Repeating a school year - is it a thing?!

[OrlaPeely]

DS is a 1st August child. If we could have started him at school a year later we would have, but that wasn't an option.

He is now in Year 6, and due to go to high school in September.

The summer born difference has become more marked as he's got older. He is now completely exhausted by school and has very little resilience regarding anything else. It takes everything he has just to keep up with the work (and even then only just). There are at least 4 children in his class who are extremely disruptive and he doesn't have the reserves to ignore them.

He's had 2 blood tests by GP which haven't shown anything worrying physically, but he is so drained and looked exhausted. Despite medication he still wets the bed several times a week - this stops in holidays.

I'm confident that there is no direct bullying, but he is always using everything just to keep up with his peers.

I'm seriously worried for his mental health if he goes up to high school like this. He has actually said he would like to repeat the year if it were possible. He has 2 close friends but one of them will go to a different school.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Is repeating a year a thing in the UK? And what would the pitfalls that I haven't thought of be?

So sorry to read this. I think you can repeat a year. My DD did - in the independent sector - but her Head told me that there was now provision in the State sector to allow his. I'd

My DD is mid August and a had a significant speech delay. She had lots of SALT but was very shy and unsure of herself. It was the best thing we could have done for her. She is still shy, but holds her own character in amongst a very full on year group. She is very sporty and plays hockey for the county - she just plays with her original year group.

I wonder about a learning difficulty. My other DC is very dyslexic and had issues with energy. I did a course for parents at the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre and they said that children with learning difficulties are frequently tired to the point of exhaustion and seem listless. The effort that their minds (and bodies) put into school can be exhausting.

Echo others' comments to go back to the doctors and ask for a referral if nothing comes back. Plus eye test and talk to school about an assessment for learning issues. I would investigate everything at the same time and then you will hopefully rule things out / in. Then you can decide how best to help support her. Good luck

Summer born gaps don't widen, they close, this is something else.

My DD has processing difficulties. She always had to concentrate so hard in school she was exhausted afterwards.