Part-time entry or delayed entry to reception anyone?

[Authenticity2020]

I have a summer born child who has experienced developmental delays and for various reasons I am considering:

a) delayed start to Reception (where the child then starts full or part time in the year) but they just start by April
b) part time Reception for part or all of the year
c)delay starting for the full year until child is aged 5 and then goes in full time.

does anyone have experience of doing this?? If so, how has it impacted things and are you glad to have done it?

At the moment my kid naps and needs that nap and I know some nap till age 5. Anyone send their kid part time until naps are dropped?

I wouldn't consider delaying just for a nap. My 4yo started reception this year and napped most days in the summer holidays but he's adapted fine.

@ChuckMater Thanks for your reply. I guess it’s a factor of many, but I know he could drop his nap anytime in the next year anyway. Hope your 4 yo is enjoying school

Do they go to nursery or preschool at the moment? If yes, then you can ask the nurses or teachers there for their opinion on whether holding them back by a year is a good idea.

I wouldn't do a or b. If I understand right you those options mean that the child skips reception or part of it but then starts year 1 full time after having turned 5 in summer. They learn quite a lot in reception and I think your child might struggle to catch up. I'd either delay their entry by a year (so they start in reception after turning 5 in summer) or start full time when they've turned 4.

My DD is born end of summer and she is the youngest in her class. She isn't struggling academically but I do feel that she isnt as developed as the other kids in terms of confidence and social skills. She is doing ok but I do wish we had held her back by a year.

If your child is confident and very social and outgoing and if their developmental delays don't affect their ability to learn (ie academics) then I don't think holding them back is required. Otherwise I'd definitely consider it.

Yes - I did this with my DC. As they didn't legally have to be at school until they turned five, I variously sent them part time, sent them after Christmas only, and sent them straight into Year One. All are summer born. Nothing to do with naps - just that there was no need for them to be there full time, and I was more than happy to have them at home. They had plenty of opportunities to socialise, and they were miles ahead academically when they finally went to school full time (this remained the case, and the youngest has just left school). I didn't want them to be held back a year because I thought they'd coast/be bored. It was the right decision for all of them.

Following this I’m consider the same

In retrospect I wish we had delayed by a year and sent them to nursery in the meantime. My twin girls are coping, but are still playing catch up in y1 and we all feel a bit downtrodden by the whole experience. I wish they had an extra year of unstructured time to be a kid and play/explore. From early on in reception it was phonics, phonics, phonics and I think they weren’t quite ready. From an emotional maturity standpoint, they also have had more difficulty than others. Ideally we would have started in reception after Xmas and then had another full year (18 months total)

My DC had an extra year full time at nursery then went into Reception at age 5. Definitely the right decision for us.

My child is starting reception after just turning 5. I don’t see why any child needs to start after just turning 4 if it’s not required. An extra year of playing, developing and exploring in a relaxed environment and not being rushed into being ‘school ready’ so early when they’re still practically toddlers isn’t a bad thing.

Statistics do show that summer born children can struggle and fall behind their peers. Our children had the disadvantage of a pandemic and the lockdowns too during their most crucial development stages.

I’m happy with my decision. Some have said ‘send him, he will be fine’ however I don’t want him to be ‘fine’ I want him to THRIVE! He has more chance of that after an extra year of development.

What does everyone think of them doing part time in reception if there a summer baby?

@Lakalla I think they can miss out on quite a bit which can be tricky.

DS is a July born with some additional needs, which require lots of appointments. This means he misses lots of school and finds it hard to catch up. Delaying school start by a year would have been better but I’m not in the UK and it’s not an option.

Hey OP no experience of it myself, but friends have done. Personally If you are wanting to delay I wouldn’t do part time - I’d apply to the local authority to defer the place but make sure you have reception entry for the next year, don’t let the LA push you into Year 1 , as I know some try to do this.

You say summer born- which month? I only ask as your DC if July born could be 13 months older than some of their peers…

only you know what is right for your child, my DD is end of august baby so will just be 4 (within a matter of days) of starting school next year. She’s been in nursey since she was 6 months old. She’s a dinky Dora, but fiesty. She will be one the smallest and youngest but I know extra year of nursery wouldn’t benefit her at all.

