To defer my Summer born daughter’s school start date?

[ThornAmongstRoses]

I have a daughter who should be starting school next September but she will have only turned 4 about a week before the start date.

For the last few months I have seriously been thinking about delaying her starting until the following year when she will have just turned 5.

I have done so much reading up around the subject and it’s quite clear that statistically (because I know there will always be exceptions) starting school after just turning 4 can be very detrimental to their education and achievements through their schooling compared to Autumn, Winter and Spring borns.

My husband is a teacher and is absolutely on board with the deferral.

I mentioned it to my brother a few days ago as his child is summer born (a year behind mine) and he totally laughed me off.

He said it was a pointless thing to do and if the younger kids struggle then it’s down to the parents to do more at home with them.

It was a bit of a black and white attitude I thought.

I told him that if it was as simple as doing some work at home to get the Summer borns to the same level as their peers, then there wouldn’t be so much information out there about the disparities between Summer borns and other children.

I’m not being unreasonable to consider this though am I?

I do understand there will always be exceptions and there will be many stories abouthigh achieving Summer born children, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that overall, Summer Born children do fare worse at school if they start when they have just turned four years old.

My brother has made me doubt myself

@ThornAmongstRoses

What do you think of the Scandinavian study that showed that by the time kids were 30, the youngest in the year group were out earning their older peers?

What has that got to do with me not wanting my child to potentially struggle during school?

The long term aim of school, education, is to earn a living at the end of it.

You seem to be basing your decision on statics that the youngest do less well in school, not considering that there are many who buck the trend and beyond school they actually do better. I'd love to find a UK long term study but the Scandinavian one was the only one i could find.

You seem to be basing your decision on statics that the youngest do less well in school, not considering that there are many who buck the trend and beyond school they actually do better. I'd love to find a UK long term study but the Scandinavian one was the only one i could find.

I assumed that Scandinavian children didn’t start school as early as just turned 4 years old though? Apologies if I’m wrong.

They have preschool / kindergarten although they don't start formal school until later. Its a bit of a myth that other countries have kids just sitting at home doing nothing until they are 6.

You really do need to base you decision on your child. Is she drawn to children slightly older or younger than herself. Is she keeping up with the nursery / preschool stage which is much easier to do if she is in nursery.

Do it. I did and no regrets. My son is now Y1

Do it. I did and no regrets. My son is now Y1

Did you have any specific reasons for doing the deferral?

You really do need to base you decision on your child. Is she drawn to children slightly older or younger than herself. Is she keeping up with the nursery / preschool stage which is much easier to do if she is in nursery.

Neither of these are good reasons for deferral.

I’m going to contact the Educational Department of my Local Authority today and get clear guidance on the processes.

@ThornAmongstRoses I would apply for the coming year, whilst checking the local delaying procedure and the opinion of all schools you would apply to. You then don't have to make a final decision until offers (although wouldn't delay after that as it's not fair on anyone on a waiting list).

I think of primary importance is getting the local school to confirm they won't assume your DD to skip a year later (you may have a fight with secondary, but it's nothing to do with the primary school).

I have a summer born very late august and thought about delaying but didn't. Part of me regrets this she has struggled academically and socially since the beginning. She has now caught up in most areas academically and is ahead in maths. But socially she often feels left out. She is still in primary I do wonder if its because she is younger of if that's just who she is. I also have a September born younger child who will be a year and a week older than her when when she starts school. If it was her starting I would be less concerned as her personality is different.

Gosh, feelings run so high on this topic!!

In Ireland children start at 4 or 5, totally the parents choice, and no big deal to anyone else. Dd1 was 5 and 3 months, DD2 was 5 and five months. It worked out great for us. The extra year made a big difference in their confidence and maturity. Both enjoyed school and made lovely friends that they are still friends with many years later.
As teenagers, I am really glad they are at the older end of their friendship groups. They are under less pressure and get to do things in their own time rather than because all the friends are doing it already. So later to experience discos, drinking, etc.

@ThornAmongstRoses

I’m going to contact the Educational Department of my Local Authority today and get clear guidance on the processes.

Be careful though OP a lot of local authorities don’t actually know the correct process!

