Would a private/independent school allow me to put my son in the class below?

[BunniesInHoney]

At my school (ACS International Baccalaureate) parents could influence the year their child was in. Senior year had a 19 year old student who turned 20 before graduating, my year (16-17 had a 19 year old) and the senior year, my boyfriend at the time was a week older than me but in the year above. I'm born in January and he was born late December.

Would they allow the same for my son? He is an August baby and I don't want him to be the youngest in his school year.

Hi, OP, I do think that this is possible in many independent schools. Certainly, there are 5 children like this in my son's Year 1 group (and they are not a huge year group) at his prep school. I would contact them and ask about it.

There's a few at my DC's school who are placed in the year below their age group but i think it's fairly unusual.

The problem in the UK is that schools are judged on exam results & only children in the correct year count. So a child aged 16 would show as 0 in their GCSES statistics if they took the exams a year later.

Some private schools arn't too bothered about this as they take IGCSE anyway which don't count.

You could almost certainly do this in a state school. The rules have recently changed and any child born from
April - august can start a year later into reception.

A friend of mine is in the same position and has asked the question of all the private primary schools in our area (she does not like the state primary that she would realistically get). Only one of th eprivate primaries would permit it, although there is another that she prefers that she is still trying to persuade. I think some of the others were concerned that private senior schools would not permit it so there would be an issue in moving up from year 6, although now that deferred start is permitted (to some extent) in state primaries, I am sure the private secondaries will have to permit this as they claim to encourage applicants from state primaries.

Both my children (two summer birthdays aaarrgh) have repeated years in private schools. Absolutely best thing we ever did but I would recommend doing it in earlier years before friendships become an issue.

Serafinaaa

That is fantastic news!!!!!!!!
We just want to find the right fit for our boy, regardless of independent/state status.

Do you have any articles or links with more info?

"He is an August baby and I don't want him to be the youngest in his school year."

Why, in particular?

I was an August baby and never struggled academically. Obviously statistically there's evidence that some younger children do find it difficult but it's not a universal experience. You know your child so if you're worried based on your perception of his skills compared with his peers then that's understandable. But if he seems ready, I wouldn't arbitrarily assume he isn't based on a summer birthday.

Serafina - all I can find on this is guidance from 2004 on gov.uk that says it's possible but schools don't have to do this. Can you point me to updated guidance/legislation please?

I think my brother would have benefitted back in the day. He was always behind at school right through to GCSE's but if he'd been able to be in the year below it would have helped.

Yes, a good independent would be happy to discuss this with you. Where in the country are you?

I would have thought being in a class of 16-17 year olds when you're 19 would be like grim death. And graduating high school at the age of 20 - the person must have felt like Methuselah!

That said, you know your child and if you can get a private school to agree, it's only one year.

Re state ed., you can delay entry at primary till the child is 5, but isn't there a problem when they transfer to secondary school? I know some primaries will delay reception, but then the child goes straight into Yr 1 and misses out the first year.

I'll have a look for anything official but I'm a teacher in south Yorkshire and you can definitely defer here.

My DD went to a private school when she was 10. She should have been in year 7 but there was no space in that year, however there was a space in year 6. She went from being the youngest in her year to the oldest and it has all worked out perfectly. Roll on a number of years and she headed off to uni at age 18 going on 19 rather than 17 going on 18 and she says herself it was the very best thing we ever did for her.

BertrandRussell

I am an October baby and was squeezed into the year before I even turned 5, even though I was too young and I struggled. Never academically, but I was a weedy little thing anyway, so I was physically the smallest, and I just wasn't mature enough. I never really caught up.

It would have been brilliant if my parents had been a bit more on it and had got me repeat a year, even before starting secondary, but they honestly felt that once I was academically able, the rest would fall into place. It didn't. It's different for every child, but if the OP's gut is telling her that her child needs another year, then she should follow it.

This screenshot shows that summer borns can defer for a year then start into reception of y1. Its parental choice.

For state, you need to contact the LA and ask their policy and how/when to apply to defer.
You need to get it in writing that this will not affect transferral to secondary, or 3 years of 6th form if needed.
If you are in a grammar area you need to check that how applications to grammar school may be impacted.

my daughter is in private school and they allow for this. Not sure its the morn though OP. Sorry. Maybe call the school you want and exquire that way? Good luck.

What's not clear is if that LA has decided to follow recconendations or if it's actually a right throughout England.

In my area it appears to be the right to ask but the decision lies with the local authority/head

Serafinaa, you have the right to request but not the right for them to be admitted out of year. Most schools turn down these requests; there's another recent thread about August born babies about this.

OP, it's much more likely you can do this in the private sector than in a state school

There are pros and cons to it, but I think we rather him to be in the right school rather than a right year, so I suppose it depends on where he is going. Years away still - thank god!

Ahh maybe it's not the case across the country then. Sheffield doesn't turn down these requests though. There are several just in my school out of chronological year with no SEN.

My son's private school has 2 children out of years. My DS is young for the year and also has a processing disorder, so we considered it...however, I was worried that it would affect his chances of getting into a decent secondary school (we live in an 11+ area).