not to push for ds to start school in sept?

[Poohbearsmom]

Ds1 will be 4 on sept 17 and dh thinks it would be good for him to start primary school in sept this year but i would 'prefer' him to start montessori n sept this year and big sch sept '11... We'v just moved to the area and im just doing all the enrolling forms etc and the sec did sound as though they might let him start this year if we pushed a little (didnt tell dh that ) i just feel he's not ready yet and that he'd be the little one but startin next year with a year of montessori under his belt would be better for him... so aibu not to push for him to start in sept altho its what dh really wants?

What country are you in saslou? The UK has a firm cut-off date with no choice about what academic year your child is in (although as mumbar has said you may have some choice about whether your child starts in September or later).

Actually when I say "UK" I only have experience of London, so it could well be different in other parts of the UK.

Actually thats my bad I was quoting for England It may be different in other UK countries. It is the standard in all English counties etc,

bran - I am in South Wales. I was talking about this to someone earlier today and they seemed to think I could send dd to school when she is 3.11 as she will turn 4 in oct of that year. I really wouldn't want to do this as I feel being closer to 5 is much better. My ds started school when he was just 4 (aug baby) and I do think it was too soon.

Thank you mumbar. I thought I knew, until I started talking to someone at school earlier

In Scotland you can't start school until you are at least 4y6m and can be a full year older without having to skip a year like you have to in England.

My oldest 2 dc were 5y6m when they started and I have never regretted it for a second. My dd2 was 4y9m and she seemed so young!

My DS was 4.03!! We live in England. Academically he is slightly 'behind' his peers which they put down to age but I do worry that eventually they'll expect him to catch up.

Noooooo, don't let him talk you into it!! There's nothing in it for your son at all ime and imo. Just 4 is so young for them to be in a formal classroom- just the staffing is so very different from nursery. Children's emotional development at this age is imo a lot more important than learning a few skills that everyone else will learn at some point anyway. I have three older children and a 27th of August baby, and with the experience I've gained from the older ones I'm already plotting how NOT to put my youngest in school when she's 4.

Have just looked it up for my area and it says they have to be in full time education in the term following 5th birthday, so I could start dd at 4.11 in Sept or wait until January. I think from what I have just read that I could start her at school in the previous Summer term if places were available, but I wouldn't want to

Thank you all for your excellent advice. Iv filled out my forms and have applied for a place for ds1 for sept '11 so he will turn 5 two weeks in which im happy about and have been ringing round and searching the web trying to find a good montessori for him for sept but most of them are fully booked and im now on a few waiting lists... They do have places in a few play schools but had been leaning more towards a montessori any advice would be great! Should i look further away to find a montessori or find a good play school close by or would he def get more benefit form a montessori?? Sorry im so clueless
Magely iv not used my free year yet and def want to use it! So that also lessens the amount of places i can choose from and thats why they are all booked up so early, cause so many ppl including myself who wouldnt have had the money to pay to send him privately can do it now... Which is fantastic like but agh how do i find a place!
Im happy wit my decision to start ds1 in school sept '11 but now im coming and going about ds2!! He's an april baby so will either be 4.5 or 5.5 so one of the youngest or one of the oldest... Iv filled out the form for sept '12 and gona put him down for his free year of pre school sept '11 but if he's not ready at 4.5 for big school i wouldnt be able to afford another year of pre school so im abit worried about him now what do ppl think would it be better to leave him till 5.5?? Dh def thinks he'l be well able for school at 4.5 esp after a year of pre school am i just being ott and wrapping in cotton wool? Will he be grand? Sorry for rambling! Thanks again for all the replies

Pooh, have you asked on rollercoaster.ie about nursery places in your area?

I was lucky, I didn't have to sort it all out, as my son is alrady at a 'special school' so I just got a form back saying 'please sign here so we can claim for the £64.50 from the gov on his behalf.

I know of two places in my area who are going to be taking pre-schoolers from september. Go on to RC and say where you are and you will probably get some helpful replies, specific to your neck of the woods!.

I don't know to be honest. Our first DC is due in August and I am already thinking about whether she should go to school so young!

is baby due at the end of august!? with any luck you will go overdue and baby be born on 1st sept.

I used to think that this would be a bad thing (when my kids were tiny and I was anxious to have them at school) but now i see the bigger picture. You are very long sighted to be seeing that bigger picture before your child is born?!

Are you a teacher? lol. Every time I chat to somebody who tells me that they had three children all born on the time of year proven to optimise a child's success at school, that person turns out to be a teacher!

oh. hang on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! mrsC. I'm Irish, so I was a bit slow there. but v funny

as a late summer baby Id say YANBU, I ended up failing a year anyway! I see you are sending later, good call

I mean, slow to get the political joke. not slow because i'm irish

I take it samcam's bump is due in august????

LOL @ Samcam

Really, I agree with everyone here who says to wait. I went to a private school which moved me up a year because I was academically ahead. Socially it wasn't ideal, especially towards the end of primary school.. when the other girls started thinking about boys and periods and bras, I was still dressing up my soft toys. I wouldn't recommend it.

pooh - I also have a ds born in April. He started school aged 4.5 and was fine. He is now 10 and has had no academic worries. I think starting at 5.5 would have been a bit late for him. Being 5 months past his 4th birthday made all the difference, when I compare to my younger ds who was just 4 when he started.

Thank Magely i took your advice and headed over to rollercoaster tis very good

i havent posted a question over there but was reading through threads tis funny to see there was a thread over there from a lady tryin to decide weather to send her easter baby to sch at 4 or 5 and the vast majority told her to hold dc back! Suppose its just diff in irl with kids startin that bit later but is a pain havin to struggle with the decision... Iv put ds2 down to start at 4.5 and do his year of pre school next year hope its the right decision as i wouldnt have the money to send him for two years of pre school some one advised me that a bigger pre school would be better for their confidence then a small one of only 8 kids which was the only monti near that has any places left.. Gotta keep lookin me thinks...
Thank you all the advice im very grateful xxx