@Lakalla I think part time would have more of a detrimental impact as the jump between reception and year 1 is big, reception is basically getting them ready for year 1. I would personally do all or nothing, so delay or send as normal

I'd do C.
I don't think missing part of reception, when already delayed, is a good move. So much phonics and maths ground work is done in Reception these days.

We've still got a long way to go until September.

Apply as normal for this year. Talk to the school once you've got a place and see what they are like by then.

I know a few summer borns who's parents were sure they'd defer when they applied for schools. By the time the summer had come around their children were more than ready for the change so changed their minds.

Hello, I deferred my son and he started reception a year later, just after turning five, he's now in year 3. Best decision I ever made!! I had no real worries other than I think just turned four is too young for formal education. I work in year 1/2 and the jump from reception to year 1 is huge. There are 3 other deferred children in his class, it's becoming more of a known option to parents now which Is great. You can absolutely tell a summer-born child 9/10 as academically and socially/emotionally they tend to struggle at least up until year 4. Two Keystage 1 teachers at our school have also deferred their children.

There is a really helpful Facebook group called 'flexible admissions for summerborns'. They are a font of knowledge on how to go about deferring.

I would delay for the year.
My August-born DS is 17 and is still suffering from being the youngest in the year. I can honestly say that it has blighted his life.

I have a friend who deferred for a full year, it was great for their child. They get a whole extra year of education for free so it benefits them right the way through.

With developmental delay I would 100% choose option C) as it will give the biggest benefit to your child, an extra year of preschool plus the full 13 years of school.

You just ignored the bit about developmental delay then

I think if your child isnt ready for reception then delay a full year and start properly.

The reception class will be planned across the whole week to make the most of the whole week and if your child isnt there, they will miss lots and then go into year 1 expected to be thecsame as someone who did all of reception. They dont really get a chance to embed those early learning goals again. The goals arent all acedemic but social etc But also they plan the gentler, funner things for the afternoons like forest school or the tea party for the topic so your child will hear about stuff that happened.

I’m considering c but would never do a or b. They would not want to leave their friends and will miss out in education and fun activities.

My son is summer born and started school this year age 4. Emotionally he isn't coping as well as his peers. His teacher and lsa are fantastic thankfully and I've mentioned I'd like to consider a part time option for him, which they were supportive of. I'm giving it until the October half term to see how he's coping and then il make a decision.
He did attend nursery, but I didn't do full days just mornings. I felt I didn't prepare him enough so wouldn't make that mistake again.
He became more upset with lunch time, having to choose lunch etc so I send him with pack lunch and his mood has definitely improved because he's not hungry.
He's school is a two form entry, early years is two classrooms but open plan. There's 60 children in there, so I was concerned that he'd get lost even though at nursery he was a very spirited character!
If I wasn't working, I think I would of seriously considered deferring.

If you do defer, where I live, you must still apply for your school place and then defer it once you receive it. This may vary depending on councils, so always check.

I think part time is worst option as means they don’t get first full year of school to be full of play and adjust to being in school setting. They will suddenly feel the adjustment to being in school full time and expectations of ks1. If they aren’t ready feel free to defer but allow them the first full year of eyfs- I would definitely speak to the head of whichever school you are considering and see what they would support you doing. You don’t want to be fighting the school from the start - you want to be working together for your child’s best interests

I'd either delay their entry by a year (so they start in reception after turning 5 in summer) or start full time when they've turned 4.

This. I have a DC who has just started school. This week the teacher posted a whole class picture of every child proudly writing their first letters (sorry, graphemes) - how well they did that is almost exactly aligned to their age in the year. It’s a big ask of a just 4yo to go into this environment with an additional delay at play. And PT would exacerbate the gaps in their knowledge.

Delay the full year! My son developed exponentially from 4 to 5 and wouldn’t have been ready at all at 4, now he is going in happily, not having accidents, trying out new foods, getting star of the day etc. He is still behind and has an EHCP, but last year it would have been a disaster. What LA are you?