Please can anyone advise on how to get the school to help ds?

[BitTiredNow]

DS1 is in that rubbish age bracket of being literally 2 days too young to go up to Foundation Stage 2 at school (or reception) so has to do another whole year of FS1. Despite the school assuring me when we arrived that the curriculum was broad enough to cope with the children in this bracket, he is effectively doing the same thing all over again. eg, last year he finished the whole alpahbet with jolly phonics and they are just starting again with him this year. He is telling he is bored and wants to do new things and is cetainly ready, but when I ask the school they just fob me off and tell me to do more with him at home - which I do try to, but surely they should be offering suggestions too? I am aware if I don't get this approach right I will just come across as a PITA mother which will adversely impact on ds1. Any ideas?

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Have you spoken to the headteacher yet? Maybe ask them straight out "Why can't he move up? What's the advantage in what is, essentially, keeping him down a year". Please don't worry about being a PITA - you are concerned about his education and that is never wrong. If you are not happy with what the headteacher says, tell him/her you will approach the Governors.

thanks, Love, I hadn't thought of going o the governors. I had a meeting with the headteacher today and she was worse than useless, but I kept my cool and thought at least I had planted the seed. I will try the governors route. Bless you for replying!

Hi BTN, do you mean he is currently in nursery because he was a september baby and has to wait until next year to start reception (sorry for being thick - not quite understanding your terminology )

If so there's not much the governors will be able to do as he would have been 3 on 1st september and wouldn't qualify to go into reception. I don't think they would have the power to change this.

yes meemar - he is 4 now - and you have to be 4 by 31 Aug to get in. (He missed it by days)

I'm not sure what can be done. I think they just have to have a cut off point and some children will be really old for their year and some really young.

My DS1 is an august baby and will be one of the youngest in his year(he starts in Jan though). He will be in the same school year as children nearly a year older than him.

I know - it's really arbitary. My neighbour came around today showing me how many words her son knows now (she's a bit PFB, but that's a whole other dinner party) and I couldn't help thinking, if I had only pushed him out a bit quicker.....

It is very inflexible - DS1 was born 5 weeks prem, so if he had come on time he wouldn't be going to school til next sept.

In some ways I'm glad he's going after xmas, but in others I feel he'd benefit from the extra time at pre-school.

It all evens out in the end though

Also, statistically children born in the autumn term do better academically than summer babies.

Something to make you feel better even if it doesn't help me!

If he has been at pre-school a year then he was 2 when he started. The school shouldn't have let him start that early as it would have been obvious to them he wouldn't be able to start Reception until he was 4.

I know this doesn't help you, but if it were me I'd be glad of the extra preschool year. dd is a july baby and young for her age, and she's struggling in reception. The school should really be able to cater better for children like your ds though, rather than just leaving it to you at home.

Did the school tell you last year that DS would have to repeat a year (cos that is what is happening).