child in yr 2 asked to repeat the year ?

[Hellobell]

hi,

So my son has been struggling with reading and also his maths, hes improving but very slowly, hes also trying a lot aswell. The teachers and myself had a meeting and can see signs of a learning disability but he can not yet be screened at this age, they did tell us as an option to either repeat year 2 again next year or after christmas put him into year 1.

Hes the youngest in his class and born end of august.

Can people please provide me with both pros and cons ?

Thanks

I would also say this is not true. It may well be that whatever "screening" the school has access to either through the LA or the academy Trust isn't offered until the child is year 3, or whatever, but an educational psychologist could see a child of any age.

I know it will seem a long way off but it would be a good idea to check the admissions policies of the most likely secondaries before agreeing to a repeated year. As a pp explained, being out of year group can sometimes pose issues later in our rather rigid system.

What qualifies you to make this comment? What stats do you have to support this prejudice?

I repeated a year and I’ve known kids to repeat a year.

it has to be done in the right way and actively managed but Y1 or Y2 is a good age. (Rather than say Y5 or Y6, where socially it may be more damaging)

Ive had a very good life and a very good career. I wouldn’t hesitate to consider a child repeating a year, especially if they are late summer born and currently struggling academically.

some kids need more time

in the SEN world there is evidence that in some areas of development a ND kid may be up to 30% delayed and so need more time.

why would you disadvantage a child for the rest of their life because someone says kids must start school at 4 and finish at 18? If this kid needs another year, what is the disadvantage of enabling that?

As an end of August baby he’s a year younger than the oldest in his current class and only a few days older than the oldest in the year below. It’s great that the school are being so considerate and hopefully will manage it well.

How does he feel about it?

But does this not mean he'll always be working below peers? That also sounds stressful and detrimental, especially as they get older.

I know there has to be a cut off somewhere, but it also has to be acknowledge that some August born kids are just not going to cope in their set year. My toddler has met all her milestones towards the end or just after the expected period. As an August born, that might mean she would essentially be 1.5y younger than the oldest kids in her year.

A child in my daughter’s year did y1 twice. He was an August birthday I think. He managed absolutely fine and made new friends easily but he was generally a friendly, easygoing child. I would repeat if I was you.

I would keep him back as he is too young and will struggle the whole way up.

I would say very little about if to him, children move preschools and Montessori schools all the time and just accept it and get used to the new group. I know some of his friends will be moving up, but that also happens in nursery when the bigger kids move on. That’s the way I would frame it anyway, say it is more about his age and play it down.

I’m surprised the school suggested this as it’s rare, I would take the chance immediately as he is just too young. I do t know what people are saying about secondary school, how will that have an impact?
Sorry for my stupidity but what difference will it make to an application in 5 years time?

I’m surprised at the posts saying not to do this. The kids are only y2, they’re not going to be negative about it and he’ll adjust quickly and forget soon enough. In a private school there’s no issue with being in a different year, and it’s not that uncommon. Lots of parents with dc at the young end of the year would actively choose to put them in the year below if they could. It’s less common in state because of the funding model so those dc just have to struggle on and fall further behind as there’s often no options.

OP has this option and it’s not like he can’t move back up I future if that makes sense but it sounds like he’d benefit from taking more time now so I’d move him for next term and see how that goes. What matters most is him being able to learn at his pace and it sounds like the school are trying to facilitate that. My only question would be whether the school is an inclusive one all-through or whether there’s any risk they won’t support him later if his needs are too high. Though in that case I guess OP would look to move him anyway and can pay for the right setting. Good luck OP. I hope it all works out.

@3luckystarsthe secondary application issue is that if he was switching to a state secondary they’d put him back in his ‘correct’ year group as the funding is for that specific age range in y7-11 and is pretty inflexible. Not an issue if OP is staying with current school.

Children repeat years all the time in France - it’s not seen as shameful. And it doesn’t have to impact his confidence if presented properly. Might damage him less than all the tutoring and cramming people mention on here…

I kinda regret not holding back by daughter (end of August baby) by a year. She’s done very well academically but had to work hard to fit in. At primary, teachers were constantly praising the older kids who could already read/write etc… and this is what damaged her confidence.

All the best to you and your DC.

He won't be 2 years ahead. There will be kids a month younger than him in Y1 as he's August born and there may even be kids older than him if any of them deferred starting school.
DS is in class with 2 kids who deferred and are July and August birthdays.
I would do it soon and let him re-join Y1 if he is struggling with the Y2 work rather than have him do Y2 twice.

The problem with repeating a year - and why it is not usual in the UK; is because it is just repeating something the first time. A bit like talking English loud and slowly to someone who only speaks Mandarin.
It is better to get properly targeted intervention.
i would be looking at getting a private assessment through somewhere like the Helen Arkel centre.

Straight into year 1 from year 2 now mid year would make him just a month older than the eldest year 1s?

As a teacher, I think seriously consider doing it. Kids get much more out of school if they're not behind the rest. Our model of strictly teaching by age group is logistical more than anything else.

