To want to defer

[PineapplePrincess]

DS3 has a January birthday and as such could go to school at age 4 or 5. DH wants him to go next year, and a decision needs to be made in the next few weeks.

DS is largely non verbal. We are awaiting an autism assessment, have been for over a year.

If he were to go next year it would be likely be enhanced provision school as there is no way he would cope in mainstream given where he is now developmentally. A lot can change in a year, but it’s a complete unknown whether it will or at what pace.

I think we wait a year and see how things are. He’s happy and settled in nursery and we’d have extra info to base our decision on. DH seems to view deferment as ‘holding him back’ and wants him in a school environment early.

Anyone had any experience in this area? How have your kids developed? What would you do?

Yabu = school age 4
Yanbu = wait till 5

Defer, defer, defer! I don’t have experience with a non verbal child but have/will defer all my DC, both NT and ND. I know quite a few parents who didn’t defer who really regret it but nobody who has deferred that regrets it. It’s definitely not holding your child back - and if you look at the shift towards deferring autumn borns you can see that a winter born non-deferred child could be extremely young in the year.

Did you end up deferring?
In a similar position so reading a lot of old threads on the same topic.
My ds is not SEN but I know that getting a child with any additional needs in school can be positive as they can access supports sooner