At what age do children start school in the UK?

[Jzee]

Probably a very silly question, but it's all new.

legally they don't have to until the term after their 5th b'day but my edlest will start in the september after his 4th birthday

it depends on where you live - some schools take children at the beginning of the school year (1/09 - 30/08) following their 4th birthday, others in the term of their fifth birthday. This is for reception - for YR1 - when you are legally obliged to educate your child in some way - it's all 1 year later.

Jzee when is yr child 4? In our area it's one intake, so all the children start the following sept, even if they were only 4 in August.
Some LEAs have a January intake for the summer-born children. If not some will do half days for the first term for very young ones.
If you hold yr child back till the term after they are 5 then they wil probably miss reception which IMHO is not a good thing.
HTH

the legal situation is that you must educate your child from the term following their fifth birthday.

However once you look into it the actual practice is that children in this country start at four - because if they are kept back until the term following their fifth birthday, they go straight into year 1 not reception year. in other words they join a class who have already been at school together for a year. Most people don't want this for their kids so start them at four.

by the way it is not the law that you send your child to school - just that they be educated. This can be at home, you just have to let the local authority know.

Thats about all I know re the legalities.

If you go to your local council's web site, you should be able to find the information about schools intakes and admissions procedures.

Thanks everyone. The schools where I currently live in central London are terrible, and I'm just wondering how much time I have to move house.

how old is your child?

You need to apply for schools pretty much a year in advance. Our son starts in sept. this year, and our deadline for application form to be in was last November.

So there's not so much time as you might think! obviously check individual councils policies!

You need to check with your council as policies do vary. The children at our catchment area school start the term after they are 5.

gingernut where are you? That's quite unusual but probably a good idea!!

Berkshire. Not all schools round here have the same policy though.