Gosh, feelings run so high on this topic!!
In Ireland children start at 4 or 5, totally the parents choice, and no big deal to anyone else.

It wasn’t until I started this thread that I realised how split people’s opinions are.

After hearing about Scotland’s statistics and procedures, and now yours, I wonder why deferral is such a big issue in England?

Maybe because it’s just not the ‘done thing’?

@ThornAmongstRoses

*Gosh, feelings run so high on this topic!! In Ireland children start at 4 or 5, totally the parents choice, and no big deal to anyone else.*

It wasn’t until I started this thread that I realised how split people’s opinions are.

After hearing about Scotland’s statistics and procedures, and now yours, I wonder why deferral is such a big issue in England?

Maybe because it’s just not the ‘done thing’?

I think this is it. One does not simply challenge the status quo. Rather, one should adopt a stiff upper lip about any disadvantages life throws at you.

Yes, it's not a big deal here in Canada either. I fact often they give parents a list of school readiness signs and suggest they consider deferring if they haven't met most of them. They tend to be things like getting their own shoes and coat on, following directions, napping, some coordination related things, etc

What age do they start going to school in Canada?

@ThornAmongstRoses

What age do they start going to school in Canada?

Education is provincial so i varies somewhat, but generally, they start primary (reception) the year they turn five. Usually they have to be five by about Christmas, though it used to be by about Halloween. It's been pushed back in many places. It also used to be a half day, went to being a full day but not as long as older students, and now in most places they go as long as other primary school kids.

A lot of systems also have a pre-primary program now, which starts the year before.

Pre-primary programs are always optional, so kids who don't go just enter into Primary. Technically in some places primary is also optional though most parents don't realise that.

It's funny, because primary was originally envisaged as a gentle part day play based introduction to school, before kids got to start academic work in grade 1. Now people are seeing pre-primary in much the same way, and seem to be seeing it as necessary to do well in primary.

In Australia, children do not have to start school till the year they turn 7. January is the start of the school year here. Four year olds are not ready for formal schooling in my opinion and most experts think the same. Why do children have to give up their free play so early?
Children are so different: some will thrive, or at least survive, if they start at just 4, others will endure a poor beginning and never catch up. Their self esteem could be damaged for ever. Is it worth the risk?

Four year olds are not ready for formal schooling in my opinion and most experts think the same.
4 year olds dont have formal schooling in the UK. Reception is playbased

Argh. Reception isn't formal schooling. It is part of the Early Years Foundation Stage and continues the curriculum taught in nurseries. KS1 starts in Year 1.

4 year olds dont have formal schooling in the UK. Reception is playbased

True, but they are still learning their phonics and learning to read and write - and that may be too much for some children who have only just turned four.

That will already be happening, OP - if your childminder is following the early years framework your DD is already being encouraged to develop her phonic awareness and to begin mark-making. Learning to read and write doesn't mean being chained to a desk. You might like to read the statutory framework for the EYFS to see just how informal the learning experience is for the child.

@ThornAmongstRoses

4 year olds dont have formal schooling in the UK. Reception is playbased

True, but they are still learning their phonics and learning to read and write - and that may be too much for some children who have only just turned four.

My DC started jolly Phonics in preschool, it was singing songs and colouring in and copying words and learning to write their name, they were just 3 and 4 at the time.

OP my August born son went to school at just turned 4 and he could not even identify his name written down a few weeks earlier when he left nursery. He had absolutely no issues picking up phonics and learning to read and write.

I know that this anecdote does not mean much on its own but as others have said on this thread, it demonstrates that you should be thinking about your child specifically and not about the statistics.

That will already be happening, OP - if your childminder is following the early years framework your DD is already being encouraged to develop her phonic awareness and to begin mark-making. Learning to read and write doesn't mean being chained to a desk. You might like to read the statutory framework for the EYFS to see just how informal the learning experience is for the child

I have an older child, whose phonic lessons I went to on many times in Reception (the school invite the parents to attend) so I know what type of teaching they do in Reception in terms of phonic work and reading.

It’s not a big deal either way really, totally up to you. My DD turned four a couple of weeks before she started reception but it’s honestly never held her back, she’s always thrived and is academically very capable.