Delaying school entry

[Jimmychoo2]

My Dc was born at 25 weeks and will be starting reception next September but I'm thinking of deferring. I feel like she will not be ready for the structure of a reception class. She has a speech delay and suspected ASD, we are waiting for a diagnose.
If we deferred for a year she would be in her right year group if not born prematurely.
Please let me know if you have done this and you feel its helped your child's development.

We decided against this as we had no medical issues and ultimately ours would have had to go to secondary school in his 'correct' year group so would have had to skip a year at some point.,
We're in South England, not sure it's the same everywhere

I wanted to for my August born but without additional reasons was denied.

I'd definitely delay in your situation without a second thought. It can only improve how she'll get on. With so much challenge already in her life why wouldn't you choose to give her an extra year to mature both emotionally but also those tiny bones needed for writing etc. All the studies say summerborns are disadvantaged and worse long term outcomes on average.

There's a Facebook group something like delayed start for summer borns with lots of good advice.

The skipping a year is something they say to scare you. They have to conclude it is in the child's best interest to skip the year. Clearly if being taught in the lower year this cannot be argued.

It’s not as simple as saying you want to defer and she start in reception the following year - the council ultimately decides if she starts in reception or year one if you defer. Have a really good read of your local policy on summer born children before you make a decision.

Yes we did this, although not for a premie. He's in y4 now and thriving. You always get a load of guff when this question is answered on here, (I went to school when before I was born and I'm ok Jack etc.) If you join the group 'Summer born children at school' on Facebook there is a mixture of people who did and didn't defer entry.

The group 'flexible school admissions for summer borns' group on Facebook is great for advice, especially about the how to go about it part.

I looked into this with my summer born dc (although I didn’t have the additional concerns that you do). Ultimately what put me off was that the schools local to us would have required them to go into their ‘correct’ year group the following September. Dc would effectively have had to skip reception all together, and start their education in year 1. It may be worth checking the policy in your area to ensure you’re fully informed.

We had a couple of children do this and stay at nursery with us an additional year. The parents had to send in supporting evidence as to why this would be beneficial for their children (both end of August and one also had SEN). They were accepted and started in reception with the following intake. It definitely benefited them, although the one without SEN was more than ready by then. In your circumstances I think you will have a good case to defer.

Ahhhhhh......these threads all go the wrong way...people kind heartedly write things that they believe to be true but aren't. Sometimes their information is out of date and sometimes they've spoken to teachers and headteachers who also don't know or understand the summer born legislation. Go and join the facebook mentioned above. We used the summer born legislation for our son with a development delay, it has been amazing for him. He had two years of nursery and by the time he started school he was ready!Nursery and school were in complete agreement it was right for him (although i know this isn't always the case, only you know him best!). He loves school and is doing well, somewhere between the middle and bottom of class. I also spoke to the local secondary schools who all said there was no way they would return him to his chronological year as this would not be in his best interests. The rules on next stage of education used to be more wooly but it's now alot clearer that they should remain in their adopted cohort. Please, please don't panic and believe everything you read on here!

As a KS1 teacher I would absolutely advocate for this. There is no child who will be harmed by being ‘more than ready’ for school. Lots of children really struggle as the youngest in the year, and it lasts through pretty much their whole school careers.

For the dc I’ve taught who have deferred, it has been such a positive decision for them. They have been able to flourish instead of struggle.

www.bliss.org.uk/research-campaigns/our-campaigns/delaying-school-entry

The above link is specifically for people with preemie babies

There can be no policy of “all deferred children must start in year 1”. Every case has to be decided on its own merits with reference to the guidance which is very clear about what councils must consider.

Someone at our school wanted to defer their twins as they were very early with development delays etc...
after an assessment the local education authority said no so I don't think it's a done deal
But definately contact them see what they say - it should be on a case by case basis

I have done this just recently. PM me if you'd like to chat. There are no additional needs on my child's part. It was just what was right for him. Please join the group "Flexible school admissions for summer borns" on Facebook. An absolute wealth of information and they will guide you through every step.

Thank you all for the replies I have discussed it with the nursery and her speech therapist. They all think this would be the best option for her.
I just don't know any parents who have personally done it.

Hi, I did a lot of research on this for my son and still wish now I'd don't it. He's in year 5 now.

I just got blocks everywhere as it was just before it was brought in officially. The headmaster and preschool teacher just said things to put me off, like the incorrect info on them having to skip a year at a later date.

