January intake for four year olds does it work for your child?

[whomovedmychocolate]

I have a bit of a problem. My DD was born in October and so would not be due to go to primary school till four weeks shy of her fifth birthday. But she's actually quite studious (already) and they only do reading and maths for an hour a week in her preschool.

I may have the opportunity to send her to an independent school with very small classes (3-4 in the first two years, rising up to 9 on average till 11) in the January. But I'm torn as to whether she'll cope. It's nearly half a year away and I know they can change a lot at this age but wondered if there were any parents who've made this decision and how it went.

My other child is a July baby who would be starting school at the same age. So the other consideration is that they would be two years apart in school rather than one year apart, which would be easier in terms of finance because we would have less crossover of school and university years funding. But does that detract at all from the school experience of being at school with your brother or will they ignore each other anyway after the age of six?

Any views?

Was just wondering - was on a Quaker thread last night and discovered of the 7 or so Quaker schools two of them are here so there was a chance you were nearby

Nope - there was a quaker thread? Actually the irony is we are sending them there to AVOID sending them to the local church schools which are very churchy and we are secularists.

And we do like the idea of them getting a lot of exercise and also being able to do double subjects if they want to - you can't do double maths or science here if you are in a state school

whomovedmychocolate are you sure you mean Y2 (which is in fact the third year in school) and not Y1 which normally follows reception?
If it is Y2 I think both you and the school are insane

Mrz - insane, quite possible, but polite with it

AFAIK reception is year 0 and therefore the next year is year 1. I did write year 2 earlier on but in the sense of the 'second year of school'. This is v confusing. Maybe I should go back to school?

No reception is Year R the next year is Y1

Actually thinking about it the school isn't insane just desperate to increase numbers. Sorry but if that offends you but I would be really unhappy if my head teacher suggested what this school is proposing.

and FYI I was putting it as politely as possible

If it is the school I found via Google they are offering financial incentives to new starters which suggests they are indeed chasing bums on seats. Agree with mrz it does sound a bit haphazard but the website makes it sound idyllic ! Is it affiliated to IAPS etc ?

I googled the school too (I was wondering if it was the same Quaker school that a friend in uni had attended but it wasn't) and saw that about 20% off fees for children starting in 2010, it does seem as though they are trying to bump their numbers up. A cynical part of me would think that encouraging your child to start earlier than normal was part of this, regardless of how bright she is.

As I said earlier in the thread, a good school will differentiate within a class. It would be even easier to do in a class of 3 or 4, many teachers do it in a class of 30! DS1 was a September baby and is pretty bright, but I would be loathe to move him up a year as I don't feel he would be socially ready. I certainly wouldn't move him up 2 years.

whomovedmychocolate sorry but your knowledge of the English education system and what is and what isn't possible in state schools is totally inaccurate.

I think she has gone mrz...