would you do this?

[bookswapper]

My son is going into his pre-school year at a popular primary school. He has been squeezed out from his friends going into a morning pre-school place and is remaining in an afternoon place with the younger children. (He has a late birthday and it is all done on birthdate apparently.)

So his will be a big primary school year and I have found out that the present Primary 2 has been split into two large classes and even with these large classes, four children have been left behind in a class with the new primary ones! These four children have, you've guessed it, a late birthday. This seems to be the only criterion.

So, if you were me, knowing the school is probably only going to be more popular, would you write a letter to the head outlying your concerns at your son's plight at the moment and asking, if this "birthdate" system continues throughout his school career, can he expect to always receive second best treatment at this school? (This is what I consider it to be, at least at the nursery, and the deputy head has agreed that the situation is "not ideal".)

The head always passes the buck and blames council policy and I am not convinced this is not a diversionary tactic.

I feel so powerless.

I don't think you have any "proof" that your son is receiving 2nd rate treatment.

In terms of the pre-school, if they have to split the year group randomnly I tend to think that by age is as good as any other method. At DD's (day) nursery the children are split into 2 rooms for those under 3.5 and those over. There is a very definite difference in ability range between the children in the 2 rooms - age still is a big deal at this stage - and it has definitely helped the staff to address the needs of each individual child more easily.

Secondly, when he goes into primary 1 there is a legal maximum class size (I presume this is the case in Scotland?) so you have no reason to believe that "anyone" is going to be left behind. And even if there are mixed classes I don't think you have a reason to think that your son will get "worse" treatment because of this.
Due to the arbitray split into school years a child with a late birthday will actually be closer in age to the older children in the year below than the older children in their own year.