Is reception class mandatory?

[Sonilaa]

My older child is now 3 and since I have no clue about the school system in England maybe I can get help here...

Currently the child is in the preschool in a nursery. My employer kindly pays part of the fees. They will also give me a contribution towards (private)school fees, but only once he*s turned 5.

We put him on the waiting list of a good school nearby, but I am not sure if I can leave him in nursery until year one starts.

You don't say whether you intend to educate in the state or private sector. I assume private if your employee will help with fees. In which case you need to ask the school as they will be the ones that decide whether to accept a child straight into year 1. (I wouldn't have thought they would tbh, but have no experience of the private sector).

If state sector it is unlikely your child would go straight into year 1, and evidence that missing out reception can be detrimental (opinion very divided though!).

However the only mandatory thing about education is that your child must begin their education the term after their 5th birthday. This can be at school, home ed, or whatever. In practice most children start in the September of the academic year inwhich they turn 5. So some will be just 4, others just 5 depending on when their birthday falls

Children need to be in 'full time education' from the term AFTER their 5th birthday.

That can be home education, state schooling or private schooling.

State schools often refuse to hold a place for a child who doesn't start at the beginning of the school year. Perhaps if you spoke to the private school they would be willing to keep the place open.

Or you could 'home educate' - using nursery as childcare still, which is fine if the nursery are agreeable. And then accept a place in the school in year one.

Speak to the heads, with them being private you've probably got a decent chance of them agreeing to out of the ordinary arrangements

you need to ask the nursery - usually all the kids will leave to start reception

that was supposed to so SO you could home educate rather than OR...

and cross posted with someone saying exactly the same thing anyway.

check with your employer. Reception class is counted as Foundation Stage the same as nursery is and the Early Years education grants are accepted at many private schools until the term after a child turns 5 in the same way as they are accepted at pre-schools and nurseries.

Maybe it is worded as once your child turns 5 as they way it is funded (there are tax breaks I think) changes after that age.

I would be very surprised if there was a gap between the employer funding pre-school and normal school, it doesn;t make sense.