Not to send my child to reception year?

[IzzyPopp]

It is not compulsory in this country to start primary school until 5 year old (I find even that is early) but children even start at the age of 4 in reception.

How important is the reception and what is taught, given it is not compulsory to start until the child turns 5.

And then once the child turns 5 they must start the term after their fifth birthday, not in the following September after they turned 5, which is the beginning of school year. What is taught in that year given it is ok for the child to miss the beginning of that school year?

Do people in general send their kids to reception at 4 or do they wait till 5? Or does it vary quite a bit?

And those who mention lockdown reception are right.
My. Older DD was in nursery then reception through lockdown.
There was a marked difference between those who had been in school and those who only saw the teacher for 20 minutes at the start of each day but then once lockdown was over were expected to just settle back into school as if they hadn't had a huge unsettled break in the middle.
The numerous isolations didn't help either where a whole group was sent home to isolate because one of their group members had fallen ill.

I don’t think it’s hugely comparable to Europe in all honesty. My sister lives in a European country where children legally attend school from aged 6. Her experience with both her children is that school starts and it’s highly academic with huge expectations for the children at that age. They can’t do the basics - as preschool is play based and school expect them to reach a high standard v quickly.
Yes the legal school age is younger here, however the build up is gradual, it’s play based in reception but both mine came on leaps and bounds, year 1 is 50/50 play and learning and the push isn’t massive

They learn correct pencil grip, fine motor skills, social skills, become independent and how to sit listen and learn. More importantly they learn phonics, the basis of their reading and writing skills, if they miss it, they will be behind once they start.

Is your child in year 3 or year 4? Just interested as my daughter is year 3, so did miss parts of Reception for 2nd lock down, but possibly not as much as year 4 children.
Luckily their infants school was incredibly committed to rebuilding their social skills and resilience, gave them a really rounded experience, couldn't have asked for more. But even with all that, my oldests class was definitely behind her sisters (currently in reception) in social skills, and academics, despite oldest being September baby and youngest summer born. So I can really see the value of the Reception year in building those bonds and social skills. Friendships are really solid already and much harder to come in later. The amount of learning also can't be underestimated, her progress has been far beyond anything we expected from our youngest. Maybe delayed start if August baby so doing reception late, but skip it - not a chance

DD has taught reception and yr1 and says that children would be at a big disadvantage missing reception as that’s the year they learn how to “be” and behave etc at school and obviously is largely play based. Year 1 is straight into full lessons for a large part of the day. She is also of the opinion that the year struggling the most at primary now are the year that missed reception due to covid. Think it’s year 3 ?

I can only speak from my own experience. In 1973 I started school at 4 and 1/4. I wasn't due until I was almost 5 but the headmaster told my dad to start me. I was shy, hated being away from mum and although I am intelligent, those extra months gave me time to adjust to school, to enjoy learning to socialise and develop quicker than being at home.

Children usually love Reception, even those that are younger in their year. It is a fun, mostly play-based year in which they learn school routines and important social skills. Most children do indeed start at age 4 and the setting is designed for this age. You could probably teach a child the academic part of the Reception curriculum at home, but it would be much harder to replicate the range of interesting resources, fun with other children in the playground, nativity plays and parties.

Haven't read the thread, just page 1 and your posts OP but wanted to add - I sent my daughter to school only when compulsory, so she went straight into year 1, did an extra year at nursery instead of reception.

This was because although able academically, she was very shy and clingy to me. It took her a long time to settle into her small, very nurturing nursery and I didn't want her to have to start over so soon when she was only 4 (she only started nursery at 3, when the free hours kicked in).

I also just generally think 4 is too young for school, with school the way it is now- lots of assessment, lots of focus on progress, strict bloody uniform and full time. DD only did 15 hours at nursery so 2.5 days and I decided that was enough till she was 5.

The school I chose is very small, so class 1 has reception, year 1 and year 2 kids all together I.e. infants. They do do some different activities with the reception kids and separate them a bit but they're also together a lot. Because of this reception is a bit less play based than in larger schools. Also I figured it wouldn't matter so much her joining the class a year late when others would be joining it too, and I was right about that. Socially, she's been absolutely fine. Her nursery was fully on board with keeping her and her keyworker (an ex primary teacher) started her on phonics etc.
Academically, she was caught up to her peers completely by Easter of year 1. Her teacher at parents evening said she had been so behind when she started that she was worried but she had no problems catching up. How much of an extra headache she caused the teacher by being behind I don't know, but I don't feel too bad about it. I am confident we made absolutely the right decision for her.

Caveat the above by saying that she was 4 in 2020, so her peers missed more than her in some ways - nurseries reopened when schools were closed, so she may not have caught up as quickly if they hadn't been behind themselves. But, I'm confident enough in how it's worked out that I'm planning the same for my son this year - he's 4 now and I've got the school place for September but I won't be sending him until he's 5. For him it's less about shyness and more about his physical needs - he is small for his age and utterly exhausted after a day at nursery and he only does 2.5 days there. 5 days is too much for him at his age in my opinion.

So tl;Dr- it can work!

Year 4 cohort, we had done phonics at home during pre school year so it was easy to keep going with academic stuff during lockdowns but socially it was very hard. Those just forming friendships stopped and even now the children tend to be friends with the children of their parents friends. I do know that when they got into yr 2 there was a huge push to catch up for SATs.

