Deferred entry ALERT - threatened change to Bradford LEA policy

[lingle]

Bradford is again considering changing to the style of most LEAs who, if you opt to defer school entry for your summer-born child until the statutory school age of 5, punish you by denying that child entry to reception, thus forcing child into Year 1 at whatever school has places (often not the school of your choice or the school of the child's sibling). Consequently, hardly any parents defer and you can look on mumsnet for any number of testimonies on the consequences for that minority [?] of children who really weren't ready

Some of you know I've been campaigning on this issue for about a year now. Any negative decision by Bradford will not affect my own August-born thank goodness - I've already sent my letter in confirming my decision to defer to Sept. 2010 because DS2 is a very late talker.

I have written to the Councillor in charge of education to tell him that when Sir Jim Rose's report on primary schools comes out in the next fortnight or so it is likely to indicate that other LEAs will be forced to adopt a Bradford or Scotland/style system and that therefore Bradford ought to be shouting about its forward-thinking policy, not changing it.

I will continue to do what I can, but as my own child is now "safe", someone out there with a 2-year-old summer-born in Bradford LEA needs to pick up the baton on this.

Incidentally, I learnt today that school believes Bradford was led towards its good policy by Leeds who are in the forefront of the movement to recognise that 4.0 is simply too early for many children, especially boys. Interesting.

i'm in scotland as you know, so my son is also safe, thank goodness. just wanted to say that it would be a real shame if bradford was to go down this route. it seems really unbelievable to me that many 4 year olds in england are forced to start school before they are ready.

sounds like a good letter to your councillor. fingers crossed that others follow suit.

Thanks for bumping this Ragged, the shame is that most parents of 2 and 3 year old boys have no idea of the issues that arise in reception or year 1 for some of them, and so they think everything will be fine because he is "bright". Also they are misled into thinking that teachers think it's better or advantageous to start at 4.0 - but none of this "start 'em at 4" business was a teacher's idea. The most positive words that parents of any of our August-borns in DS1's class now use to me are "cope" and "fine". It's usually "coping well".

I was unusual because after having one child who was a late talker but caught up by 4.9 (December born) I knew from the moment the second child was born in August and started to follow the same late speech development pattern that I would have to fight for him.

Lingle

I spoke to Bradford LEA twice and got written confirmation by email this week that the policy to allow deferred kids into Reception is their current policy and they have no plans to change at the moment.

I also have a August boy who I am thinking of deferring until 2010 as long as he can go into reception class not Y1. His pre school teacher who used to be a primary teacher says he probably would be ok to go Sept 09 but she thinks that all Aug born boys would benefit from an extra years play at pre school.

I really cant decide what to do... Are you worried about any repercussions about deferring such as your child being seen as different because they are slightly older?

How did you hear about the possible change inpolicy at Bradford. Could what they have told me be wrong?

sorry Moosie, have just crossed with each other as I posted on your thread.

heard about the proposed change from nursery and tbh don't trust the Council re the years after us but was so thankful it won't affect me. I would have moved to Leeds rather than "go with the flow".

Is this your oldest child? For me, it's seeing what's expected of DS1 at school (he's in year 1) that decided me.

I think that kids are about 8 or 9 before they are sophisticated enough to understand that someone deferred entry. But at 4,5,6,7 they understand that someone is the smallest and cannot do what the others can do. For example, DS1 has a friend born 31st August who is consequently in Year 2 already. Of course I don't discuss this with my children but after a playdate last term DS1 said to me "is James the youngest in Year 1?" and when I said "yes" he paused and then said "Does anyone play with him?".
You see, they think it is normal for the small boys to be the ones left out of the gang . James "copes" (that word again) but he is capable of doing so much more than "coping". He is happy at school though.

I hope by the time our boys are old enough to even understand this it will be the norm throughout the country.

My MIL also pointed out that DS2 would be unfavourably compared with DS1 (December born).