Late July born - Reception holding back a year

[DDK88]

Hi Everyone.

i am new to this and looking for some advice.

My son was born last few days of July and he’s 4, currently in Reception, but is coming to the end of the year, however school have asked us our thoughts on keeping him back for a year. Over the last few months he’s developed a lot, his writing has improved and can hold his pencil a lot better, however he’s still behind the other children’s handwriting, they seem to have more control. My son apparently really tries and sometimes gets frustrated with himself, but he was also born with a tongue tie issue, we’ve had it seen to twice but now looking to go privately to get a laser treatment to ensure it doesn’t return a third time. he has had speech therapy and again over the last few months has improved massively, at the beginning for September he really struggled to come back home after school tell us about his day, now he can tell us what he did, where and even who with, he just struggles with the pronunciation. He has no behaviour issues, super empathic and got friends, and really good at maths, he’s a visual learner too.

i wanted to learn other people’s experiences if there is a benefit from keeping their child back a year and vice versa. As I have read lots of post on pros & cons. As I am told year 1 is a lot more academically focused instead of more playful in Reception.

Giving him that additional time to develop seems like a pro. But I am fighting with more the cons.

He would have to make new friends.
Would he need be in Year 1 to help him push himself and not later on be bored when he’s caught up.
He would be the oldest in his reception and then later on in life it might be noticeable that was held back.
Does holding him back restrict him from certain sports activities.
i believe he can catch up but i could just be bias.
I have seen some research also suggesting keeping children back a year don’t make much extra progress as they compare themselves to children around them.

Any advice or experience both keeping their child back or not would be welcome.

Sorty if this sounds blunt but there are lots of children born in July and August who don’t get held back so the school must really think he needs it. I have one child born with tongue tie who moved up as expected with no speech issues. I’m not a healthcare professional but I work with dc and I have never heard of a tongue tie having that much of an impact on speech at age 4. I also have a late August dc (28th) and know many many dc with late July/August birthdays, I did enquire about keeping her back and was told by the school that they don’t recommend it. I was also told by school that they don’t consider whether they are summer borns or not when assessing children. It does seem a bit mean given that their class mates could be a whole year older. Mine are older now and you can’t tell any difference between the summer borns and any other dc. I know some people on here do say there is a difference but not in my real life experience. What I’m trying to say is, your son is who he is and obviously for whatever reason needs to go through reception again, don’t base your decision on when his birthday is and what his friends are doing or what he ‘should’ be doing in terms of moving up with his cohort, base it in his personal needs, which are that he needs extra support to catch up.

My Jully boy started a year later and it hasn't been an issue for him so far. He compares himself (and is compared to) the cohort he has gone through school with rather than those in his "correct" year. It was absolutely the best decision we could have made for him.

However...he started school a year later as he has developmental delays in all areas, which became noticeable from just a few months old. He has done amazingly well but is, in all ways, at least a year younger than his actual age. He has had an EHCP in place throughout primary school. (Actually, this is the one area where we have had issues, as the fact he gets compared to children younger than him means it is easy to overlook the fact that he is a year behind - and not just because of our decision to delay his start.)

It was a much easier decision for us - as we were looking around schools at children in Reception, it was clear to see the enormous gulf between ds and those children. He was very much still a toddler - not remotely ready. It sounds like things are not as clear cut for you. But if school are suggesting it, I would take that as a big hint that they don't think he's ready. Schools don't generally suggest going against the norm of starting school unless there's a good reason.

There are a couple girls that entered the UK system from another country my dd knows in her secondary school and they are August born. Her school is academically selective and sought after, so it has not had a negative effect on these girls. They are also allowed to play school sports within their cohort. Outside of school, not sure how it works with sports.

We have experienced repeating reception year with our son, but he was made to start age 3 (complicated reasons at this school and don't want to get into why, but kids enter via two different school calendar years and oldest to youngest is 16 months apart each year). Anyway, we then got the option to enter via the British system (was not an option previously) and in order to do so he had to repeat the year (but he was now in his correct year group for British system) and starting reception again age 4. It made a huge difference from being the youngest in the class and then being the oldest. When he first started he was falling asleep in class sometimes, not read for reading until the end of the year. The teachers said he was fine and wanted to push him along. In the end I decided to listen to my gut and take the opportunity to repeat the year. I was worried about leaving his friends and impact it would have seeing others move to year 1 and him stay behind. But I explained the situation and he was completely fine. He is now one of the strongest in his year group academically and top of sports. He has also done well in 11+ and going to a sought-after secondary school. I think children do catch up eventually, but what is the rush to push them along. You know your child best though and if you think he is fine, keep him in the year group, but if you think the teachers are right, have him repeat the year. My thoughts are there is no rush to finish school.

