Child repeating reception what are the limitations for senior school?!

[mumtumtru]

Exactly that!

Our son got behind due to covid, didnt really get any preschool and as a result is currently repeating reception, he's now doing well, loves school and will be going up into year one in September. I'm not sure if he'll ever catch up to go into his correct year group later on, or if he'll stay in his current one. If he doesn't, are some of the independent senior schools 13-18 a bit funny about taking him, even though he may have got the appropriate grades/passed all the admissions stuff they now require children to do?!

Anyone have any insight would be grateful.

I think you'd have more flexibility with independent school. A girl in my daughter's year (13) has epilepsy and missed half of Y12 so repeated it, so is a year older than her cohort. And in our old school a boy left and then returned but was so behind entered a year below - no issues. He did play school sport with his age peers rather than class peers though.

I think you have to do the 11+ as for your actual age, so grammar schools would be out/take the exam whilst he's in year 5.
Sport you'll have to play with the year above.

That's reassuring, hes already in a independent prep but obviously concerned his choice of senior school might be limited because hes a year behind. I'm not sure if they get funny about that kind of thing or not. We're trying to get him into sport outside of school but hes not that fussed yet, hes just turned 6 so we do swimming after school and thats it so far. I'm keen to sign him up to kumon or some type of maths class as he enjoys numbers.

I guess it must depend what time of independent school you're going for?

Some are very open about wanting the best of the best, and their results reflect that, and entrance exams hard.

I guess if you are openly telling them that your son had to repeat a year (albeit his first one) /wasn't ready to go with his cohort, plus there wasn't a reason beyond a virus which effected everyone, then anecdotally that won't be the type of student they're after?

You need to take advice from the school smt as to which seniors may take out of year. Many 13+ entry schools pretest in year 6/7.

You need to talk to school. If it's the sort of school that needs exams, then he will need to sit them at the correct time. Non selective school may be more flexible. They may be thinking he is a more likely candidate for a non selective independent school, or state school so didn't discuss this or come up with a plan. I'm surprised they didn't bring this up with you. If you want him to sit exams, then you absolutely need to arrange a meeting with head to discuss how and when he will join his usual cohort.
I'd arrange tutoring ASAP and talk to them about him going back to his correct year group after Christmas or Easter, continuing tutoring if needed.

We are not interested in selective secondary's. We started him off at one of those not realizing it was that way (my sisters kids had gone there before it was taken over) and moved him within the first week. I'm not interested in tutoring him to death just to get him up into his correct year group when he's currently very happy in his current one and thriving. We could take that approach but if we did move him back up, he'll likely be near the bottom of the class which will really impact his confidence which has already taken a battering from having a bit of a shaky start to school life.

I am sorry, but I am a little confused. Why did he repeat reception? I assume all kids are/were in the same position. Covid shut schools for everyone. Is he summer born, so particularly young for his year? I think you will find schools that are fine with him being in a different year group and of course some that will not. I know someone in private who is in the year below and another the year above for their age group. Not all privates allow this, but it really depends on the circumstances. And your ds is young, he has plenty of time to catch up.

I wouldn't worry about it, you seem to have the right idea in my opinion re not tutoring/pushing. I have three grown up sons who all went to an independent grammar school. One was 12 the day he started just due to where his birthday was, youngest was 10 having skipped a year as he got a scholarship at the prep. None had tutoring and all were fine. Happy and healthy is all that matters 😀only minor detail was he wasn't 18 when all his friends were who were going out but fortunately he didn't really like drinking/nightclubs anyway but joined up with them when they went to the cinema or hiking. In his 30s now and still has a group of friends that he made at school so the age difference didn't affect his socialising either👌

Stare grammars don't necessarily require you to be in the 'right' year. In some areas you can take the 11+ out of year because it's age standardised, so you'll just be weighted against more heavily if your child is older than normal.

Remember, some parents of summer-born children delay their entry to reception by a year. So there will he others in the same boat. Just ask the schools.

If he’s already 6 then he’s not summer born! I have never heard of someone repeating reception, but yes I would imagine it will rule out some more academically focused schools. Is there SEN?

Independent secondaries are selective to a degree. Not all highly academically if that is what you mean. Early days though to make that assumption, unless additional needs are involved.

In state schools, if a child has deferred entry (appreciate this is slightly different) then they cannot be disadvantaged at secondary entry, that is DfE guidance. I would quote that if you had any issues. Deferred entry children take statutory assessments when the cohort they are being taught in take them - eg a y6 aged child in y5 isn't made to sit their sats prior to completing y6. The admissions code also outlines instances where children are educated outside their age cohort.

I would have a conversation with the schools you are interested in. Children are taught in different year groups for a number of reasons, medical needs, children moving from a different country where the system is different, or they need language support so would benefit from an extra year etc.

It will be fine. He can continue with his current cohort and access secondary when he is 12. We had two children and DC's primary who did this. One was super bright and a year younger than the cohort and one repeated a year so was older.

Re 11+ for state grammars - you can take the test with your cohort but you can only take it once (usually) so if you're young and take it at 10, you cannot try again at 11 for example. But if you want confirmation speak to your LA or specific schools.

Independent schools are very flexible IME.

Honestly, who cares why he’s had to repeat - it’s really none of our business. OP - I think you’ve answered your own question. You have to play the cards you’re dealt, and if your DS will only thrive academically by staying in his younger year, then that’s what happens. The rest will take care of itself.

Hi OP, is he summer born? Meaning is his birth month April-August? As there's lots of helpful info around for you if so, which should mean he shouldn't have to miss a year of schooling at any point.

Hi, yes he was born end of April so technically classified as summer born I guess. :)

Fab, that simplifies things. Shouldn't be an issue really but if you go out of the private sector you will need to apply to the admissions authority of whichever schools you're considering for permission for him to be educated out of cohort, before he's due to transfer to secondary school. You should do this when he is in year 4 I think? There is a Facebook group with some very knowledgeable people who can signpost for info etc, I think it's called 'summer born transfer to new stage of education' or something like that? If you can't find it, join/look at the one called 'flexible school admissions for summer born children' and the admins there can signpost you.

Thank you so much, this has been been really helpful! I've been a bit aghast at some of the comments which I'm sure are well meaning. No, my child doesn't have SEN, we've had assessement both via the NHS and privately, just didn't have any pre school due to everything being shut down for Covid. During that time my husband was still expected to go in for his job and I work in IT/tech industry so I work from home anyway and was expected to work. What spare time I did have (which wasnt much!) was spent trying to get up to starting school standard but that was few and far between. Just a slow developer I guess.

What did you have an assessment for?
It is hard to believe that a child who is so far behind that they need to repeat reception doesn't have SEND.

How is this message helpful to OP's question?

I’d have this taken down @mumtumtru - people are just being mean now

"Repeating reception" is just another way of saying "decided to hold back my summer-born child but I only made that decision after he started reception" really, there's no functional difference.

OP definitely look into the summer-born child communities, there's lots of evidence that it can be good for summer-born boys in particular who just need that extra year to get settled, nothing to do with SEN.