Scottish to English schools ...

[unlucky67]

Sorry for intruding...I'm not a forces sweetheart but struggling to get info on this anywhere else...and thought you guys might have some experience in this...
Living in Scotland with no foreseeable plans to move - but my (ageing) parent's and family are in England... and I have realised that situations could arise (terminal illness, death, etc) where I would want to move nearer them...
My problem is DD2 is at school nursery and turned 4 at the end of Feb - and in the Scottish system the cut off is the end of Feb...so she will be the youngest in her class and so I have a choice whether she starts school this Aug or does another year at Nursery and will start school at 5y 6m...school say either way is fine - but always recommend delaying...and in the end it is my decision...
and I'm struggling to decide what to do ....
Have realised that in England DD2 would actually be in the middle age range for a year - and if she deferred in theory she might end up missing a whole year of primary school - unless it was agreed she could go into a class a year younger -but I think there might be some stigma attached to that...especially when she gets to be a teenager!)

Thought of you guys cos the headteacher worked in Leuchars for a while and has experience of the English to Scottish system ...but not the other way round...
Anyone any experience of the differences etc between the systems?
(this isn't my only consideration -but it is something I need to think about)

I would not worry about it . The children in england go into reception at 4-5 yrs old. That is the same as year 1 in Scotland.
My DS went to school in Scotland and my DD goes in England.
As far as I recall ,my Ds did 2 years in nursery ( b'day March) ,but My DD would only have done 1 yr (b'day December) if we had still been in Scotland.
I have never heard of anyone deferring in England either . HTH

Thanks herding cats ...
That's what is worrying me - if she defers a year she won't start P1(in Scotland which is the equilvalent of reception in England) until she is 5 and half....
As I understand it she would be starting secondary school at 12 and a half - so in theory she might be expected to go straight from primary school in Scotland to second year at secondary school in England ...
Makes me less inclined to defer...

My DH moved from Scotland to England and went from primary into secondary, effectively missing a year. He is a July birthday so went from being the oldest to the youngest in the year. He said it didn't affect him too much, only when he went to 6th form and that was more to do with his maturity levels than any difference in education.

If I have learnt one thing being an army spouse it is that kids are pretty resilient and they will addapt to changes, yes they may struggle for a while but they get there in the end. Honestly I wouldn't worry about it, if she needs the extra time now then let her have it she will catch up when she is ready. I also know a friend of mine managed to get her child deferred when moving from Scotland to England for the reason you have, took some work but they managed it.

Hope it all works out ok :)

If you move after she has started school, they will put her into the year that corresponds to her age. Not taking into account her being deferred in the first place. Children in England start senior school a year earlier than in Scotland anyway. Also the syllabusis taught differently in Scotland and England. My sister lives in the Borders ,English side, but taught Scottish side and she told me this.
Are you expecting to move the year she is in the last primary year in Scotland ?
My Ds was due to move then and the English schools thought from a report we took from the school he would be fine. I suppose it all depends on each child though.
Good luck

thanks -
wheresthepimms that is what I needed to hear...that someone has done it and it was ok...even though they miss a year...

herdingcats - not intending to move at all if we can help it - but if it was a planned move that would be the best time - my older DD (also feb and the youngest in her class) would have just finished secondary school....apparently moving at secondary stage is even harder ...

Don't really need to decide until end of June...suspect I won't defer (not just for this reason - but it is something to consider) - unless the teachers change their mind and tell me she will really struggle...

(hadn't really thought about moving - where we live is fantastic - what made me think about it is someone I know has been given a max of 2 years to live...her grandchildren live nearby and she is spending as much time as possible with them...also realised my parents are getting older (70) and my dad has to look after his brother - so they can't come up very often - so hardly get to see their only grandchildren...)