I had a very late into august baby and she’s done amazing at school. Never needed held back at all and I’d just about to sit her GCSEs.

Join the Facebook group flexible admissions for summerborns and they’ll have all the info.
im impressed school have suggested it, rather than just continuing as he is.

I know a July baby who was held back a year. It was the right decision for them at the time but the local secondary schools wouldn’t honour it so by year 5 she needed to decide whether to go straight to year 7 or wait another year and go into year 8 at secondary school.

shes now in a private school and thriving as they were happy for her to stay in her year.

its worth doing your research about the local secondary schools before doing this so you know what the impact is down the line. Some schools will honour it and others don’t.

If school is suggesting it I would take that very seriously. It is a big jump to y1 and hard for children who feel constantly behind. Catching up can take a long time.

The school have recommended it, that makes it quite a big deal. They wouldn’t have said it if they didn’t think it was beneficial to him.

I’ve taught reception for years. Him making new friends or other people thinking he has been held back in years to come is not an issue. Him struggling in year one when learning becomes more formal is because the school have told you so.

My DD was born in August and is doing well in reception - the school must think your child really needs this.

I think you need to check the funding.
Since they have already used 1 year of school, this is slightly different to defering a reception start. Agree with the summer born facebook suggestion from above.

Personally I wouldn’t do it. I’d just ask school what extra support can be given at home to help him catch up. If he’s really good at maths, has lots of friends, I’d worry about staying in reception another year and it possibly affecting the areas he has succeeded in. Maybe make an appointment to speak to his teacher to clearly understand the reasons why they believe he should stay back a year. They may have suspicions of special needs. Don’t make this decision without knowing all the facts.

Girls also tend to mature quicker academically than boys. I’ve got two girls and a boy and notice a difference.

Also, check the impact for secondary school if you plan to go state route. The two girls I know in secondary who are august born and not in correct year are in private school. You don’t want to find out late that they won’t let him stay in the year group for secondary.

We started Ds a year later and he is now going into Y7 a state school with zero problems so it depends on the school.

i considered tryinf to defer my August born, in the end I didn’t and that was the right call but it’s very hard when they are just 3/4 and as you say they develop very quickly in some areas

If the school is encouraging then I think it probably means they think it’s best for him. Before you agree though check out what the rules are in terms of getting into the preferred secondary school- will they let him start a year later?- and also competitive sport

This. Ask for an open and honest meeting with the school to see where this is coming from. Explain your concerns to them and let them respond. Then decide.

You can only make the best decision you can based on ALL the evidence available to you. Once a decision is made - don’t have any headspace for regrets - be positive and supportive and help your son to thrive whether Reception or Year1.

I considered deferring my July born son and was so worried for him starting reception being so young. I also did my university dissertation on summer borns at the time. In reception, he really struggled with reading and phonics as he just wasn’t ready.

now in year 6, he is doing extremely well and is very happy. I’m so happy I didn’t do it. Also consider if your child would want to take part in sports as he will have to play with people his age and won’t be able to play with his peers.

however, if your child has additional needs and the school is suggesting it then it may be the right decision. With my teacher head on, as children get older, age does not have an impact in the classroom

A school wouldn’t suggest this without very very good reason so you need to face facts that he’s very much struggling and the step up to year 1 is a big one. You need to have a very honest and open conversation with them.
Check out the Facebook group already suggested which should be useful, although this is a different situation given yes already at school.
Also to those saying age doesn’t have an impact, at a population level you are wrong. As per published DoE stats C 66% of September borns meet expected targets at KS2 v c.53% of August borns, so on average it does have a significant impact.

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/key-stage-2-attainment/2023-24?#dataBlock-bb6cae60-3255-4fbe-a51d-8769c666a397-charts

Please check what happens when he is due to move schools in later years. There are many secondary schools that have written into their policies that they don't allow or honour any backclassing,so it's worth checking (even though it seems years away now)

You’ll get lots of people’s stories- I personally have a summer born who thrived in her correct year- but they’re not relevant to you.

the school are making a recommendation and you need to understand that fully. Academically and socially. You need to understand what secondary admissions would look like. And you need to consider your little boy and how he would react.

and then you can decide.

with caring parents he’d probably be ok either way but unfortunately you only get to pick one.