Calling Scottish mums - should my 4.5 year old start P1 in August?

[septembersong]

DS1 was 4 on 11 Dec, and is due to start school in August. But I feel reluctant to send him as he will be one of the youngest. He goes to nursery 3 days a week while I'm working, and they say he is ready to go, no issues on the development front. It is just me, for some reason I would prefer to send him older than younger. But maybe holding him back wouldn't be the right thing for him? Interested in the thoughts of other mums with experience of this dilemma, especially those in Scotland, as I think the norm is to start at 4 down south, which is different to here.

My dd is like that. She is 2, chatted in full sentences at 18 months and is socially ready now almost. It will be a struggle for her to do two years at nursery I think...she will get bored!!

That does sound like my friend's DD. She was walking and talking in full sentences while my older DS was only just crawling and barely had any words!!.

I didn't actually defer ds but I suppose what I'm saying is that the fact that he, even as a September baby, was borderline shows how valuable/useful the flexibility of the Scottish system is (even if some councils make it difficult).

In most if not all cases, parents' instincts are right about whether or not their child should start P1 or leave it a year.

As a mum who was told exactly the same as yourself please please do not send your child in August!!!!
My husband and I were advised that our son would be fine and cope well educationally however no one warned us about the constant feeling a catch up in respect of his emotional well being. Our son was not street wise nor was he quick to mature and found the playground to be a daunting task on a day to day basis.
At 12 now he remains the youngest in his year and still doesn't quite know how to behave around his peers still enjoying more childish pursuits. In his words sometimes it is too hard to keep trying to be "one of the guys"

Having been personally educated under the English system and then the Scottish system, and choosing to go down a year when I moved to Scotland, IMO, defer.
There will be plenty of others who will have deferred, I was neither the oldest or the youngest in the year. I ended up in the year I would have been in had I started P1 in Scotland but been deferred.

IMO, if you are unsure whether to send him or not, then defer, as you have that option. I just wish it was an option down here. Would have done DD the world of good to have been deferred, and in the year below. The extra time to mature before doing her GCSE's would give her an extra grade I think.

I live in Scotland and my son was born in December 2007, so he is 4 now and I have deferred him (with a HUGE battle, as nursery, as well as the Council were telling me that he should start school this September).

I think that no child is ready of age 4.5 to go to school, in particular boys and for sure that no one will make mistake by deferring child. Those stories that child might get bored etc are totally irrelevant to what consequences child might have if start early (and I am talking especially about emotional development, confidence etc). I mean even if they do get bored that year going to nursery/staying at home rather than attending school, won't do them any harm!!!

So, my honest opinion and advise to everyone is to defer their child for his own benefit and good future!

We had massive problems when our son started school in 2013 aged 4.8, December birthday. Here's our blog on entitlements and trends - denying funded nursery places saves councils money. They can't deny an extra year of funded nursery for January and February births. Even if they DO deny a nursery place for Aug-Dec births, there is still no legal obligation on the parents to send them to school if they are still 4 when the school session starts.
www.takingparentsseriously.wordpress.com
Also www.upstart.scot has a lot of information about the benefits of an older start at school. It's not just about their keenness to read, but about a variety of gross and fine motor skills, social skills and whether they will be physically behind their peers or not. Difficulties may not manifest until later primary or even secondary school. Boys in particular often struggle with a younger start.

ZOMBIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I've only we've come across people who've regretted not deferring - no one I know has ever regretted deferring their child.

But I agree about checking if December birthdays are covered for an extra year of nursery (if finance is an issue) - some do, some don't. Some will if the nursery supports the deferral.

....didn't notice that this was a Zombie thread