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?

[Authenticity2020]

Thank you to everyone who has given their thoughts and opinions sorry I haven’t replied to everyone yet, I will try to do that when I can.

Consensus seems to be NO to skipping part of the year option a. Which I agree with completely.

Small minority proceeded with child going in with normal year group and fine with that. Slightly larger minority proceeded with child going in normal year group and regret that.

Mixed opinions on part time, works for some and others think could mean some things get missed. Important to work closely with school if doing this. This perhaps works as a gradual introduction, perhaps on a short term basis? Because otherwise Y1 may be a big jump and they could miss on academics, the fun stuff and socialising. Often cited as a less preferable option, but still something to consider if child is in school and struggling.

Vast majority suggest defer a year for delays + summer born. No real downsides cited.

Currently minded to wait until end of the year and assess where DS is by asking his teachers and then speak to headteacher to assess options. Then make applications for school and review as time goes by to either delay by a year (currently looks that way) or, if DS catches up quite considerably (a lot can happen in a year as a PP has said) and seems ready, could still look at doing part time hours for the first half term or so to ease him in.

But good suggestion to increase nursery hours in final term to increase stamina before school 6 hour day. That will also be a good indication of readiness because if struggling in July with a full day, most likely will do two months later when academics crank up a notch.

Thanks also for Facebook resource which I will look at.

[Tomatowentsplat]

@Authenticity2020

@Tomatowentsplat is your LO in nursery already? can I ask what reason you gave the local auth if no delays/concerns? I hope my local auth are understanding.

@Authenticity2020 my daughter was nursery already and I just adviced them she should be continuing for a further year.

I feel the reason I gave was just to fill in a blank space as they didn't question it in anyway.
My child was born on 30th August due to being induced over concerns in pregnancy. She was due in sept. My "argument" was due to being induced it caused her to be born into the wrong year group. She wasn't classed as premature as born at 37 weeks.
Telling them this was all they needed, didn't question it or ask for evidence of anything.

[Connie2468]

@Emailconfirmed

Are you willing to support his learning with phonics and maths at home?
If so, I would keep him in his normal cohort but send in part time possibly full time towards end of the year.

Why? What would be the benefit of being the youngest, already experiencing developmental delays and missing out on the play and social side of the first year?
vs.
Being the oldest, at a more equal developmental level with peers, an extra year of playing, building motor skills, hand strength, stamina, speech and social skills and going full time?

[Emailconfirmed]

Are you willing to support his learning with phonics and maths at home?
If so, I would keep him in his normal cohort but send in part time possibly full time towards end of the year.

[Connie2468]

I have a relative who was in one of the first years where you could hold a summer born child back - they're now in Year 5 or 6 I think and haven't experienced any problems with bullying, they're about 3 weeks older than the next oldest child in the class and not the tallest or biggest.

[letsgetbackto2019]

@Authenticity2020

@letsgetbackto2019 so interesting that where you are from school doesn’t start till age 6. Ok so I will explain what I mean about being older. So traditionally you couldn’t hold children back a year like this, this is a relatively recent development. So previously if it was discovered you were an older kid and so should have been in the next class up, you could easily be bullied for being held back, not being smart enough - this would be the assumed reason for you not being able to progress to the next grade/class etc. you can even be bullied for being extra tall. Kids bully for a myriad of reasons. I would worry about this impacting his confidence that he might think he wasn’t capable back then and so what about now, risk of bullying etc. Fortunately now you can ask to hold a child back at a young age for lack of readiness and other reasons (rather than it happening mid way through school at schools direction that you repeat the year), so maybe things are different now. I am overthinking but I want to make sure I am aware of as much as possible before deciding. But it’s helpful speaking to you and other people here to get an idea.

thanks for the explanation - bullying the older ones for not being smart enough must be really a cultural thing, where I’m from (at least in my school times) even those who were made to repeat a year by the school because of not reaching the academic standards were seen as “cooler” as older - they tended to do more adult things and the youngest ones were in awe of them!😅

It’s good instead that now here there is more choice about starting age and, overall, more awareness that development pace can vary and that’s fine 😊

[EmptyHouse0822]

in the next class up, you could easily be bullied for being held back, not being smart enough - this would be the assumed reason for you not being able to progress to the next grade/class etc. you can even be bullied for being extra tall. Kids bully for a myriad of reasons.

I don’t think is helped by the many, many scaremongering posts you see on threads like this. People like to portray the idea of these huge, ‘delayed’ 5 year olds that come into class towering over the rest of the class who are a “whole 13 months younger” when this is very rarely the case at all.

My son started two weeks after he was 5 and he has been in school about three weeks now. He has made 4 friends so far, two of whom are September born and one is November born. So between those three there is less than 3 months difference in age.

