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Original poster

Ds will only just be 4 when he starts school - is this too young?

27 replies

emily05 · 17/06/2005 19:34

I have had a lot of information from my ds nursery today. looking at the terms times, Ds will be 4 August 06 so will start school in the september06.

Does he have to start then or can I wait until he is 5?
What do you think that the pros and cons of holding him back would be?

As this wont be for over a year I am not sure how 'emotionally' ready he will be. Just wanting to gage your opinion and get my facts straight iyswim.

OP posts:
lunavix · 17/06/2005 19:35

Will he not start in January as a rising four?

janeybops · 17/06/2005 19:39

depends different LEAs seem to have different start dates for reception. my LEA they all start in Sept regardless of when their birthday is. However, I am sure if you approached the school about your concerns they may allow a delayed start or part time for a term or something like that. But by law I think he has to start Easter 2006 as this is the term he turns 5

janeybops · 17/06/2005 19:39

or shoudl that be Easter 2007?

Lonelymum · 17/06/2005 19:39

You can delay it until the term he turns 5, ie after Easter 07. It is up to you. My ds1's birthday is late June and he started in September following his fourth birthday but he only went in the mornings until the following Easter. Mentally he was ready for the challenge, but socially he found it hard.

Original poster
emily05 · 17/06/2005 19:40

Blimey, what is a rising 4? This is all confusing. He started nursey last week and is joining the pre-school in October - is this the same as rising 4's?

OP posts:
emmamama · 17/06/2005 19:41

Emily, my ds turned 4 on 24th August and started full time school about 10 days later. His teacher has always been aware of this and does make a few allowances for him. It doesn't appear to bother him and it isn't as obvious as I first thought it might be. He had been in nursery since he was 8 months old, so this may have made a difference.

If you meet up with his teacher and explain your concerns, I'm sure he/she'll put your mind at rest. You won't be the only concerned mother come September!

Original poster
emily05 · 17/06/2005 19:42

ahhh! so the schools have different start dates? I thought that it was just all in september. I might actually ask the school if they are all different.

OP posts:
Original poster
emily05 · 17/06/2005 19:44

emmamama - he wont be 4 until next august - so will in theory start sept 06. I am just already worring! lol

OP posts:
WigWamBam · 17/06/2005 19:45

Some schools only have the one intake, in September. Reception class isn't a legal requirement, he doesn't have to start school until the term he turns 5, but in practice this can mean that, if your school only has a September intake, the school may not be prepared to keep his place until the Easter.

janeybops · 17/06/2005 19:45

other LEA start summer born children part time only for a term or two and I know one LEA around here doesn't take them at all till the Easter. So they only get one term of reception before starting Year 1 - outrageous or what????

Can you tell I have a summer born???

WigWamBam · 17/06/2005 19:45

And apart from that, you may find that by the time September 06 comes, he is more than ready for school.

Janh · 17/06/2005 19:47

DS1's birthday is mid-July and he was always the youngest in the year at primary school. He was OK with starting at just 4 but you have to consider each child - yours may be ready by then, but if you feel he isn't you are entitled to hold him back for another term or even longer. Blimey, he's still only 2 now isn't he? Doesn't this soon come round!

Head of infants when DS1 started took a dim view of this from the point of view of forming friendship groups but I think that depends on personalities too.

I think they should make some allowances for young-ness all the way through primary school - summer-born boys particularly can be immature socially - but they don't seem to.

emmamama · 17/06/2005 19:48

Lol- I started worrying about it when I found out my due date!

But it has worked out fine and he's just nearing his first year in Reception class. The only problem I have found is that he keeps asking when his birthday party will be. He's got a bit of a wait yet!

Furball · 17/06/2005 19:49

I'm in that boat as well, only my ds will be 4 this August and starts this September term. eeek! I too have pondered about, delaying etc and have decided to go with what the school suggest which is to start mornings in October then try full time after half term in November. If he struggles, etc then cut it back to just mornings until after Christmas.

The law says they must start school by the term of their fifth birthday. So you needn't start him until September 07 if you really feel that he isn't ready. But, then he'll go straight into year 1 and miss out on the reception year altogether where he'll have learn't school routine and made friends, so will (as I see it) go in as 'the new kid' because everyone else knows whats what. Catch 22 isn't it? The school will tell you what they think is best as they see it every year. The other thing is, I'm not sure about is how the pre-school sessions work when they get to 'of school age' and whether they are funded etc, so he could end up having no pre-school or clubs to go to either, which could be boring for him.

Janh · 17/06/2005 19:53

Reception may have changed a lot since my last one went (8 years ago) but certainly then it was more of an extension of nursery school than proper school. It doesn't count as KS1, it's "Early Years" - like nursery - so they do more playing than anything else. Well, they did then, I hope they still do?

So although it's a long day for them it's not too taxing as far as school-work is concerned.

essbee · 17/06/2005 19:54

Message withdrawn

Furball · 17/06/2005 19:55

Yep Janh - It's still the same thank goodness

Janh · 17/06/2005 19:55

Hi, essbee

Janh · 17/06/2005 19:56

Thanks, Furball, that's good to know!

emmamama · 17/06/2005 19:57

Reception does seem to be more intense thatn I expected. They are all reading and writing quite well from what I see, they do biology, history, ICT etc.

There is quite an expectation of them, even though they're so wee.

Janh · 17/06/2005 19:58

Biology and history in reception?

TheVillageIdiot · 17/06/2005 20:00

dd will be a 4yo starter as well. Will also start in sept 06

Fio2 · 17/06/2005 20:00

Isnt it awful they dont do 2 intakes??? my ds will be almost 5 and I have the opposite worry tbh

Magscat · 17/06/2005 20:01

Hi Emily, My ds is about 4 weeks older than yours and is starting this Sept. I've been worried too. He's bright but not good with new situations & routines & he still has a paddy when we drop him at nursery even though he's been going there since 16 weeks old. So you can imagine how much I'm looking forward to starting school !

But, I have heard that our school staggers the intake (even though there's only 30) so that the kids can get used to it in small numbers and before the school is full of bigger kids. You could ask if your's does similar.
Also I've found out that one of his nursery class is going to the same school so I'm going to arrange for ds to spend some time with her before Sept so at least he'll know someone. THe school invites parents to an evening session before Sept & I think will try to pair up kids that know each other.

So, it might be worth having a chat with your preferred school & seeing what they might do to make things easier for the youngest kids.

Good luck whatever you decide

emmamama · 17/06/2005 20:01

Oh yes, it's the full works. Ds comes home telling me the most amazing stuff. What blood is made of, who Noah's family where, how to make a circuit board light up! He brought home a portrait of Grace Darling on Wednesday

FFS!

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