Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

Original poster

Deferring a year for August born child

17 replies

nannygoatgruff · 03/02/2011 20:14

How does deferring for a year work?

My youngest DS has a late August birthday, so he'll be just 4 when he starts school (Sept 2012).

If I defer, will he start Reception a year later, or just miss Reception and start in Year 1?

He has just started playgroup 2 mornings a week and has settled quite well, but he is a tiny little boy, still in 12 - 18 month clothes, although he's 2.6.

Anyone have any opinions as to the benefits (or not) of deferring?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Panzee · 03/02/2011 20:16

He'll go into Year 1. And even if he didn't the high school would just bump him into his 'age' year anyway. I really don't see the point - the Reception curriculum caters for all stages of development.

Bonkerz · 03/02/2011 20:17

he will start stright into year one and miss reception which may disadvantage him socially but it may not. You still have some time to decide. See how he copes with playschool and build him up to five sessions. make a decision later!

Bonkerz · 03/02/2011 20:19

Panzee is right also about the education side of it. All children aged 0-5 cover the same curriculum (EYFS) anyway so he will be doing the same in playschool as he would in reception class. If he struggles with full days the school will let you know and make changes for him.

thisisyesterday · 03/02/2011 20:20

he will start in year 1.

I wouldn't worry too much about it right now, you have a fair way to go yet anyway and by the time he is due to start he may be more than ready to start

I would advise applying for, and accepting, a place for him.
legally he doesn't have to be in full-time education until he is five and you are well within your rights to just not send him if you feel it is too much for him
or to only send him half days, or only a few days a week
you MAY have a fight with the school over this, but you can do it as he doesn't have to be in school. they are not allowed to take the place away from you once you have accepted it (afaik!)

hellion · 03/02/2011 20:23

I think different areas have different rules, but where we live if you defer, you would join at year 1. He will still do a year and a half of playgroup. My ds was one of the younger ones, and he coped fine. Reception is really geared up to young ones. Also at some schools, they don't start full time for half a term or so. Go and have a look at the schools towards the end of this year, and you will get an idea of their systems.

evolucy7 · 03/02/2011 20:24

I think these days there seems to be such a range in Reception that it would be fine, and probably detrimental to start later when the majority of the class would have been there for a year already.

My 3 year old (4 in May) wears 2-3 year old clothes I am not sure what that has to do with it She will join Reception full time in September, she will only be 3 months older than your DS when he would start. My 4 year old started last September, again her birthday is May and she has had no problems. There will be children who have birthdays all throughout the year.

Bunbaker · 03/02/2011 20:25

You are perfectly entitled to keep your son out of school until year one, but he will miss out on reception and you may not get into the school you want because all the places will be taken in reception.

Does your local authority not do a January intake? I think nowadays you can ask for a January or Easter intake and still keep your place, but if you leave it until year one then it is too much of a gamble.

Wormshuffler · 03/02/2011 20:27

Hi, my DS, now in year 5 was also a late august birth, another week and he would have been in the year below. He was still having the odd "accident" when he started school. He did find it a struggle for the first few weeks, but that was all to be honest.
Now in year 5 he is still noticably younger in his ways than alot of his peers, however this would still be the case had he started a year later, IYSWIM.
Have a word with the head if you are worried nearer the time, but yes you do need to accept his place .

ilovedjasondonovan · 03/02/2011 20:27

I have a late July baby in reception this year.
I was worried a bit about her, but I shouldn't have been because she is fine. learning and playing just great.

The school are really good about understanding they get tired and get them to sit down watching Toy Story for 30 mins in the afternoon.

I know of other schools that let them have a day off in the middle of the week if they really can't make it through the week,

I don't mind this as they are only little.

A friend of mines girl was a 31st Aug birthday and she got it agreed to only half days until Xmas.

I woulnd't defer a year though, there are ways around them being so little. They miss out on so much if they aren't there.

prh47bridge · 03/02/2011 20:48

As others have said, if you defer a year your son will almost certainly go straight into Y1 and you will have a very limited choice of schools as most will already be full.

However, you have the right to defer entry until later in the year - January or Easter. If you say you want to defer entry the school has to comply. You can also ask for your son to attend part time but the school doesn't have to agree to that request.

PatriciaHolm · 03/02/2011 20:51

Yep, as the others have said, he'll start in Y1.

One of the other problems is that a state school won't "keep" a place for him; you would have to send him to whatever school happened to have a place in Y1, which could be a school you don't want a long way away.

School should be used to having a wide range of ages and abilities in reception, which is play based anyway.

lingle · 03/02/2011 20:54

Move to Scotland? Then he'd start a bit later.

We year-deferred, so that DS2's education will be offset by a year till he's finished at school,(ie he started reception at 5.0 with a late August birthday) but sadly my LEA (Bradford) has now changed its policy. It's a great shame. I believe Leeds still allows year-deferral followed by offset throughout the education period.

Other tip: look for a school with mixed year-groups. That way, he will get to have the experience of not always being the youngest/smallest, so he won't be stuck in that fixed role.

I think being the youngest is worse if you also happen to be immature for your own birth month (ie compared with the other summer-borns)

tigana · 03/02/2011 20:58

DS is a mid august baby. He's in year 1 now, didn't defer. Although sometimes it is a bit tricky seeing some of his 'been six for 4 months already' who are clearly about a year ahead of him in terms of many aspects of development - he is fine, it is fine.

Better to start in reception and get to know all his classmate when they are 'new' to it all just like him.

He can be tiny at 2.6 and 'average' by 4.

Give it time - you have another year or so before you need to decide don't you?

Talkinpeace · 03/02/2011 21:18

DS is very end of August.
Now in year 6
and thriving on the permanent challenge

Original poster

nannygoatgruff · 03/02/2011 21:19

Thanks for all your replies.

DS is my youngest (and last!) of 6, so I probably baby him a bit. Never gave a thought to the others starting school, they just went at 4, and that was that .

They were all winter babies though.

Don't think I'll go down the deferring route then, although might leave him at playschool instead of sending him to school nursery this September.

Thanks all

OP posts:

crazygracieuk · 04/02/2011 12:54

My son is a late August birthday and I worried about him starting school but it ended up working out fine for him.

I picked a school that was flexible with how children start (summer children can go part time until Easter if parents wish).

skybluepearl · 04/02/2011 21:55

he will go into year one. there is no legal requirement for your son to attend school til the term after his 5th birthday. I'd recommend that he attended school mornings only so he had the opportunity to bond with his peers and enjoy learning his letters/playing.

Flip