what age do kids go to school?

[robinredbreast]

sorry im clueless
dd is only 6 months is it 4 years or 5 years old?

and what about preschool or playschool?
is preschool free or do you have to pay for it ? do all kids go to pre school?

They start main stream school in the term that they turn 5. Nursery is term they turn 4 and playschool is 2 yrs 9 months.

It depends when their birthday is. I think in most places they go in the September after they're 4. So some could have just turned 4 in the August, while others will be turing 5 in the September.

Where we are, pre-school is free for 5 x half days a week from when they're 3, but I think this varies. Try looking at your local council's website - might have info. Children don't have to go to pre-school.

school nurseries take them the term after they're 3, reception classes the term after they are 4.

where I live 3 seems to be the age where they can start doing a couple of mornings a week in playgroup/pre school. The term after they are 3 , 5 sessions a week are government funded. Your local ed dept will give you details, you have to put names down for pre school 6 months in advance round here.

I really should read the whole post and not the first line!

I believe preschool is free from 3 yrs old, but they are not legally to go anywhere until mainstream school.

in the term that they turn 5? dd was born in june so when will that be ?

In the Sept after she is 4 unless you have double entry i.e. January start for those with birthdays in the summer(from April 1st here)

Hi, so I think your dd will go to school from the September after she's 4 in June, if that makes sense!

the september after he turns 3: nursery
the september after his 4th b'day: Reception

So she'll be 5 in June 2012? We have two intakes here, so she would start in January 2012 in reception. If your LEA does one intake it'll be Septemer 2011.

so let me get this straight nurseryin the sept after shes turned 3
and reception in the september after shes turned 4

What happens round here, is that you start seeing posters up in libraries and schools in January saying 'Was your child born between xxx and xxx, if so, its time to apply for reception.'

Yes, IF you have only one intake. Otherwise it'll be January 2012.

You will actually get the hang of it before its too late! Once you get a bit nearer, it'll all become clear! Promise!

dd was born june 2007

ohh really hope my school does two intakes ill get to keep dd at home for longer

although does this mean they finish school later ?

do i need to put her name down for a school now or anything ?

what do you think of sending kids to preschool/nursery?

id rather kep my dd home but is that selfish

how do you think kids cope being the younger ones in there year?

The best thing you can do, is look on your local council website at primary admissions. It should say there, whether its one or two intakes. Personally, I like the idea of children going to the nursery attached to the school they will be going to. Nursey and reception teaching comes under the umbrella of Early Years, so its a much easier transission for them, since they tend to do some things togeher. They won'e leave school any later, having started later. Legally, they have to be at school between 5 - 18 (only just changed from 16)

I don't know about the implications of being the youngest I'm afraid, DD has always been the oldest!

You could call your Education department, I'm sure they'd be happy to help you. Its so difficult for us, since every authority does things differently.

sorry for all my questions and thanks for your help
i should really start about 5 threads really for that lot

omg i didnt even know that
really kids have to be a school till 18 now
im shocked i didnt know that
thank you mml

My DD is also a June baby (four this June), and is due to start Reception in September this year - but I will almost certainly defer, as I think that's too early. I deferred with DS (May b'day) until the term in which he turned five, so he missed the first two terms of Reception, and benefited enormously from extra time at home. But others may benefit from extra time at school. DD has lots of friends who'll be in her class, and may be begging me to send her to school in September!(I should add that, very luckily for us, we're going private, so it's much easier to choose when you want them to start - state schools are, I believe, less flexible if you want to guarantee a place).

DD does two mornings at a little nursery school (a very small and old-fashioned one, not a big nursery), and loves it. DS did the same, working up to 4 mornings by the time he was about to start 'real' school. He wasn't keen - or said he wasn't - but it did curb some of his dictatorial tendencies!! It also gave his sister a bit of time with me on her own, which she needed.

I love(d) having them mostly at home, and don't think there's anything selfish about it. Fortunately, the little nursery school DD goes to is marvellous - if it weren't for that, I'd have been stuck to know what to do beyond playgroups and the like.

I don't think it matters, being the younger ones in the year (I'm an end-of-August b'day, and it was never a problem - though children went to school after their fifth b'days where I lived in the 70s, so the differences may have been less obvious!)

No, they don't finish school any later. And once they're 29 and all their friends are 30, they'll be delighted that they're still in their 20s!!

I don't think you have to put her name down for any (state) schools - I got all the application forms automatically, despite not asking for them, so the council must keep records of births.

Hope this helps!

Ask away, that's what MN is for! DD wasn't impressed with the new rules either! She's in Yr 7 (1st year secondary), she thought the end was in sight!

I have two June born Dcs. They are/will be the youngest in their year group, but will finish school the same time as the rest in their year group. Most LAs take children the sept after they are 4, but it is common for the youngest children to start half days initially. At my Ds's school he was mornings only for the first term. I think pre-school is a good idea, but you don't have to take up all 5 sessions. DS1 only did 3 mornings last year. It is worth talking to your HV about pre school provision in your area as in my area there are not enough places and so you have to sign your child up really early.

thanks everyone and thanks for the great tips
mml was your dd shocked or was she expecting it ?

im still taking this in

I have a June daughter as well (born 2000) - she began nursery in Sept 03 at 3.3 months and full-time school in January 05 at 4.5. I don't think being June baby has affected her too much - her spelling is atrocious! but she's doing quite well considering some of her classmates are almost a year older than her. FWIW, 2 of my exs were August-born, always the youngest in their school years and both are highly-qualified professionals now. Birth months don't always signify potential . A lot of it is down to parental encouragement as well.

I'm not actually sure when it comes into effect, but I'm sure it'll be before she gets to 16. TBH, they was no doubt in my mind that I would have liked her to stay until she was 18 anyway. Its called Post 16 these days! Every school year is a learning curve nowadays, because the government changes things so often!

I believe if you defer school until they're five, they go straight into yr one and skip reception. It's well-worth letting them have some time in reception just learning about being at school and making friends, esp if they didn't attend a nursery attached to the school. Most primaries seem to have nurseries attached though but entry to one does not guarantee a place in the main school. It's the catchment area thing again!

My dd's spelling is still rubbish and she was 12 in October!