nurturing school with a very play based curriculum (even in Y1). She attended full time after a few weeks of half days and, to be honest, it was easier when she did full days full time as she had more of a structure she understood and it was the same as the others (including her sibling). Attending part time means they miss out on some of the learning (not just academic, but project based work where one lesson builds on the next) meaning they then have to play ‘catch up’ (which makes DD panic) plus in our school the more creative ‘fun’ learning which DD finds easier happens in the afternoon. She has had an EHCP since nursery but to be honest, having it has made no difference to how well she did or didn’t cope. The difference was in the general ethos of the school.

ALL the day is learning - the early years curriculum should be delivered through play, with a lot of outdoor activity (preferably free flow). Learning in reception shouldn’t look like it does in older years, it should be completely different.
not to say you shouldn’t defer or do part then or what ever but don’t dismiss play as somehow unimportant

@LottieMary I'm not at all. She'll still have learning thru play at nursery until she starts school.

Do not do this it will not be a good option and could mean they are socially excluded and find it harder to make friendships. Either do a summer born deferral or go with it but do not do part time.

@nearlyemptynes - I think you need to read the OP’s updates describing her daughter’s struggles and exhaustion and realise that pushing her to do full time won’t benefit her. Hitting burnout and not going at all is a MUCH bigger risk.

How will you arrange for her to catch up on key areas like maths and phonics? They cover so much in the early stages.

On the other side of this I have an academically bright ASD September born DD. She spent most the last year at nursery bored and went to school knowing how to read, and yes socially and emotionally ahead of her just turned 4 year old peers. However as she moved up the school, her social and emotional development slowed, she really struggled with more formal learning, and I think it's no co-incidence her 2 best friends are August born and nearly a year younger than her. And yes now she's in KS2, she does struggle more with the less clear cut academic subjects, especially around writing. I do expect the social and emotional gap will keep widening until she is below her entire class, but am grateful she didn't start there. I'd defer if it's not too late to do so and still start in reception.