Delay school start?

[Fourlittlepiggies]

I never thought I would be questioning this, but could really use some thoughts on whether to delay ds starting school.

Reasons to delay: he is an August baby and whilst he is very articulate, he can’t do many of the things his siblings could at this stage eg writing letters or his name. My bigger concern is his behaviour. He still has screaming tantrums and doesn’t seem to have patience to sit and listen (eg in Assembly). I wonder if he has ADHD or is developmentally behind on social cues (eg shouting out during a beavers campfire last week when the leaders were talking etc). I think he could get through reception but would massively struggle with the jump to Y1 unless something drastic changes.

Reasons not to delay: pre school are not concerned and say he is a boisterous/ typical boy and can be a very loving child. His 2 best friends from pre school start in Sept. The pre school is on the school site and he would see them at drop offs/ pick ups and wonder why he isnt with them.

I am planning to talk to pre school again but any thoughts? Am I over-worrying/ are these things normal for some summer born children starting school?

I wouldn’t defer. I think it would be an easier transition to move up with the children she knows and his friends. I think it would be daunting to start a year later as bonds will have formed and he’ll be trying to fit around established friends.

Agree with the above poster. This all sounds fine to me. I appreciate it must be hard, as I had a December baby. But equally I was the youngest in my year and didn’t really notice. And did well at school.

Also I think shouting out at age four at the wrong time is really not a big deal and I wouldn’t worry at all about that.

We considered deferring but decided it would not be helpful to our child because they are very articulate. They already spoke with the vocabulary of a senior school child at 4 (according to their pre school) and so could find communicating with peers difficult. We all felt that this would be even harder on him if he was deferred so pressed ahead. I wish that our schools started later, but I'm glad we didnt defer.

I’ve got a late July born boy and we’re sending him in sept. I figured I’d be better to have him repeat reception if it’s a disaster rather than defer him and then realise we’d held him back. Similar to you nursery have no concerns and someone has to be the youngest.

I thought beavers started at about 6 years of age

I think the risk is that he’ll be hugely bored at preschool for another year, especially with a cohort of younger children.

It is 6. Maybe she meant Squirrels.

having had a summer born boy, now having huge issues in year 11, I wish I had had the option to defer.
for the whole of his school career, he has been that little bit behind, impacting his self esteem, impacting his behaviour. This is the main thing I tell people with small children is defer if you can especially with boy summer babies. He should had had another year in preschool playing.

Trust the Pre-school staff.

He isn't expected to be able to write his name or even individual letters. (Speaking as a Teacher).
My Summer born ds certainly couldn't, and wasn't interested in sitting and writing or colouring / drawing etc until about Yr2, but ended up doing 3x essay based subjects at A-level and an essay based degree.

He's 2 and 1/2 years too young to start Beavers so him shouting out at a campfire is hardly surprising and wouldn't be an issue even if he were Beaver age, but certainly isn't as he hasn't even started school yet.

Don't defer him - let him move up with his friends and peers, as advised by the school staff that know him and have known a complete range of 3 year olds over many, many years.

I think he could get through reception but would massively struggle with the jump to Y1 unless something drastic changes.

Well something will change - he will be a year and a half older. He will have had that much more time to mature and develop.

I defered my summer born child and I’m really happy with the decision.

My summer born boy couldn't write any letters or his name when he started last September and is now absolutely thriving. He is also hugely boisterous and I worried about him being able to sit on the carpet for more than two minutes but he is managing just fine. A third of his class are actually August born.

I wouldn't defer, the chances are he'll be just fine and from a social aspect nice to be with his friends.

@Thickasabrick89 he has older siblings - it was a beavers campfire that siblings and parents were invited to.