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31st August born... Can I keep back a year? Thanks!

34 replies

SabsMatthews · 03/05/2017 15:30

:)

OP posts:
BarchesterFlowers · 04/05/2017 22:47

I had a June born baby due in September so born vv early, was in hospital until well after her due date. However, she started school the year before you could defer easily so started at just 4.

The first couple of years were slightly hard on her (she was very immature emotionally) but now in her final year she is absolutely flying academically I am vv pleased that we did not defer she would have been very bored indeed.

PatriciaHolm · 04/05/2017 23:39

Yep; absolutely, I apologise, i have that bit wrong, thanks to PRH for pointing it out. You have a right to part time education until your child reaches compulsory school age. My apologies.

Popkids · 06/05/2017 01:10

I'd recommend the flexible admissions for summerborns group on FB for more info on process. MN is generally not supportive of summerborn deferral. I'm starting my summerborn DC in reception at compulsory school age rather than at just 4. The demands of the formal curriculum in year 1 swung it for me. No way I wanted them to feel like they were failing or needing to catch up at such a young age. The evidence is also clear that while the gap narrows over time it's still evident at A-Level and there are long term effects on confidence and self esteem. All local secondary schools say they keep kids in their adopted cohort so nothing to lose for us.

HSMMaCM · 06/05/2017 09:31

DD is just taking her A levels. Her birthday is end of July. She has coped and kept up, but would have been far better off in the year below.

m0therofdragons · 06/05/2017 09:38

My dtds were due end of September but born 30 August. They started school 3 days after turning 4 and have been mostly fine. They are able to do the work but in reception got very tired so they didn't do any after school clubs and happily went to be at 6/6.30 on weekdays. Now in year 1 I still think it was the right thing for them but dtd1 would much rather play still but they are set to pass the phonics test and are achieving everything they need to. Only you know your dc and can make that decision. The head teacher did say I could have them part time for as long as they needed but they were happy after the 2.5 weeks part time period (and I would have had to take them back to collect dd1 so wouldn't really have rested them).

Daffydil · 06/05/2017 10:02

Holding back a year does depend on your LEA. Some (Hertfordshire) are really easy. Some are almost impossible with out some sort of SEN.

Anecdotes about how summer Irma were fine 30 years ago, some of my best friends at oxbridge were summerborns and didn't have a problem, my summerborn child is just fine etc etc aren't all that helpful.

Statistically, at a population level, summerborns in England are disadvantaged. There is no doubt about that. And that disadvantage persists throughout education. By the time you get to university it's small, only 1-2% difference. But it's still there.

And it's not all about academics either. Summerborns are statistically more likely to suffer from self esteem problems and depression. And summer born boys have far higher rates of ADHD diagnosis.

The flexible schooling for summer borns Facebook group is very useful, but be warned, it is heavily biased, and you can easily find yourself getting trapped down the "not deferring my summerborns is tantamount to child abuse" rabbit hole, which is also not that useful! Worth a look, but try and keep a balanced view.

Fwiw my DS is a summerborn, and is in reception with his cohort. That took an awful lot of handwringing and questioning and worrying. And I'm still not confident in my final choice for him.

Desperatelyseekinganame · 27/05/2017 01:44

Definitely look into Facebook summerborn group. They will explain law, next steps, process etc. I am starting my July born son at compulsory school age- September 2018. As the schools I was applying to are academies, I wrote letters to them setting out my rationale. I did not find the process too difficult or stressful. Honestly I think the parents doing this are early trail blazers and it will become very common in years to come!

FuckingDingDong · 04/06/2017 16:08

technically he would be 11 but the age runs from Sept 1st to Aug 31st, so he would be 12.
Technically? He would be either 11 or 12. If it's the day before his 11th birthday, he would be 11.

FuckingDingDong · 04/06/2017 16:08

12th I meant

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