How do I get my DD back -yeared?

[Racingsnake]

Hi. I am hoping to find a) someone who has managed this and/or b) any friendly ed pschs who may have ideas.

My DD is currently 2.10 with a mid-July birthday. She was born 8 weeks premature, which means that she has jumped forward a school year. I want her to get her back-yeard so that she is back in the year where she should have been.

She has no obvious SN but is rather behind her friends with July/August birthdays; for example, she is still in nappies when they are all dry, even the boys, she is very clingy and not at all ready to go to nursery, although the others are all happily doing 2 days +. Today for the first time she did a 6 piece puzzle, whereas the others have been doing this for months, She has no real interest in books, while the others all love being read to/looking at books.

I don't feel that there is anything really wrong with her, I just don't want her hurried. I feel that if she got that year back that she has lost she would be happy and confident to start school.

I realise that I could just not send her to reception, but that would mean that she would have to start in a situation where all the other children know each other and know the system and she is trying to break into friendship groups.

I am a primary teacher, so I feel I know the system a bit (and I am not very impressed with much of it, particularly the very early starting age in the UK), but don't know how to acheive what I feel is best for DD.

Any ideas? I know LEA's are very reluctant to do this, but I was wondering if anyone knows what sort of arguments might be effective, what 'buzz' words to use.

I am currently without internet access at home, so can only look in intermittantly until it is repaired, but really hope for some tips.

Oh, and I live in Dorset. I know Lea's are very different.

Hi! Lovely photos of your daughter, especially one of her at the beach. I am still wondering what to do about my daughter's education. I'm not very confident about my abilities as a teacher (even though I teach adults- but this is completely different) even though I am certain another year in nursery wouldn't do her any harm at all. Spoke to my German gran yesterday and she was shocked that my daughter will be starting school so soon. Am visiting the school in a couple of weeks so I should have a clearer idea by then. One parent from the school said her daughter loved nursery but didn't enjoy reception because there were more structured activities A lot of what you mentioned she is already picking up at nursery anyway so it is just missing out on the social side of things that would worry me. This has to be the hardest decision I've had to make for her; I thought it was supposed to get easier when they got older! Good luck with the potty training!

Jaded - rather worried now. I used to teach adults before I retrained, I had a German gran (indeed a German mother), I have a daughter whom I don't want to start school too early - am I you?? (Since there is no photo of me on my profile, you can't be offended by the suggestion.)

Wow, we do have a lot in common! What did you teach adults? Perhaps we have a different view point on the school starting age because we have "foreign" genes! I also have Russian blood from my mother's side. Seriously though, it is very comforting to find someone who is also worried about the school system here. When I tell parents I am upset my daughter will have to start school so young, they look at me as if I'm mad. Indeed they think I am stunting my daughter's development by suggesting she start school later!!! I am going to ask the nursery teacher if it will be possible for my daughter to stay on at nursery but I'm not hopeful as the nursery nurse wasn't that encouraging.

I don't think teachers take it negatively if you want your child to carry on attending mornings only. They DO take it negatively if you want your child to attend full-time before they say they can. At my son's school they have fixed dates for full time attendance dependent on when the child's birthday is. It has nothing to do with when a child may be ready, but they did say that if a child was tired and struggling, they should go home at lunchtimes. It depends on the school and the teachers I guess.

Some schools in Devon let the younger kids start in January which would at least give her a few more months.

Oh - and my ds wasn't potty trained until he was 3, (I didn't even start trying until he was just over 3) and wasn't completely dry at night until he was just over 4.5! I have to say I was glad he was a autumn baby and was therefore almost 5 when he started school. And remember, you don't know what she will be like in a year's time - she might have overtaken her peers. I also agree that if you want her to miss reception, not to worry about friends. My son does play with friends he made in YR but he has made new ones in Y1 as they mix the classes up every year.

Sorry just saw you live in Dorset not Devon. I don't know what the policy is there.