Glasgow City Council funded deferred entry

[superstaary]

My son is 4 and a November birthday and I am trying to understand the process for applying for a further year of funded nursery.

I have spoken to the teachers about my concerns about my son not being ready to go to school and his emotional and social immaturity. The teachers have sympathised and confirmed that he can defer but there would be no automatic funding. They seem to think that as he's bright that he will be fine. I am not so sure, I definitely do not think that he is emotionally ready and I don't want to risk it.

I am looking for advice on what to do next. GCC has told me to ask the nursery to submit the application but I know that without nursery support it will just be rejected.

We can't afford to fund the place ourselves but it seems really unfair that my son will be at a disadvantage to a child whose parents can fund it or who is 5 weeks younger.

Any advice?

I think it is indeed a case of needing the nursery's support. Have you talked to them about your concerns about his emotional readiness? Why do you think he's not ready and they think he'll be ok?

If it's any consolation I knew that technically I knew I could defer ds (September baby) but that I would've had to pay. In the event, I knew he was ready so it was never an issue.

Educationally, he took until the end of P2 before he learnt to read as he wasn't developmentally ready - but got lots of support from the school.

He's now in S3, top sets for everything and excelling both academically and sportily, developing into a confident, personable except to his parents young man with a good group of friends.

It's 6 months until school starts - they can change a lot.

I have spoken to the nursery but I am aware that they are not allowed to say anything other than to support going to school this year.

I have spoken to the teachers in great detail about my concerns which are all related to my son's emotional and social maturity he just isn't ready for school.

I know there are 6 months to go, but I do not see him getting there in that time. The teachers seem to think that because he is bright he will be ok, my concerns are that he will struggle and that the gap will get wider as he progresses.

I was in a similar situation with my DD (13 years ago). However was lucky in that her birthday was mid February so additional funding was automatic. She was born 6 weeks early and I although I felt she'd cope academically I thought she'd struggle physically (she still had afternoon naps). I have two older DSs both spring birthdays and my sister is a primary teacher. I choose to follow my instincts and defer and have never regretted it. She has never struggled at all and is a very confident girl. My sister said that when you defer you very rarely regret but regret is more common the other way. I've had to field the odd "held-back" type comment from some mothers however I've a thick skin.

When I worked part-time I used to help at my daughters school and I remember they used to do readiness assessment for school (usually for parents who had requested early start but sometimes where they parent was unsure about deferring). Could you get an assessment from the school as I think this might help your case with additional funding or put you at ease about not deferring.

I choose to switch nursery for the additional year and the nursery she went to were great - she learned to read, write, swim and ride a two-wheeler during that extra year (okay maybe not so much reading or writing than if she went to school).