To ask that people state age not school year when talking generally about children?

[clockover]

Please?

It would make things much easier for those of us who don't instantly know what Y4 etc is. I know how to convert it but I just think on a thread where it's not school related, but definitely age related, giving the child's age would be more appropriate.

Well no. This is a parenting site where the majority of posters are in the UK or have a a UK connection for a start.

If you have a gap in your knowledge it's best to try and learn the school years and ages rather than everyone else adjusting the way they post.

It would probably only take about ten minutes and you would only need to learn about four and then you could use that to work our the rest.

I agree. It's so much easier to just say the age. I have a child in Yr 1 now so I know Yr 1 means 5 or 6 but if someone says Yr 3 I still have to add 2 to my own reference point.

Yes it only takes a second to work out Yr 3 means 7 or 8 but it takes even less time for someone to just write 7 in the first place.

I agree it is much easier to say the age

I've got kids and it flummoxes me - I can't remember what year they are - I still say are you in sixth form so no you are not being unreasonable

I have a school age child but he's in an SEN school where they mix class ages, so I have no idea what Y4 means!

I totally agree with this. Sick of googling it.

I agree - it’s different in different parts of the U.K. and some historic schools have their own systems. Whereas age is the same everywhere, no confusion.

@GraceLace

Well no. This is a parenting site where the majority of posters are in the UK or have a a UK connection for a start.

If you have a gap in your knowledge it's best to try and learn the school years and ages rather than everyone else adjusting the way they post.

It would probably only take about ten minutes and you would only need to learn about four and then you could use that to work our the rest.

I'm in the UK

@GraceLace

Well no. This is a parenting site where the majority of posters are in the UK or have a a UK connection for a start.

If you have a gap in your knowledge it's best to try and learn the school years and ages rather than everyone else adjusting the way they post.

It would probably only take about ten minutes and you would only need to learn about four and then you could use that to work our the rest.

I'm in the UK and wouldn't know what "Y4" meant. Ages makes far more sense.

Unless by "UK" you mean "England and Wales"?

Grace This may be a UK site but the UK consists of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Scotland and Northern Ireland label their school years differently.
"Year 4" is different in NI and would be called P4 in Scotland but their cut off ages are different so I don't think the age group is completely the same.

I agree. I have to look it up if I am sufficiently interested.

I agree. I have no idea what year 13 is.

Honestly can't get over how rude that first reply was. I didn't think it was an unreasonable request either. There is no need to state what school year a child is in when talking about how much pocket money they get or what time they have to be at each evening.

I can’t get excited about people using year groups, instead of ages. It doesn’t take long to work out that Year 1 is 5-6, and Year 13 is 17-18.

Presumably most of us here went through this school system ourselves, if raised in England or Wales, and the Scottish system isn’t massively different, either. Surely we all remember what the school years mean from when we went to school ourselves?!

It depends. An 11 year old in year 6 is very different to an 11 year old in year 7 in many contexts (being allowed out alone, pocket money, bedtime etc.)

I think it depends what the post is about, so if it's related to school people often need the year to answer more usefully.

@careerchangeperhaps

It depends. An 11 year old in year 6 is very different to an 11 year old in year 7 in many contexts (being allowed out alone, pocket money, bedtime etc.)

I agree with this, it’s often relevant and valid.

@SachaStark2

I can’t get excited about people using year groups, instead of ages. It doesn’t take long to work out that Year 1 is 5-6, and Year 13 is 17-18.

Presumably most of us here went through this school system ourselves, if raised in England or Wales, and the Scottish system isn’t massively different, either. Surely we all remember what the school years mean from when we went to school ourselves?!

The point I was making is that the school years differ. So I don't instantly know what the English years are in age. I don't know why people would post a thread asking advice for something home related yet give a school year rather then an age. Even more puzzling is that people think this is a strange request!

It's interesting, though, because a year 5 child (9/10) will likely be treated differently than a year 6 child (10/11), even though they may b both be 10 at the time. There is a perceived maturity difference between 'almost going to secondary school' (young year 6 would still be 10 when they leave) and 'has another year in primary school' (old year 5 would be 10 part way through the year). So year group can make a difference.

@DietrichandDiMaggio

I think it depends what the post is about, so if it's related to school people often need the year to answer more usefully.

I literally acknowledged that in the OP.

I agree

For example, DD2 is year 10, which makes her sound quite mature, but she's an August birthday, so she'll only just be 15 going into year 11.

I don’t recall any threads talking about DCs that use ‘year 5’ etc unless it’s to do with school? I think that would be a bit weird. Surely most commonly people say “Dd10 and ds8” or whatever

@GraceLace

Well no. This is a parenting site where the majority of posters are in the UK or have a a UK connection for a start.

If you have a gap in your knowledge it's best to try and learn the school years and ages rather than everyone else adjusting the way they post.

It would probably only take about ten minutes and you would only need to learn about four and then you could use that to work our the rest.

Within the uk there are different school set ups Year 1 in England is different to primary 1 in Scotland. They often start at different ages. My daughter didn't start primary school til 5 and a half. Friends ds was 6 yet in England some start at 4 year and a few days. I do agree there are huge differences although if it's a specific schooling question the year will be relevant

Yes and aside from the cut off, Y4 and P4 are different in that it's a Y4 child's fifth year in school whereas a Scottish P4 is in their fourth year. I find it hard to know instantly what, say, Y10 is because in Scotland you start again counting from one when you go to high school (so the year after P7 is known as either S1 or first year etc). I say this as someone who now teaches primary in England!