So can I definitely keep ds part time until he turns five?

[emkana]

Does anybody know the relevant legislation?

Chapter 1 Sect 7 & 8 here Em. And Sect 9 wrt to parents wishes.

Does ds have a statement because SEN is relevant too (if school are a bit about it.

No, no statement, just School Action Plus. Thank you very much for the link!

That's very useful to know - I'm planning on doing the same with DD.

You have the right to ask, but the school doesn't have to accept.

oh really clemetteattlee? Do you have any links about that? (just trying to prepare myself)

Under s444(3)(a) of the 1996 Education Act

Any ?school age? child who goes to school at all must attend regularly, but absence ?with leave? does not count as irregular attendance. During such absences the child is officially at school, but is effectively being educated off site. (S)he is therefore covered for insurance and attracts full funding. Such arrangements are at the discretion of the school. (s 444 (9))

Our school is oversubscribed so only offer reception places to parents who will send their children full-time from the September/January of intake.

Ours too - but our only intake is September.

LAs have to provide a 'suitable' education but you may find it difficult to persuade them that part-time is suitable after 5. They can be deemed as being educated elsewhere/flexi schooled but most LAs aren't that flexible. As clems link says; it's discretionary once they're 'school-age' ie 5.

However schools can't use use poor attendance (as in sickness) as a reason not to offer a place.

If he's going full-time after he's 5 you shouldn't have any problems Em.

This doesn't apply to the OP, but may help some others: Any parent whose child is eligible to start Reception from Sept 2011 can choose part-time education until the child reaches compulsory education age in the term after her fifth birthday - so you won't have to rely on luck to get the school's agreement to the arrangement.

See the School Admission Code: www.dcsf.gov.uk/sacode/

If your child is to be the only child in the class to attend part time I would not recommend it unless your child has any specific needs that will make full time schooling difficult.

I am a reception teacher and the main aim of reception is to develop a child's social skills. It is during reception where children learn to be an individual and a member of a large group. A child that only attends part time will miss large chunks or school life and will not necessarily form strong bonds with his peers.

However I do not know your situation and every case should be considered seperately.

ds does have special needs and one of the reasons I want to keep him part time is that he is not even toilet trained yet.

I hope that attending part time won't affect the social side too much.

We were advised that at our school, the children almost all start full time on the same day, roughly 3 weeks into term. But they do assess each child individually and if they feel that a child is not quite ready for that, then they will recommend that the child stays on shorter days for just a bit longer.