I thought you could only defer if your child is summer born i.e April - August? If your child's birthday is in March, wouldn't the expectation be to start school in the September? I could be wrong though.

I'm sure your child will cope ok, most will be tired when they first start, but it soon passes.

You have to factor in that a preschool or nursery can and quite often say no to keep children after 4 if they're school age. It really depends on the circumstances but kids do make quite firm friends and I'd say reception does matter. Some people keep a summer born child back but that has implications, it's ok when you're 6 in a class with 4 year olds but not so when you're 12 in a class with 10 year olds

You can only defer a summer born I.e. let them start reception the September after they turn 5 and only with the permission of the school (they are supposed to consider each case on its merits but ime most just don't consider it) but you can delay a start in reception year for any 4 year old. You apply at the normal time but tell the school you won't be taking up the place until they're 5.

Or still stuck in school doing your A-Levels when you're 19. It's only been the last few years that significant numbers of Summer-born children have been held back a year. Though I appreciate that there are probably a few children that really need this, I do wonder how some of them will feel when they are older than anyone else in primary school and the rest of their age cohort have left for secondary.

Same. She’s loving the learning process! She’s learned substantial amounts from Sept, she turns 5 next week.

Aahhh, this is bringing me to the same point. I think kids here start so early. I fully appreciate skipping reception is not a good idea given what is thought there. But we live for soooo long, why the need to ‘force’ kids to formally learn from such an early age. Also appreciate what people are saying about it being play mainly and some children will find it easier than others.

But of course if everyone does it you don’t want your kid to be the outsider.

Why wouldn’t you-it’s free. It’s not about learning stuff, more about socialising, learning to sit and listen etc

Yep, used for childcare.

I deferred my summer born twins starting reception as they would have only just turned 4.

They started the month after their 5th birthday. They have thrived in reception. They are doing brilliantly with their reading and writing and have really come out of their shells.

Reception is so important. Please don't skip it for your childs sake!

Just a slightly diff take on this. My DD wasn’t able to start uk primary school until half way through year 1 and then covid struck and she was back out and didn’t return to school when every one else did until and missed year 2. She then went back in to school year 3.
she is now working at the same level as her peers and with no issues.

My DC is born in March, so if they turn 4 in March 2026 they would start reception in September 2026. Or alternatively, when they turn 5 in March 2027 they must start school the term after Easter in 2027 which would be reception and then they would start in year 1 in September 2027? Are those the options?

@IzzyPopp Pretty much yes. Bear in mind even if nursery/preschool accept them for the extra terms they would follow the same EYFS curriculum just not in a school environment and with younger children. Unless your dc has additional meeds a delay due to being young in the year is difficult ti argue, A March birthday is right in the middle, Comparison to other systems is a red-herring as some other countries have compulsory nursery/kindergarten attendance before formal school.

Reception year is the most fun year...it's all play based and very important as the children learn to interact with each other and start their phonics...I don't know a single child who jumped this year. I know one who repeated reception as was young in the year.

I wanted to send my youngest DD after easter as she is summer born, but the school said I would lose her school place because they had a big waiting list. (oversubscribed village primary). I sent her at just turned 4, but I do wish I hadn’t and had waited until the January at least, as she did struggle for the first two terms. Same school “corrected” her left handedness by insisting she wrote with her right hand (she naturally used her right hand for scissors and her left for writing and drawing, so the teacher thought it was a good idea to correct it 🙄) leading to a lifetime of struggling with her handwriting. It really depends on the child though- my eldest was more than ready for school at the same age.

I know it must seem so strange when it's not the system you're used to. You'll see yourself when you get there, there's nothing forced about it - they pretty much all LOVE school at this age. It's so lovely to see them all running in every morning, all full of smiles and happiness.

My eldest was reluctant to do any reading etc at home, I spoke to the teacher who was adamant we shouldn't force it or make a big deal of it. She was happy and settled at school and progressing well in the classroom so that was what they wanted.

It's all about good foundations, socially and academically, but they have a ball in the process.

Also, my eldest is April born and she was definitely ready for something more than the nursery environment by the September she was 4.5.

I think what I missed from saying on here is that reception is so important because we do most of this during play!! My reception children sit down on the carpet to do work for a grand total of 1 hour a day. And not in one go either - it’s split up and bookends their play. We do phonics first thing for 20 mins and then they play for 2 and a half hours then a quick maths before lunch. The rest of their learning is in play!!

I understand what you’re saying and in countries that start later it works well. But if your child is joining our education system, to miss any of it would be to the detriment of your child.

I shall be sending my firstborn to reception in the September same year she turns 4 now I understand better how it all works.

My second is born in December so will be naturally a bit older anyway.

What I couldn’t understand is how can a child be able to join somewhere throughout the year based on the government website. Such as my DC born in March could join the reception for the last term only after they turned 5 and then off to year 1 in September of the same year. If it leaves the children behind why are they able to miss. Having said that I understand from the comments that schools don’t really like doing it.

I also find myself guilty of jumping on the few less positive experiences some people mentioned here, purely because of my negative view of such an early start in school….

And completely hear the point people raised about the DC being quite a lot older in comparison to their peers later down the road….