Opinions appreciated re DS's birthday and fighting for him to start a year "early"

[GirlWithTheMouseyHair]

We've just moved to California where the rules used to be children turning 5 by 1st December would start that September. Which DS (birthday end of October) would do, which although would mean being young in his year here would mean starting the same year he would have done at home in UK. We're intending to go home after 3/4 years.

California have just changed the rules so that children have to have turned 5 by September 1st. Which means he'll be nearly 6 when actually starts and a year behind when we get home.

A) I don't know if this actually puts him at an advantage?
B) I don't know if it's even worth trying to convince pre-school and then kindergarten to take him a year early for these reasons

What do you think? He's average intelligence as far as I can see (he's currently 3), but in my head starting a year later would mean he'd always stay a year behind, which is rubbish because he's old in the school year anyway (if he was a summer baby I wouldn't bother making a fuss) and of course an extra year paying for extortionate daycare!

WWYD?

No, dont worry.

My youngest son, age 6 just started Y2 this September, coming straight from Nursery in Norway, after three years there.

They prefer to let them go in at their age level.

He is now at the same level as his classmates for numeracy. He is in the lowest group in the class for spelling (after having lived and managed in a different language for 3 years), learnt reading so well that he has since September gone from not reading at all to being on level 3 on the ORT, which means he has raced through Reception and nearly all Year 1 level, reading wise, in 6 months, according to his teacher.

I honestly dont think he would be disadvantaged by one more year of playing and socializing, on the contrary!

Just make sure you focus on letters and number games with him, and practice writing for fun, and you will be fine.

I wouldnt worry. We're in Scotland so a lot of the kids here are 5y6-8m before the start primary 1. My son was only 4 and tbh I wish Id held him back a year (its quite common here), he loves school but he is still my baby and will be when he's'35

But my son will be 5.11, is that not really old? Personally I'm not bothered about his nursery career being full of numbers and letters, would rather it was about playing and socializing, but starting school when he's practically 6?

Ugh and of course childcare is so so expensive here

Really normal here in Canada. Most transition back to the uk system with few problems.

Would you be thinking of private school or state school? You can always try to see if either system will bend the rules for you - I don't know how flexible California is. I think if you know your child is ready, he's ready. Why not visit the school and ask if anyone has been allowed to start early? Just check that things like class sizes, using the loo, meal times, etc might not be too daunting for him - eg it might be ok at the age of 4 in a UK class with a teacher and TA, but just check it's the same set up there in the US. They might be going at a faster pace and not be doing "learn through play" like they do here at Reception. And is there much difference in the transition from Pre K to kindergarten to primary there?

(PS your DS would still be eligible for pre K and other preschool programs for his age though - do visit those and see, they might still provide enough teaching for him?)

Like I said, my son was six. He turned six in June, and went straight into a Y2 class in September, when he was 6 years and 3 months, so older than your child will be. Your child is unlikely to start in Reception, it is more likely that they will start him in Y2 like my son.

ds2 is a november birthday and as there's no christmas intake he did a whole extra year in nursery, he was 6 in the november after he started school in the august

i'd recommend a late start anytime, i think they are still babies at 4 and can really struggle with the social side of school and tiredness. DS2 has never seemed to struggle with anything, takes it all in his stride.

Oh gosh, I've just noticed he's only 3 at the mo. honestly, I wouldn't stress about it for another year or two. A lot can happen in that time. He'll feed into preK and K and it will be fine. He'll just slide into the correct age group in the uk and it will all be a non-event.

It is only a pita because of the childcare costs, and the uk 'norm' that you have in your head. You just have to take a deep breath and do the 'when in Rome' thing.

You've all reassured me, thanks so much. I went to a pre school this morning that said for kindergarten most private schools test the kids and even public schools require they write their names etc so am completely not going to be dressed about it now!!

As you say, when in Rome. And while he's just in preschool we can take him out whenever we like for hold etc at least!