Did you know you can defer entry to reception for summer born children?

[Wonderstuff]

I didn't! I thought that if you deferred entry until they were 5 then you had to start them in year 1, but it seems advice has changed.

advice here

Very interesting. I work in a Pre-schol and I wasn't aware of this.

Not sure what to do about DS now, born 23 July. He's only just potty trained, school seems such a big jump. He wants to go, because he wants to be like his big sister, but I'm not sure, now I know it's an option..

I does look like entry to secondary could be an issue, I know at my secondary, the head was very jumpy about letting a child go back a year because he could technically leave at the end of year 11, but the raise in the compulsory leaving age should make it more straightforward.

Please please please say they build in some flexibility into the current system of madness.

To me it reads primarily for those with SENs or very premature babies. I would like to see more parental input for parents of all children as to when their child starts school.

Why this government can't (1)work more like the Scottish system and (2)defer formal school starting age until 6 or 7 is beyond me.

I can understand how you feel - DD (2) is an August baby and eligible for the Nursery Class at our local primary next September. Less than a month after she turns 3!

However, DS1 is a September born child, and there are also difficulties in being the oldest in the year. If we effectively 'put back' our summer borns then we are making them the eldest in the year.

I don't know the answer TBH - I suppose it depends on the individual child.

Sheep I don't think that 'school readiness' is pretty general and not just applicable to SEN looks like there aren't any barriers to schools admitting children to reception a year late.

Zombie that's the rub isn't it? My eldest is Nov born so one of the oldest. I think I'll have a chat with playgroup.

It's not illegal to put a child outside normal age cohort.

That does not mean your LEA or academy school will actually admit in those circumstances and they are not obliged to.

I know someone who has achieved this August born boy born at 34 weeks. It was really, really tough and was completely all consuming going through the process.

This guidance is dated July 2013, you'd hope it will be easier this year.

The note may have been issued earlier this year, it it's describing a situation a has been around for ages. It has never been illegal to place a child outside age cohort. Parents have always had the right to request admittance outside age cohort. But they have never had, and still do not have, a right to it.

Also the school does not have to keep the place open. This is far more commonly used in independent schools who can adjust classes. Mumsnetters seem to assume summer born children are all behind and not capable of school. Mine were both summer born and it would have been child abuse to keep them back from school. Every child is different but reception is not all about formal learning and it is best to visit the school before assuming a child cannot cope. Potty training, or lateness of it, is absolutely no guide to whether a child is intellectually and socially ready for school. dD 1 was 3 before she was potty trained and she got a place at Oxford and she was a late summer born.

The school cannot have to keep a normal-age-cohort reception place open.

If you apply for the following September, you will have to apply for entry at that time. It would not be illegal to place a child in Reception at at point, but as parents have only the right to request this (not the right to actually have it) it's not a guaranteed route. The usual policy and practice is to place children in their age cohort, and that would mean a new application to year 1, and you then only have the choice of schools with vacancies (and those might not be ones you would have preferred).

My daughter was born at the end of August (three weeks early). My understanding was that even if it could be agreed for her to start a year later, she would then have to go into Year 1 which I certainly didn't want as she'd have missed out on the whole class learning letters, sounds and reading together. She was fairly quiet (they get all sorts of personalities though) but certainly held her own with the class work.

Obviously every parent needs to do their best to prepare their child for primary school, but they are used to little ones having accidents, falling asleep, struggling with learning aspects, it's part of the territory.

This is no change to the previous position, just a clarification. If you defer for a full year it is up to the LA and school whether the child goes into Reception or Y1. Whilst it is illegal for them to have a blanket policy in most cases they will insist that the child goes into Y1. As others have said the school can't keep the place open for a full year so if your child does go into Y1 your choice of schools will be limited.

If your child is allowed into Reception a year late there may be a problem on transfer to secondary schools. Some will insist that the child goes straight into Y8, missing Y7 completely.

Reading posts on here it is obvious that many parents have the wrong idea about Reception. It is about learning through play and preparing the child for the more formal learning that starts in Y1. The curriculum followed in Reception is identical to that used in Nursery for that age group.

prh47bridge is quite right. The legislation has not changed and yes a blanket policy of a Y1 start at compulsory school age is unlawful.
The DfE has confirmed that it is the Governments view that there need be no exceptional reason or special need for a summer-born child to be admitted to reception rather than Y1 at compulsory school age and they are concerned about the number of admissions authorities that are advocating a Y1 start in this respect.