And yes, my son may be the oldest in the class (by a whole 10 days…..oh the horror) he certainly isn’t the tallest and I doubt he ever will be 😂

From talking to other parents, there are another two children in my son’s class who are deferred summer borns so were 5 when they started and it’s such a non-issue. You wouldn’t know who those 2 children were because they are only a few weeks older than the September borns and so they certainly aren’t 2ft taller and reading newspapers competently compared to the rest of the class who are “so much younger” 😂

[Authenticity2020]

@letsgetbackto2019

In my country formal education starts at 6 indeed, and the system works the opposite way - advanced kids are asked to be anticipated at 5. The result is having more homogeneous classes with less differences. I was one of the 5yo starters and my school career has been academically brilliant and socially disastrous. Bullying usually affects the youngest ones, that’s why I struggle to understand the worry I see on here “will he be bullied because he is older”. My son has English as a second language, a speech delay, an attention disorder and has an EHCP, I think being the oldest will save him a lot of social struggles.
Academically, there are plenty of studies showing how statistically the youngest students get worse results up to GCSE.
Personally I can’t see any drawbacks!

@letsgetbackto2019 so interesting that where you are from school doesn’t start till age 6. Ok so I will explain what I mean about being older. So traditionally you couldn’t hold children back a year like this, this is a relatively recent development. So previously if it was discovered you were an older kid and so should have been in the next class up, you could easily be bullied for being held back, not being smart enough - this would be the assumed reason for you not being able to progress to the next grade/class etc. you can even be bullied for being extra tall. Kids bully for a myriad of reasons. I would worry about this impacting his confidence that he might think he wasn’t capable back then and so what about now, risk of bullying etc. Fortunately now you can ask to hold a child back at a young age for lack of readiness and other reasons (rather than it happening mid way through school at schools direction that you repeat the year), so maybe things are different now. I am overthinking but I want to make sure I am aware of as much as possible before deciding. But it’s helpful speaking to you and other people here to get an idea.

[EmptyHouse0822]

My summer born son has just started two weeks after his 5th birthday and it’s the best decision we made.

It’s all very individual but there’s no way my son would have coped going to school just after his 4th birthday.

[CantstandCoriander]

My deferred child is a giant and I really worried about him looking out of place but he's in year 3 now and although still the tallest (and fastest, which he loves!), a few children have almost caught up. He knows he could have gone to school a year earlier but we say we wanted to give him a year extra to play and that nearly all other countries start school at 5/6/7. He's absolutely fine with it and the other children don't care. He loves school and although greater depths (advanced) in maths, his writing is right where it should be for year 3.

[letsgetbackto2019]

@Authenticity2020

@letsgetbackto2019 this is thing, all kids are so different aren’t they! And I see that a lot of countries don’t start formal education until age 5. I can see why! That’s great your Lo is thriving. Do you think there are any drawbacks from delaying?

In my country formal education starts at 6 indeed, and the system works the opposite way - advanced kids are asked to be anticipated at 5. The result is having more homogeneous classes with less differences. I was one of the 5yo starters and my school career has been academically brilliant and socially disastrous. Bullying usually affects the youngest ones, that’s why I struggle to understand the worry I see on here “will he be bullied because he is older”. My son has English as a second language, a speech delay, an attention disorder and has an EHCP, I think being the oldest will save him a lot of social struggles.
Academically, there are plenty of studies showing how statistically the youngest students get worse results up to GCSE.
Personally I can’t see any drawbacks!

[SeekingBalance]

I wish I has increased more hours, like a school day the term before starting school. I'll be doing that with my daughter.
Now he's in school and is making relationships, I wouldn't pull him but would possibly want him to do a full day Monday, then collect after lunch break the rest of the week. However, I assume the hours would be more what the school will offer rather than what I'd like. I've no experience of this so it's all new to me.

[womaninatightspot]

There might be the odd exception but I spoke to a lot of people when contemplating deferral and only people who hadn’t deferred. My eldest was 9 months younger when he went to school and found it much tougher.

[Jamboree01]

Same as this. My DS will go through school with the cohort he entered with. Absolutely no regrets. He has thrived because of the extra time he had to be little and play (despite Covid).

[womaninatightspot]

@Authenticity2020

@womaninatightspot how does your DC know that he was deferred? And does he say why he’s unhappy about it now. Completely get what you say though about everything being a complaint! 🫠

He can do maths😂 there has been quite a bit of movement whilst he would have been the youngest he is now older than some of the kids in the class above. I explained that we had a choice and given his siblings got 2 years of nursery it seemed fairer to give him 2 and a half years than 1 and a half. I think he felt the schoolwork was too easy but he’s in a mixed class this year with the year above now and is definitely feeling more stretched.


This was discussed when they all went back after lockdown apparently all that extra work like reading eggs over lockdown was also highly unnecessary according to him. Whizzed through schoolwork in half an hour so felt he should be doing something at the time.

[Authenticity2020]

@womaninatightspot

He’s 9 now. Not really any drawbacks he has complained that I shouldn’t of deferred him but tbh he’s complained about everything at some point. There’s a girl in the year above who deferred who shares his birthday so if I hadn’t of deferred he’d of been in a class with someone a full year older and he’d of been the youngest by a fair bit. That class was also a tricky one when younger so Inwas keen to dodge it. Nursery put social reasons and that he’d benefit from another year to gain emotional maturity.

