Starting school part-time

[ChocolateBeckons]

My DS has just been offered a place at DD's school in Sept. School policy is to start in the term you turn 5. Jan-Apr birthdays get 1 term of mornings only; May-Aug birthdays get 2 terms of afternoons, finally going full-time after Easter. DS's birthday is Aug, DS July.

I'm concerned that both DD & DS are disadvantaged by this as their dedicated teaching time with Reception teacher is 12.45-1pm, ie. the graveyard slot when adults & kids alike want to doze off! It also means the do a whole term less than the Sept-Dec birthdays, which I think is a lot to catch up with, esp. when they're nearly a year younger!

Ideally, I'd like DS to go part-time for 1 term then full-time in Jan, to reduce the disadvantage. I'm not in a hurry to get rid of him but don't want him to spend all of KS1 trying to catch up with much older classmates. Not sure if school would let us but schools do seem to have flexibility about when kids start full-time. I've also heard all 4 yr olds will go full-time from Sept 11 so he could be a guinea pig!

Does anyone else have any views on this or evidence to support my position?! Don't think the head is very receptive to other people's ideas!

Thanks.

My two DD's are summer born and started reception full time in the Sept just after turning 4. I can honestly say it was a complete waste of time for both of them and they would have been better off being at home with me for longer. Both of them caught up with (and overtook) many of their older peers in years 1 and 2 when they were emotionally mature enough for school.

I think the change in 2011 is that all 4 year olds will be offered a Sept start date but parents have the option of asking for part time hours.

I think reception should be mornings only anyway. It's quite enough at that age. (And DS2 and DD still needed a nap at that age.)

I cant stand this mornings this week, afternoon this term these birthdays this month malarky!

I work FT and am single mum so would have been disaster for me had DS' school not been sensible. He was 4 in Feb and started mid Sept. he did 3 weeks part time then full time and it was perfect for us. Yes he was a little tired but he coped just fine

It is more normal for parents to want to delay entry for younger children on the grounds that they are not yet ready for school!

It is true that from next year all children are entitled to start school in the September following their 4th birthday with the option to delay the start until later in the school year for younger children.

If your son goes to nursery he would be following a similar program to that in Reception so he shouldn't have any significant amount of catching up to do if he starts later in the school year.

My DD (June b/day) only had one term in reception. I was really concerned about it at the time, but now I can see that it isn't that important.

The teachers at the school know the parents have 'issues' about the policy, but assured us that any advantages of having 2 or 3 terms in reception have disappeared by the end of Y2. I can believe this as DD is in Y1 and her work is easily on par with the rest of the year.

Thinking through it rationally, a few months extra schooling at 4 will not make a jot of difference to a childs academic ability at 16+.