Would I be crazy to HE for a term and then return to school?

[umbrellasinthesun]

I would love to HE my 5yo DS (yr 1, summer born) for a term but am worried about doing it for longer as I would worry about him not having enough social opportunities as we live on a small island and not HE meet ups/ active groups like in England. Social side has always been the bit he struggles with - tends to be shy and introverted with other children but has really come on over the last year. Would I be crazy to do it for 1 term and then put him back into school?

We agonised about sending him to school last year when he had only just turned 4. He had got a lot more confident over the summer since finishing nursery. 1st school was a disaster, he lost his new found confidence and we moved him to another school (less strict and more play based for reception). Much better and has made friends, but I still wonder whether HE would be better for him. But I worry whether it is actually best for him and whether I can provide enough social opportunities for him. He is summer born and a titch, but very able academically. School say there is no one else in his class working at/ near his level and although he tells me virtually nothing about school I worry that the literacy / numeracy activities are too basic for him and he is biding time while others catch up and would be better off using the time to play.

Sorry for waffling on.
In summary: As I see it the pros of HE would be - DS being able to spend time investigating things that he finds interesting and also seeing if a term out makes him more confident.
But risks are that he loses his friendships that he has made in school and that he can't pick them up when he goes back and that I will be being crueler rather than kinder.

Anyone got any thoughts/ advice?!

if you want to send him back to school in future would you be able to get a place? that would be my main concern

Umm probably a bit crazy to plan it like that yes!

Either home ed or school. Dipping out for a term will loose his place at the school you found after the first didn't suit. You gave no guarantee he'll get back there and he'll have missed a term of work . He may be academically ahead but if he misses a fundamental "building block" somewhere it might be an issue.

Also friendship groups will have moved on and re modelled.

Bad idea I'd say.

Not bad idea to home ed if that's what you want but this form of dipping in and out

If you live on a small island, will there be difficulties getting the place at school back later?
Many small schools are often very glad for additional pupils at any time!
Also would there be opportunities for him socialising with his friends outside of school? Presumably there are after school activities that his schooled friends can go to, too? I always had friends from school, and friends I met at after school activities that went to other schools, again as it's a small island, I'm guessing if there are such activities, the same children will go to them?

Does your son want to stay at home with you? Many children -and especially summer born ones are not really happy to be away from home at that age.

I've known a number of people over the years keep their children at home until the age of seven-an age when other countries begin formal schooling, and it has always seemed to work-so if it's what you and your child want to do, I'd go for it, for as long as your son is happy to do so, be that for a term-or longer

Thank you for your replies. Shouldn't be a problem getting back into school. And yes can do after school activities though 2 of the 3 he does each week are school ones. But am sure could find others.
Will think further on it. Seems a big step.....

Do you have a sense of what your son would prefer to do? Unless there are strong reasons to override his wishes, I think you should be guided by his preferences both about coming out of school now, and about returning later. He may not see it the same way you do.

I'm never really convinced by this idea that a child who turns up at school later than the others will be at a great social disadvantage. I moved schools often while growing up. I was rather shy, but I never found the other kids to be particularly unwelcoming, or stuck in fixed friendship groups which couldn't accommodate a newcomer easily. When my daughter started school in Year 5, the other kids were all over her like flies to a honey jar. I think this may have had something to do with it being a small school where any new child was a welcome novelty.

But at any rate, assuming your worst fears come true and your son is all alone and does not advance socially at all while out of school, is that such a disaster? If there are other aspects of home education which compensate for it, then it might be something he can live with happily. Eventually the time will come for him to develop social confidence among other children, but what's the hurry?

Thank you Saracen for a different perspective. Did you HE until year 5?

I went to my son's year 1 assembly today and they had to read their lines out and most of them were really struggling and I really felt for them up there in front of the whole school and the year 1 parents. It made me realise that my son is significantly ahead of most in reading and probably biding his time while the others catch up, as I had fearered. I would love to take him out and stimulate him in other ways and enjoy the itme iwth him. I don't dare ask him what he would like to do until I know that I really could/ would, as I don't want to disappoint him. Where we live you have to put your case to the education authority and prove that 'all other options have been exhausted' at a meeting with head teacher and education authority. Sounds pretty scary. And only 8 HE kids on the island....urrggh! Would love to do it but just not sure if I am brave enough yet.
I have been following an HE blog from a mum near Durham and what she does with her kids sounds so amazing. I am not sure that I could ever provide anything nearly as good for mine....