Potential school starting age

[AntoinetteCosway]

I have asked about this on here before but I always get it wrong. Always

So please tell me, for a DC born mid September 2011...

They HAVE to go to school at the very latest in the term following their 5th birthday, which would be January 2016, right?

But they CAN go to school...when? I read about 4 year olds starting school-is it the same deal, term following 4th birthday? So January 2015? Or is it September following 4th birthday, so September 2015 (and then turn 5 a couple of weeks later)?

Oh fuckity, it would help if I got my own dates right.

Term after she turns 5 is January 2017, term after she turns 4 is January 2016 and September after 4th birthday is September 2015...or 16 as she turns 4 midway through Sep 2015?!

I have bloody A level Maths believe it or not.

She will be eligible for a reception place from the 1st September when she is 4.

So she will be eligible from September 2016 and must attend from January 2017.

Thank you! I am going to write this down somewhere so I never need to ask again

Children can start school at the beginning of the academic year in which they turn 5. The beginning of the academic year is 1st September. So your dd will start school September 2016 but you could defer until January 2017 if you wanted to. (Term after turning 5). School nurseries generally do the same for children who are 4 during the academic year.

Of course, she doesn't have to go to school at all - but she must be receiving education by January 2017.

If you want her to go to school you will need to apply for September 2016 (assuming England, the applications window will open in autumn 2015 and close in mid-January 2016). You then defer her place until January 2017 if you want. (If you don't apply in the normal round, you are left only with the 'choice' of schools with vacancies, and they might be ones you don't like, are a logistic nightmare, or require transport to get to).