Does anyone have a child going into Junior Infants this September?

[MayFayner]

And if so, what age are they?

DS2 is just turning 4 now and he’s due to start school this September. I got the offer of a place from the school this week but now I’m having a wobble, because I can’t imagine him being ready. He has a speech issue too.

But then I feel if I wait another year he’ll be 5y7m going in- is that pushing it?

He actually has another year of ecce to go so we have both options open.

Anyone else in the same boat?

Hi OP, my DS2 (now 11 years old, May birthday) had a severe speech delay,

When he started pre school he couldn't really talk at all, or even understand what was being said to him.

But in that year and in the reception year, he came on leaps and bounds and, with the help of speech therapy, now you wouldn't know at all. He didn't seem to struggle at all at school when he started, but we did have a very supportive school at the time.

I worried like anything before he started, though, so I do sympathise. Can you go and talk to the school, and see what support they can offer?

Hi pied thanks for that, I’m going back and forth on this one all the time so it’s great to hear from someone who has been through it.

On the one hand I think that the school environment might help his speech because his peers’ speech will be clearer, as opposed to him staying in the Montessori classroom for another year where some children are as young as 2.5.

On the other hand I worry that if his classmates in school can’t understand him that will affect him socially.

I'm in England so I know our systems are different but DTs are August born and were very prem so should technically be in the year below. They started school reception here, a few days after their fourth birthday,

In hindsight I wish we have fought to keep them back as they are struggling, no SEN as far as we are aware and have been screened for dyslexia etc but if tye were in the year below they would be at the top of the class but now they are floundering somewhere above the bottom.

I'd put him in at 5y 7mo without shadow of a doubt.

Thank you all so much this is really helping. I’m starting to think that I’d probably be mad to send him in Sept especially as he still has another ecce year to go.

coisfarriage I’m still waiting for the SLT report 😐 I took him to the drop-in last Spring, he got his assessment on 5th Dec. Then he had to go back for a second assessment a week later so that his speech could be recorded. I’m still waiting for the actual report from that.

Hi OP, I think I would wait until I had the SLT report and then go and see the school to discuss it. Maybe they could have him in for an afternoon or something in the summer term to see how he does(?)

Could you also talk to one of the speech therapists about it all and get their thoughts?

At the end of the day you know your child the best, though, so if you're really not sure then yes, have a serious think about delaying him.

I’d second chatting to the school about it - a lot depends on the school environment itself and the age profile of the class - if your son will be on the younger end of the class it may make sense to wait; if most of the kids will be younger than him maybe less so.

Re the school environment: I sent two of my sons at 4yrs 8 months - I was a bit worried about younger one as he was quite immature however I suspected he might enjoy JI more than Montessori as the teacher is quite relaxed and there was more variety than in the preschool, which was quite a strict old-style Montessori. This has actually proven to be the case, as my son has come on leaps and bounds since starting school.

If he stays in Montessori for another year it will be his third year there, as he started at 2.6. I guess that’s why I imagined he’d be moving on this September. But maybe it’s no bad thing.

Hopefully the SLT report comes in soon 🤞

That’s interesting cois I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone regretting waiting either.

pied I think the school will just recommended waiting if I’m not sure. There seems to be a push towards starting after 5 now, even though most schools allow children to start from 4y3m onwards.

Asa teacher and a parent I would wait for the SLT report before any decisions are made, I have never seen anyone regret holding on to them OP. My DS Starting in sept and he will be 5 starting. There’s no way on earth he was ready sept just gone!! On the other hand my DD was 4yr 5 months and very much ready!! Even though now sometimes I have niggles and wonder should I have held on to her??

The ONLY other option would be to start him and see how he gets on and then hold him back to repeat JNR INF again if you and the teachers felt it necessary...but I say that with a lot of hesitation.

I’d definitely wait. My ds will be 5 in March and starting junior infants in September. He’ll be 5.6 then. The last few months he has come on so much in confidence. I’d always planned to send him at 5 and a half but seeing the difference since this time last year has really shown me it was the right decision. With the 2 free years preschool most are 5 and over or very close to 5 starting now so if you send him this September he’ll be one of the youngest in his class, and if he has a language delay, with going from ratio of 1 to 11 in preschool, to 1 to up to 30, could have a hard time getting teachers attention or find it difficult to have the confidence to deal with the social and emotional aspect of school.

@Cacacoisfarraige I agree I am not a fan of repeating (that is why I said hesitantly) however we had a child stay back last year for many reasons and she thrived...but like I say I would be hesitant it doesn’t seem to happen that much any more.

I think you might regret sending him in September but you absolutely won't regret keeping him back a year.

My friend had this very dilemma with her February born child. After much deliberation she chose to keep him back and send him the following September and she says it's the best thing she ever did for him.

We are very lucky in Ireland to have this flexibility. It's generally far better to be one of the oldest in a class rather than the youngest.

You’re right drama. You are all right. I’m glad to hear of others going in at 5.6/7/8. DS1 is in junior infants this year (August born- there’s 18mo between them) and I have scoured the birthday list for his class to compare their ages. Most of them turned 5 within 6 months of starting, ie between the June and the Dec. So I wasn’t sure what was happening with the Spring-borns. Maybe they’re all in the other JI classes?🤔

cois That’s part of it- I had wanted him to move up with the others in his Montessori. There will be a few others going to the same school this year. But what can you do.

Thank you everyone, this has really helped me think. Of course I have my mother on the other side saying “He’ll be GRAND!” But she’s old-school 😂

My DS is an August baby and starting this September age 5. I am dreading it as he is hyper and wants to do his own thing all the time in Montessori .

Mine are older now but I kept them back and they all started at five and a half. It's is far better to be the oldest in the class, particularly when they get to secondary. My friend is a primary school principal and she always recommends to wait until over 5 particularly for boys.