Deferral of nursery and choices

[Babybrain26]

Our son is young for year so would be starting nursery at 3 years 4 months. He's not yet potty trained (although we have started) and I think Is a little sensitive/immature for his age. No sen concerns however thankfully. We do have the option of deferral and being a boy I feel like this could well benefit him in future years. I'm slightly concerned however for any stigma attached to deferring (unfair advantage as he could be up to 14 months older than his peers). I wouldn't want him singled out/picked on because of this.

If we do defer we have 2 options:

1. a pre pre playgroup (kids would be from 2 y 10months, no set curriculum to follow as such.

2. a private prep, he would be in his target year group (self funded) small class of 16 better hours and they follow the early years Curriculum. The only issue is they're ear marked for closure from September this year and would be amalgamating with another preschool, travelling to the new location would be a bit of a nightmare if the closure proceeds during this incoming term (awaiting it to be signed off atm by ea/local government).

Or if we don't defer he would just attend our (first choice) funded preschool. The teacher has offered to come out and visit him either at home or in his daycare to see how he is with his peers. I'm just not sure whether to go ahead with putting him in his target year group as I may regret not deferring, but as i say I wouldn't want him picked on for being deferred either. Any advice appreciated.

if we don't defer he would just attend our (first choice) funded preschool

No brainer as far as I can see.
Take him along to Nursery and see how he gets on.
Nursery staff are used to working with dc with a huge range of developmental levels.
Some (not all, but many) children blossom in Nursery, spending time with their peers. If he is one of the minority that doesn't, then the Nursery staff will have strategies to help, and, if his needs turned out to be significant, they can then start making referrals for more help.

You may like to consider joining the Flexible School Admissions for Summer Borns Facebook group regarding school admissions.

For nursery I think it doesn't matter so much. My DC did 4 terms of preschool instead of 3, so kind of a half-way house. She was already at the nursery since being a baby though. Went on to start reception at 5, is about to turn 6 and thriving.

My eldest son is currently in the nursery class of our local primary school (where he has a reception place for September.) He’s an end of July birthday and started nursery last September when he seemed like such a baby. He has really blossomed this year, socially and academically.

Obviously every child is different, but my advice would be to go with the funded preschool, especially as it’s your preference anyway. You’ve always got the option of deferring entry to school if you want/need to in a year’s time.

When I say (first choice) I just meant for funded preschools in the area. Unfortunately as well for a late deferral (deferral next year) it's a bit more difficult as the funded preschools wouldn't have space in our area and the prep wouldn't take him deferred, they would only accept him for p1, so our options for a late deferral are pretty much non existent which makes it trickier.

I spoke to the (funded) preschool teacher today about deferring to see what her thoughts were, tbh I got a bit of an attitude asking why I had I applied in the first place? ( I had been told by the daycare and the EA that I could apply and then withdraw right up until august if necessary) so I said I was wanting to see how he developed in the interim. She then asked about his potty training and suggested I get an appointment with the gp if he isn’t potty trained by July (he starts the preschool in September). She then went on to ask about our older son and said that the primary school we’d chosen was very academic (it’s attached to the preschool) and that she had taken her own son away from it. All in all she seemed annoyed because our older son had attended a different preschool (due to his possible asd which I explained). The meeting was strange and a bit off putting, but because it’s connected to the primary school I feel obliged now to putting him in there. The prep as I say could close at any point in the year. I could potentially beg the nursery they’re currently in for a pre school space but it’s not ideal given it’s location and they were quick to say he wouldn’t get a space as they weren’t named as first choice (they do still have spaces though).

I'd just send him and see how he gets on. I'd only consider it if a late Aug born