To move DD to new pre-school

[IsithormonesoramIamadcow]

DD is 3. We are deferring her starting school due to being and end of August baby, prem and some Health issues/SEN. So instead of going to Reception this September she will be going in Sept 2018.

Deferring has been a little complicated, but everyone is on board now. The local authority have approved our application for their schools and the local academy has also approved our request. We will apply next year for an actual place.

DD currently attends pre-school in the nusery of what will be our 1st choice school, they are expecting her to remain in this setting next year too, DD loves it and is very settled. Unfortunately there is no guarantee that we will get a place for Reception here. Due to where we live we are most likely to be given a place at another school, which would be our 3rd choice.

The third choice school are also supporting deferred entry, but they are very insistent that DD move to their nursery in September. They argue that it will give them time to get to know her and get her settled, and for them to make their own assessments of SEN before she starts Reception. I can see their point... DH is cynical and says they want the funding as their nursery is not full!

But... I am still hopeful we might get our first choice, DD is really settled there... and I might not have to move her at all? (Crosses fingers and toes!) WWYD?

I'm not sure how it works for a deferred place, will she know where she is going in the next few weeks or will it be April next year?

If it isn't until April next year then I would leave her where she is, if it is this year then I'd wait until you get the allocation then decide.

No school should be pressuring you to move setting at this stage, however full or not they may be.

We won't know until April 2018, even if we see what was allocated this year it might be different next year.

Then I would leave her where she is happy and settled if you are happy with her current setting. They will do the transition to whatever school she goes to as they will with all the children attending.

I am guessing her additional needs are not enough that she would get an EHCP with the option of a named school for her application?

Stick to your nursery if you're happy there. The third school can get to know her when / if she arrives with them. I say this as someone who works as deputy head in a school.

Surely if you're DD has diagnosed SEN then they go to the top of the list re school places? Where we live she would (if EHCP plan in place).

Thanks Boots. No, she's not near the threshold for an EHCP - we are hoping that given another year in nursery will sort out the current SEN too.