That's better! Now I'll post again . Not sure if this is the right thread, but any help much appreciated!

[funkimummy]

Hi,

My DS is 4, 5 in January and won't go to school until January.

We know he is exceptionally bright for his age. He learned how to sing the alphabet on his second birthday with a toy that sang the song and has a vocabulary that people comment about on a daily basis. His numeracy is also very good. He asks questions about global warming FGS!

His pre-school and nursery both say that he is ready for school now and that really he should go in September. Their concerns are that the children he goes up school with in January are not on 'his leve' (their words not mine!) Also they have told me to keep a watchful eye as he will get bored easily because of his brightness.

Should I be concerned? He's my eldest and I don't like to be a pushy parent, and am not. I am a bit worried that he will get bored easily at school and might not fare as well because his mind is racing ahead!

Does anyone have any opinions/thoughts/experience of this?

Any thoughts would be gratefully accepted.

I was told by my ds's nursery teacher that he was ''streets ahead' of the other chn. He now has a reading age about 2 years behind his actual age, although a very high IQ! Not trying to worry you but nursery teachers only see a snapshot of a child.

He goes to pre-school 3 mornings a week and nursery 1 full day a week. We put him in nursery because we felt pre-school was stimulating him socially, but not 'academically' so to speak.

Yes DS is the same, adds up and knows numbers in the hundreds etc. His writing skills do need work, and yes the issue simply is that he's ready to start formal learning in September really.

Thanks for the advice though. I think trying more at home with him is the best plan.

Have I got this right funkimummy?
Your DS will be 5 in January and won't start reception until then?
I thought that schools with two intakes for Reception normally took children with birthdays up to mid Feb in Sept and those with birthdays after mid Feb started in Jan.
Perhaps it's up to the individual school.

trouble is KerryMum, for every child like your son, there are probably some that show early promise for whom early advancement isn't the best route. It's very difficult to know in advance what is going to be best for any individual child.

I'm not entirely clear if we are talking about funkimonkey's ds ending up a year ahead or ending up in the same year group according to when he starts, but I'm thinking that if the nursery are thinking he might be bored at school, why rush him into that environment sooner? If he's a quick learner he'll have no problems at all catching up after starting a term later, and in fact, that might help him be less bored initially (ie covering the reception curriculum in 2 terms not 3 and doing more fun stuff at home first, could be the better option).

TBH I would not start a child early at school. If he is bright then challenge him at home, taking for walks, talk nature, let him have fun. You say he does not sit down long enough to write - well that is becasue he is a baby still and needs to be free. They have a long long time at schooll and if he is bright and the school is good then he will get on.

sing with him, count, play act, do experiments

I think formal education, and especially Reception Year can be quite tricky for bright children, so if you have the option to keep him out of school I would do.

DS1 did not start school until after he was 5, and with hindsight I wish I had done the same with ds2.