I'd be mindful of the fact that being younger than his peers is unlikely to be an issue in low primary or even upper primary but come the secondary years it may have an impact socially. It seems quite dramatic to me to make a decision at year 1 age which will have to carry him through to 16-18. If it were me, I'd go the intervention route to help and support. Children also work at all levels and that's completely fine. Schooling isn't just about the learning in the classroom and being with his peers seems important to me.

I’d move him at Christmas. Sooner rather than later for a multitude of reasons but especially for the social side. More time to make new bonds less time to strengthen old friendships etc. save him feeling like he’s falling behind peers. There is loads of benefit to being the oldest. I’m in Scotland and deferral is common. My dd was deferred and one of the leaders and its made a massive difference. Re high school - England is catching up and becoming more open to deferral so hopefully in 6 years time that will have improved further if you do find school circumstances have changed. In any case he may have caught up by having the extra time while he’s young. I wouldn’t make a decision based on future what ifs if it’s something that will benefit your dc now

No this isn't true for all secondary - no idea how common it is but my nephew was not moved into his "correct" year when moving to secondary. His parents literally just had to fill one extra form out, no issue at all. This is in state school.

I think its a good idea, better than continuing to struggle. Repeating a year is not uncommon in my country and it has its benefits, preventing children from falling further and further behind though of course that has to be balanced with the social impact but at this age that shouldn't be such an issue. One of DD's classmates throughout primary school was a year older because he had to repeat 1st grade as he missed so much school due to cancer and at least from DD's view he didn't suffer socially.

For my daughter repeating a year was the best decision. Very positive outcome.
And I think the earlier the better. She repeated y2. The kids didn't really question it but overall it's a very kind inclusive school.
You are just over 1/6 of the year. But it's a big change. Have they offered any other interventions? Private schools aren't always the best at dealing with learning difficulties. Have they started the EHCP process?
Go with your gut.

My ds is grown up now but he was a late August baby and was 11 weeks premature too.
He started Reception at 4 years and 2 weeks old but only did mornings as couldn't cope with the whole day - this was gradually increased to a full day.

When he started in Year 1, it was obvious that he couldn't cope with the 'workload' so on the Head Teacher's recommendation, he then repeated his Reception year.
It was the best thing we could have done and he has always agreed.

We did have an issue with his secondary school online application as the online form wouldn't recognise his DOB, however, the Head Teacher gave me the phone number of the person I needed to speak to at the LA about it (after she had given them the information) and the application was done over the phone.

Thank you all for your feedback.

A lot of comments have said its a good idea, I believe it is for our son, he came home yesterday and in the evening he broke down and said he's "having such a hard time and yr 2 is so hard" I really felt for him as I see him trying and he is learning but its just at a slower pace than his peers, that being said I think I can also see from going to some of the kids party that he is a little less mature than most of them, he is very much loved by the kids in his class and very social.

I think the hardest part is that by doing this I'm worried It will open doors for the kids in the future to say nasty things and point it out infront of everyone that he used to be in their year but got pushed down and that could affect his confidence and self esteem, BUT I also believe that him staying where he is could have even harder repercussions and he will spend his whole school life not just struggling but really struggling.

Also following advice I'm contacting some places today to see about getting him assessed and will start that process as soon as we can. Thank you.

Its a hard decision I just hope I make the right one, I love this little boy with all my heart and I just want to do the best thing for him.

My late august DS repeated year 10 having already started year 11. It was the best thing we could have done for him and I wish we'd been able to do it sooner.

Thanks for your message, so did she complete year 2 and then repeat it again or was she in year 3 and you put her back ? im not sure if I should make the change after Christmas or allow him to complete the year and then repeat it.

I would move him as soon as you can. And emphasise the age thing, rather than his academic struggles. I would tell him that sometimes children who are really young for the year get moved to the year below. I’m sure no one will tease him. In fact, I expect his classmates will have forgotten within a few months anyway.

DS1 is an end of August birthday. He’s 20 now so the option of deferring a year wasn’t available then, but I was allowed to delay his start by a term. So he started in January, when his classmates had all started the previous September. People told me he wouldn’t make friends, that friendship groups would have been formed and he’d never settle in. Within a matter of weeks it became clear that none of the kids in his class actually remembered he wasn’t there at the start!

Kids live in the moment!!

I would accept what the school is offering. As he is still young, children are very accepting of their situation. I don't think any of the other children will give a second thought, they might mention that James isn't going into our class this year. But they won't speculate as to why.

Definitely move him as soon as you can. No point in keeping on going with harder and harder work if he's already struggling. Go back to basics with year 1, it will make all the difference. (Ex primary teacher here).
I know at least 6 children who have retaken a year, at year 1, year 3, year 6, year 9.... State schools and private schools. No one seems to bat an eyelid and the kids don't make a big deal of it.

I would move him sooner rather than later. Don’t wait. The damage to his self esteem between now and the end of the school year in July may be difficult to heal. Whereas if you move him now, the kids will have moved on by the start of next term and he will make new friends and start to feel less stupid academically.

good luck