My son is doing ok but has always felt behind others as though his intelligence is high he has struggled with written English. Also he calls the kids who are born at the start of the school year the "clever kids" and this is so sad.

I would definitely go ahead given your circumstances. I really regret it.

On the other hand it's fine for some kids. My niece was born at the end of August and started reception in 2020. She is super intelligent so it hasn't affected her at all. But I'd say in general delaying is better.

Its a stressful decision to make op but go with your gut. I regret not doing so

I’m in Scotland so our age cut off is 1st March so slightly different. My eldest went to school aged 4, she was a Christmas baby, worst thing I ever done, she always struggled. My twins weren’t due until April and were born end of February and I deferred their entry, best thing I ever done, I would rather they were more than ready than not quite ready.

Thank you for the reply, I do feel like delaying would be better for her in the long term. I have been second guessing myself because I don't know anybody who's done it.

Yes I’ve done it. DS is August born, not premature but due date was September. Didn’t feel he was ready for school at just turned 4 so delayed him to start reception at 5 instead. He’s now year 2 and it was the best decision we could have made.

There is a Facebook group called flexible Admission for summerborn children that is very knowledgable and can help you through the process

DC1 is summer born with ASD. We deferred for a year and it was the best decision for them. We were able to get an EHCP in place before the October half term in Reception and the school are nothing but accommodating when it comes to helping them feel comfortable enough to learn. DC is in Y1 now and, while there are still challenges, they are manageable in a way neither we not the school feel they would be had they stayed in their birth year group.

It's worth noting that there are lots of variations between councils and your experience will be shaped as a result of where you live. The council area we lived in when we applied for the deferral are known for not turning you down. We didn't know this at the time. Between the deferral application and Reception year starting we moved to a different council area - this one is notorious for not granting deferrals and made it clear they did not approve of us having been given a deferral and that they would have refused had we lived there.

It's a minefield, but absolutely worth taking on if you feel it's the right course for your DC.

Our twins were born at 27 weeks and we took the decision to defer them for a year. It was the best decision we could have made and worth all the fighting and meetings etc it took for it to happen.
Their nursery and school were very supportive but we had to fight the local authority to get permission for them to delay. We did this based on the fact that delaying them meant they were in with the cohort they would have been if they had not been premature. Our LA didn't have a policy in this so panicked under pressure in the end!
They are now 10 and so happy at school. They are still at the younger end of the school group socially but not so it matters. They are coping with work levels and living their best life. Their nursery key worker told me at the time that she had never had anyone defer and wish they hadn't but had seen lots of bot deferring and regretting it.
Good luck with what you decide, you know your child best!

If we deferred for a year she would be in her right year group if not born prematurely.

If you request deferred school entry, she will join her chronological cohort when she does start school. This has always been possible - compulsory school age is the beginning of the term after the school turns 5. Some schools may place the child in a different class but they remain as part of their chronological cohort and will most likely be returned to it at some point, particularly when they change schools.

What you are talking about is delayed school entry - this means she will start in Reception rather than Year 1 and remain with that cohort all the way through her school career.

Each Local Authority will have a policy on this, giving the criteria it uses to consider agreeing to the delayed school entry. Look yours up and then collect and submit the evidence you require for the relevant points.

If we deferred for a year she would be in her right year group if not born prematurely.

If you request deferred school entry, she will join her chronological cohort when she does start school. This has always been possible - compulsory school age is the beginning of the term after the child turns 5. Some schools may place the child in a different class but they remain as part of their chronological cohort and will most likely be returned to it at some point, particularly when they change schools.

What you are talking about is delayed school entry - this means she will start in Reception rather than Year 1 and remain with that cohort all the way through her school career.

Each Local Authority will have a policy on this, giving the criteria it uses to consider agreeing to the delayed school entry. Look yours up and then collect and submit the evidence you require for the relevant points.

DS best friend was similar - they had due dates 3 days apart in October but were born 2 months apart in August (best friend) and October (DS).

Because of the prematurity and the fact that he should have been in DS's year she said it was actually fairly straightforward because the headteacher agreed due to the circumstances

Speak to the school you want and start it. It was definitely the best call for him he fits in well and meets all targets

And bear in mind that school is only an option! You don't have to send her to school at all if you don't think it will be the right environment for her. The home ed community is awash with kids who have asd that have struggled in school but thrived without the trappings of school (lots of sitting still, waiting, following rules that can seem very arbitrary to any small kid).