School full time at 4

[Holeymoleyy]

My DC turns 4 at the end of July. I received the letter a few months ago and applied for her school place. The offer came back and it says she is to start school full time from the 6th September. There didn’t seem to be any option of part time

She currently goes to nursery, who are not able to keep any children on who turn 4 before the start of September term and they were encouraging all parents to apply for a school place

She is very bright and sociable and her confidence has grown a lot since going to nursery so I have no worries there. I just hope that I’m doing the right thing. Any opinions appreciated?

If you're in UK 3yo funded hours surely make the month of birth irrelevant ?

My summer born will be going part time untill 5. I don’t care about anyone else’s opinions , the classes are huge - 30 kids and my child doesn’t like big groups quite shy with new people. I just think they’re too little.

You do have the option of part time, it should of been in your paper work from the LA it’s your legal right untill age 5

No, I’m financially (and mentally) unable to. Now at a specialist school tbat I don’t think is right either but I really didn’t have much choice and was already at risk of losing my job over all the time off.
I don’t think formal learning should start until 6/7 personally. I don’t think there’s many children that are ‘better off’ starting sooner. It should all be child led and play based.
Unfortunately most have to conform and we as parent have to help them do so.

My nearly 16 yr old dd has just finished her GCSE'S . She's a late July birthday and has academically done very well, top set etc
Socially she has struggled a little but I think that's more due to covid than age, and her introverted personality. I am suggesting a year out pre uni so far that's a no from her through. I'd try it an see. I think you will have age issues what ever you do.

This.

My daughter has been more than full time (7.45 - 4.30) at a school nursery since she was just 3 (august baby). She will be the same at school from the first day because that's what she's used to.
I actually called them today and asked to bypass all the half day piffle and they said yes thank god!

The first few weeks might have a lot of danger naps but she'll get used to it in time.

My DC is august born & starting full time.i think she'll love it.

My daughter was 5 at the beginning of June, she could have started reception last September at 4 years 3 months, but I chose to delay her reception start to compulsory school age, and she's starting reception this September at 5 years 3 months. There is SUCH a difference in her this year compared to last, she's ready to thrive this year whereas I'd have been stressed about her starting last year. She wasn't emotionally or physically ready at just turned 4.

I'm an august birthday, didn't do me any harm. Your teenage child may resent you if you hold them back, imagine realising you could have finished school???

That's how it was when I went to school. It was the norm. Turned 4 in May, started school in September.

Totally incorrect.

It's going to be different for every child.

DS was an Aug 2019 baby, but had been due October 2019 (he was almost 7 weeks early). Given his original due date and how he is socially/emotionally we've delayed his start. He'll be starting school in Reception in 2024 (like he should have if he'd been born even a couple of days later).

Personally I wouldn't start a child part time, they'll miss too much of the curriculum. However as some have mentioned you don't legally need to start them full time until the term after they've turned 5 which is when they hit compulsory school age. You could still delay if you really feel you need to. I'd be surprised if the nursery really can't keep kids past 4. That would mean all the September kids get kicked out too..? It's quite common that childcare providers think they can't keep delayed summer borns, until you point out they're no different to the September born kids.

My son is August born so was only just 4 when he went to school. He was absolutely fine, but it does depend on the child. I do know others who started part time.

Alternatively, as a summer birthday myself, imagine not being the last of your friends to be old enough to drive, drink, be allowed into venues etc. Imagine actually being 18 upon finishing a-levels and being able to celebrate in the same way as the majority of your friends and classmates.

There’s pros and cons.

We could go back to the bad old days of a reception intake each term so the younger ones would be plunged into a class where ten would have been there since September an additional ten would have started in January having done well in a small class with the younger ones starting in late April having to break into established friendship groups and older children knowing the system. Then a few weeks later moving up to the formal setting of year 1.

DD is an August baby and just finishing Y3 now. She was at f/t nursery from 11 months so didn’t find it difficult at all, she has loved school.

DS was 4 in May and starts in September. He’s also been in f/t nursery since age 1 and I don’t think he’ll struggle with the long days. He is far less able to listen than dd is though so may find that aspect hard.

DS school has fluid indoor/outdoor early years classes to allow them free flow throughout the day which is great.

DD1 will be 5 at the end of this month, so started school last year having turned 4 at the end of July. She found the first term hard at times in terms of stamina (she'd come home really tired), but coped socially and academically really well. Her stamina improved every term, and she's thrived this year. Being one of the youngest doesn't necessarily mean they'll struggle a lot.

Someone else said this and i asked them to post a link to the updated info? My council website still saying that when moving to secondary they have no obligation to keep them in the same year group? Or when moving schools.

Have you not heard of fake ID? 😆

My son was born end of July. He was really ready for school at 4, and already spent three full days in daycare. Transition was easy and he loved it (reception is great - he didn't enjoy the years he had to actually do proper work)!
If she's bright and sociable she sounds ready to me.

My son is 31st august so born on the cut off day. He started school 2 days after he turned 4. He's now well over 6 foot and academically thriving. I'm glad I didn't hold him back but of course you worry it's only natural.

Deferral is really common in Scotland for winter-born babies (which I guess is our equivalent of English summer babies. Latest figures show about 45% of January and February babies are deferred so they are 5.5 when they start v 4.5 (and we are doing that with DD, who is a Feb baby).

But England seems to have a very different philosophy about deferral generally, which I learned on a similar thread recently, and attitudes seem totally different, as deferral here is generally seen as a positive thing, not a 'holding your child back' thing.

My youngest daughter born in May, was part time for reception. She used to have Wednesdays off. This was due to health reasons

My youngest son who was born in June, was full time right from the start. He is the youngest of 4 so has always wanted to be with his siblings

...and it's often the lack of maturity, especially emotionally, that can hold a child back from progressing at school. WE delayed our July-born DD and she started Reception seven weeks after her 5th birthday last Sept. She is bright, confident with spadeloads of sass... but she does not have the maturity to handle it all.

It was absolutely the right thing for her, had she gone in 2022, it would not have gone well. As it is, we have had emotional/maturity issues this year, and there may be some ADHD type of thing going on, but that will take a long time to sort out. I hate to think how Year 1 would have gone for her this year, had she been there.

Don't just think about academics when deciding if your child will be ready for school at 4 and a smidge.... emotional maturity plays a HUGE part, it really does.