@womaninatightspot how does your DC know that he was deferred? And does he say why he’s unhappy about it now. Completely get what you say though about everything being a complaint! 🫠

[womaninatightspot]

@Authenticity2020

@womaninatightspot how long ago did this happen? We’re there any negatives for your child as a result of the deferral compared to your other DC?

He’s 9 now. Not really any drawbacks he has complained that I shouldn’t of deferred him but tbh he’s complained about everything at some point. There’s a girl in the year above who deferred who shares his birthday so if I hadn’t of deferred he’d of been in a class with someone a full year older and he’d of been the youngest by a fair bit. That class was also a tricky one when younger so Inwas keen to dodge it. Nursery put social reasons and that he’d benefit from another year to gain emotional maturity.

[Iamsodonewith2020]

My son did part time reception until after the Easter. Left at lunch everyday. He is now 14 and in top sets for everything. By Christmas of year 1 he had caught up in phonics, reading and maths. He still remembers fondly our afternoons of home learning all these years later. Reception is very play based now so he will miss out on minimal learning

[itispersonal]

Not read the other comments! I would either start them full time or delay by a year. If they start in April they only have 1 term in reception so miss out on all the learning social skills etc the children have had over the last 2 terms.

If there is a global delay AND summer born I would definitely defer for a year. The pace of schooling is tough anyway and I think children who have additional needs definitely would benefit from an extra year in early years - whether in a Preschopl / nursery etc before they go into reception and year 1.

[Flopisfatteningbingforchristmas]

@Authenticity2020

@Flopisfatteningbingforchristmas yeah I see what you mean. I don’t want him to miss out. But also feel holding back should be “last resort” although not sure why I feel that way. Worried about potential detrimental impacts I guess.

My oldest is a May birthday and started reception reading. My the end of reception all the children in her class could read and write a sentence. If your child did half days they would literally miss out half if their reception education. Delayed entry would give him an extra year of nursery education.

[Authenticity2020]

@womaninatightspot

I delayed my middle child. He went to school nursery and they were supportive but said it was my choice. He got an extra years funding for nursery and moved up with the next group. Not all LA are equal though so I’d have a chat to find out what would happen.

@womaninatightspot how long ago did this happen? We’re there any negatives for your child as a result of the deferral compared to your other DC?

[Authenticity2020]

@Winceybincey

Both have to agree to it. I’ve just sorted mine out for next year and the LA said it’s fine as long as the heads at the schools I applied to are in agreement. They were so our application for next September has been withdrawn and he starts 2024.

some areas are easier than others. I’m in Durham and it’s been a piece of cake here.

@Winceybincey so they’ve guaranteed a place for the following year? My thought was that if you defer there was no guarentee of getting a place at that school the next year and you had to reapply. That’s great that you’ve been able to agree it.
I need to see what my local authority does

[Authenticity2020]

@BridetoBee

As a Reception teacher I have experience of all three, my first choice would be deferring the full year, then part time but every morning so make sure no phonics/maths is missed. I had a child start in December and while their parents had done lots in terms of academics with them, they were completely out of their depth socially and had missed the first term where that’s the focus. In addition, they hadn’t started from 5 minute carpet sessions and worked up with everyone else, in December we were up to around 20 minutes which was just too long for them.

@BridetoBee thank you for your input. I agree with what you say. Have you seen any negative impacts from kids delaying the year? Further down the line? Or is this too new?

[Authenticity2020]

@Sarahcoggles

OP i think a lot of people will tell you that the early years are tough if they're young, but that once they're older, able to wipe their own bums, manage the long days etc it'll all be fine.
That isn't my experience.
My DS is August born. When he started school there wasn't the option to delay for a year.
DS is clever, so academically he has always been OK.
Emotionally it's been a disaster.
He's 17 now, in year 13.
From the start he got teased for having a Thomas swimming bag and had to swap it to a Spider-Man one, even though he didn't like Spider-Man. Throughout school he has struggled to keep up with the likes and development of his peers. They went through puberty before him, got girlfriends before him, and now they're learning to drive before him and going into pubs before him. His contemporaries are excited about university and he is terrified. He's felt intimidated by people throughout his time at school.
Admittedly this is partly due to his personality, but had he been the oldest in the year rather than the youngest, it would have been completely different.

OP if your child has a slight delay then to my mind it's a no-brainer.
I can't tell you how negatively my son has been affected by being so young. It breaks my heart, and makes me angry at how rigid the system was when he started school.

It has dictated the tone of his life and I feel has had permanent detrimental effects.

@Sarahcoggles im so sorry to read about your and your DSs experience through school. Kids can be so mean and it’s a shame the system wasn’t as flexible as (I hope) it is now. I take on board what you have said, it all makes sense to
me. I feel your pain. I hope your son enjoys university, it may well be the best years for him. For me, I was summer born with good academics but I loathed school (hence my concern for my son I think) but at university I came alive!

[Authenticity2020]

@Tomatowentsplat

I am delaying reception to next year. No regrets and everything is absolutely fine, just carrying on from last year. My child has no development delays or concerns either

@Tomatowentsplat is your LO in nursery already? can I ask what reason you gave the local auth if no delays/concerns? I hope my local auth are understanding.