When will September born start school?

[Boomerpup]

Hi I need help to figure this out please!
my son was born on 4th September 2023, will he start school the September after he’s 5 (the cut off is 31st august) or can he start in the January after his 4th birthday? Thanks!

The year they turn 5 so September 2028.

He will start around his 5th birthday.

In England he would start September 2028, the September after he turns 4 (although he'll actually be just five when he starts)

Thanks everyone, is it possible for him to start in the January of 2028 when he’s 4? I did this when I was a child but wasn’t sure if winter term starts were still a thing? My 4 year old is thriving at school and he will be beyond ready if he’s anything like her!

No, they can't start early now.

In short, no. He'll only be 3 on 31st August 2027 which as you've highlighted is the cut off date.

Can'comment nt for private school but in state sector he will not be eligible for a school place until Sept 2028.

If in England he could start in the nursery class if a school has one.
Some schools only do September intake so he could go in September 2027 or in the January if they take starters through the year.
School based nursery classes are quite similar in the set up to Reception although it's usually just 3 hours a day (so 9 - 12 for example).
Remember though - being in the nursery class in a school doesn't always guarantee you will get a Reception place there.

I started school in January but it was because I was summer born so I was 4.5 when I started. September born would still have started in the September when they turned 5. It's definitely not a thing any more where I grew up and I've not heard of it anywhere else - there seems to be much more of a push to kids starting later (certainly in Scotland where I am now and where the cut offs are different).

My DD has an early September birthday; she started school the September shortly after she turned 5. Staggered starts aren’t really a thing anymore. Possibly for Summer Born children, but not for September born children.
DD would have been fine starting when she was 4, but the extra year of nursery & being the oldest in her year is a huge benefit.

He’s a baby, you can’t know, and truly I doubt he would be ‘beyond ready’ so young. I do get it though as I have a boy who will be just 5 when he starts. The next year is going to be interesting as all his mates at nursery will start school so I’m probably going to have to get him into a different one with more of a separate pre school bit where they’ll hopefully do a bit more with him.

I will say that with a lot of boys, developmentally and physically they might be ready but a lot of the time they are still emotionally all over the place.

I’ve known September birthdays start a year earlier in private sector, but unlikely mid year. Not in state schools though.

No, that’s not possible.

No because you started in your normal cohort so four moths later than normal not earlier. Also why on earth would you want him. Being the oldest in the year has so many benefits.

If school have an attached nursery that takes 'Early entitlement' he can start in the January after he turns 3. He will have 2 terms of that, then can start regular school nursery as he turns 4. He will start reception as he turns 5.

My daughter has an end of August birthday. All through daycare nursery she was in the same group as 2 other girls who were about a week younger than her. They left the nursery and went to the same primary school at the same time - DD went into reception whereas the others started school nursery.

In the plus side, your DC won't have to watch all his friends hitting milestones like being able to learn to drive / go out drinking, knowing he can't join them. If he goes to uni, you will have him at home for an extra year 1st.

Why will be be at home an extra year if he goes to uni? Surely that 'extra year's is at the start of his school life, not the end?

https://www.schoolguide.co.uk/when-does-my-child-start-school-calculator/england/01-01-2027

September he turns 5. The January will be pre-school. Can't start proper school as wrong year group, school year is September to August.

He will start in September he is 5.

There is an extra year at home before starting school - but it has a knock on effect.

An end of August child could start uni they are likely to be 18 and a few weeks.

A September born child will be turning (or just turned) 19 when they start uni. So they will have had an extra year at home.

I am very much feeling this at the moment, knowing DD might be moving out in 5/6 months!

I had an September 1st baby who hturns 18 this year. I have much preferred this to her her Sister who was a late August baby. It's been generally less complicated.

Yes, I know that. But the extra year comes at the start of their school life, not the end! The post was written as if they somehow stay at home for a year before uni: "If he goes to uni, you will have him at home for an extra year 1st."

No, you'll have him home an extra year when he's 4.

I have a DS born on 2nd September, he started school 3 days after he turned 5.

The staggered starts throughout the year that they used to do meant that you started school older than how it is now with everyone starting in September (except for the september to December birthdays who would always have started in September).

My oldest 4 children all started reception when they still did 3 intakes a year, my eldest is end of August birthday and started reception at the beginning of the summer term, aged 4 and 8 months, whereas now he’d start a few days after turning 4. My 4th and 5th children are less than year apart, both July birthdays and actually started reception a term apart as that was when they changed to just one intake a year in September, so my DS started beginning of summer term and my DD started beginning of autumn term 4 months later!

Not that it really matters, because you clearly know what I mean.

A September born child going to uni is likely to go at 19. An August born child doing the same is likely to go at 18. So they will be living at home for an extra year.

I am saying this as a mum with a nearly 18 year old, who would love her to be at home for an extra year before she goes.

I can't quite believe I'm writing this, and not sure if you're being obtuse but...

You don't get the 'extra year' when they're 18/19! You had that extra year (or not, in your case) when they were 4/5.

The August born child went to school at only just turned 4, therefore 4 years at home. The September born child went to school at 5 (or very nearly 5), therefore 5 years at home - the extra year. This extra year happens at the start of their school life, not the end, so I can't work out why you're stating that 19 year olds get an extra year, and you wish you had another year with your 18 year old. (I get it in terms of you not wanting them to leave home, but the comparison to an extra year at 18/19 literally makes no sense whatsover). If your child was an August 4 and you were saying you wish you had an extra year at 4/5, it would make sense.