Should I defer my child? He's three and a half?

[SecondtimeMama29]

I don't know whether to defer my child? He's three and a half and is meant to start pre-school in August.

However, his birthday is November.

Some of the kids in his class are already 4.

Jealous of what exactly 🤣🤣 I'm embarrassed for you with that comment tbh.

Very confusing posts op and I live in Scotland..

We have, ignoring private nurseries for now,

ELC early learning childcare for three year olds.

ELC for four year olds.

ELC for certain eligible two year olds.

As others have said, year runs 1st march to end feb.

Part of the confusion here MAY be that we now have guaranteed additional year funded nursery, ELC for any child born august to march.

So I could defer my oct 2018 child, to start at 5 years 10 months, rather than this year.

Benefits being nursery system more flexible.

We do not have pre school.

Your child is in nursery anyway, enrolment week for school was like November last year, so not just eight weeks notice.

Every child different, base the decision on your child with guidance from those who currently have them four days a week, not on what others are doing.

I would recommend deferring.
We didn’t with our child that was eligible and she really needed that extra year of nursery. It took years for her to gain confidence and it was a big mistake. She was our 3rd (of 5) so I could see the difference.

You’ve clearly made up your mind, OP, so just defer him for the year.

My son started school at 4 years and a month old. He has absolutely thrived at school and loves it! He won’t turn 5 until the school holiday start

Deferring his start to pre school doesnt make a difference to when he is eligible to start school, his birth date dictates that. He can start nursery and then have an additional year at nursery before starting school - I'd recommend this for a myriad of reasons.
All children in Scotland who are not five on the first day of term for P1 are legally entitled to an addition year at nursery. So he would start nursery at 3 and a half for his pre school year (Aug 2023) then start an additional year at 4 1/2 (Aug 2024) then would have to start P1 at 5 1/2 (Aug 2025).

Not in Scotland, he'd be amongst the youngest.

November is verging on the middle of the intake, Mar, Apr, May being oldest, June, July, Aug,Sept,Nov, in the middle Dec, Jan Feb the youngest.

Surely, if in Scotland the range of ages goes from Feb to Feb, so a November born isn't going to be one of the youngest anyway. Plus, however you arrange the cut off date, someone will be the youngest.
If he doesn't have significant developmental delay, then he should be in the year group he is in chronologically.

ELC includes ante pre-school - the year when they start at 3, pre-school - the year when they start at 4 then the additional year. Most local authorities & settings still use ante pre/pre to differentiate between year groups.

@Sugarfree23 he'd be amongst the youngest 3rd.
Mar, Apr, May, June
July, August, Sept, Oct
Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb
Nov-Feb birthdays were those most often considered for deferral before the guaranteed additional year came in.

Mar - Feb so he wouldn't be the youngest but potentially amongst the youngest 3rd of the year group.

@UsingChangeofName
It's not as simple as chronological year groups in Scotland now as all those not 5 on the first day of the new term in August are eligible for an additional year at nursery.
The OPs child could start at P1 at 4yrs 9months with children who've had an additional year and are almost 6.
It varies depending on where you are but uptake of additional years local to me has been huge!