Scotland - apparently deferring children's P1 entry can disadvantage them???

[solongandthanksfor]

Just saw this article:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-13453240

Have to say I am really surprised by Marilyne Maclaren's comments. We are in the position of trying to decide whether or not to defer our ds for P1 and not one parent I have spoken to about deferral has said they have regretted the decision. Also, aren't there a lot of studies (admittedly done in England) which demonstrate that summer-born children (ie the youngest children in the year) often lag behind their older peers?

Can't help thinking it's about money - Edinburgh Council in a not very subtle attempt to dissuade parents from deferring.

Aagh, am already having second thoughts about defErring DS, didn't need to read that!!

I do agree though that there is something else behind this other than concern for the children. You can prove whatever you want with a study if you set out with the intention of proving it!!

We spoke to 4 headmistresses and they all thought deferring was best in the long run.

I can't view the story, but as a Scottish Primary teacher who has had P1 for the last 6 years and is also a former nursery nurse I would say that the youngest in the year, especially if they are boys, are usually just not ready for Primary 1. If I was in your position, I would go on the recommendation that your son's nursery teacher makes. Only last year I had a wee boy who was far too young to come into P1 but his mum wanted to go back to work full time. He was an incredibly bright wee thing but I spent the entire year treating him differently than all the other children because he just wasn't ready. He wanted to be up to his arm pits in the sand or building a castle out of blocks, not learning how to read! He spent a lot of time playing rather than joining in with the class. I truly believe that another year in nursery would have given him the best start to P1, but mum wouldn't listen! In response to your query about studies, it is found that younger children do eventually catch up with their peers by around P5, but by then hate school because they know they are behind all their chums and often behave badly to compensate. Hope this helps! Keep your DS in nursery for as long as you can!

"It's also apparent that some research found a higher rate of social and behavioural difficulties at secondary level amongst children who had their school entry delayed."

hmm, it couldn't possibly be that their entry was deferred because they were socially immature then? and not that being deferred made them that way? lol

Thanks jenrendo. The woman in that article seemed to suggest that parents were deferring to give their kids an advantage, which I really dont think is the case. she doesn't mention any studies looking at disadvantages to the youngest in class. Funny that!

Good point tabulahrasa, and thanks jenrendo for your advice.

Trixy, like you I am also not thinking about deferring to give my ds an advantage; it's more that I'm concerned he won't be ready.

I remember working with teenagers a while ago and feeling sorry for the younger ones in S4 who had to make life-changing decisions when they were sometimes over a year younger than others in their year, so am skeptical about whether older children are more likely to drop out of school early.

Gawd, damned if you do damned if you don't. We're having 2nd/3rd/4th thoughts about not deferring ds2. I kind of wish Jan/Feb birthdays didn't have the option, just so I didn't have to make a decision.

I'm looking forward to being quoted Phillip Larkin by my son when he's older.. They f*ck you up, your mum and dad/they may not mean to but they do etc.

i have likewise not heard of anyone who has deferred and regretted it, and ds1's Head Teacher said the same thing.

i think she is talking out of her arse and the fact that she is the education convener for edinburgh makes me suspect that is something she does rather a lot.

Also, when I worked with teenagers, the ones who did drop out of school early did for so because of an array of very complex reasons, often due to difficult family situations. I think it would be very hard to make a direct link between p1 deferral and dropping out in S4. The more I think about it, the more annoyed I am by this article!

Midnight,
I prefer the parody of Philip Larkin:

They tuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to but they do.
They give you all the quilts they have
And add some pillows just for you.

marilyne maclaren, for example, is a twat.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-13453240

I agree midnight in a lot of ways it would be easier not to have the choice. Are you really now considering deferring?

Like that solongandthanksfor!!

Marilyne MacLaren is a complete and utter nightmare and I speak from experience. Trust me this is all about saving the City of Edinburgh Council money. I would not take ANY heed of the rubbish she spouts.

She's talking bollocks.

I deferred my DS1 - he's a November baby so wouldn't have even been one of the youngest. Best decision I have ever made.

Oh and just remembered my poor friend in fresher's week who wasn't 18 yet and couldn't get served anywhere 'cos it said on her ID card 'not 18 until'..... Shame she wasn't a deferred entry. Gotta think of things in the long run lol!

I don't think we can now really Trixy. He had his 1st induction day yesterday and he just looked so wee going off with a big p6er to his classroom. His wee legs looked like they were shaking.

And (here we get to the nub of it), he's my baaaaaaaby!

midnight - I feel your pain it's been a few years now since I went through it with DS but it seems like yesterday!

Same as ovo - I have deferred both of my boys - January and feb birthdays. It has given them huge advantages, not just academically.
Look at the standard grade results for deferred boys - decision made !

I don't think there's any deadline for deferral. Or is it more what J would say if you then told him he wasn't going to school after all?

FWIW it's such a big decision I think it's only natural to have cold feet whichever way you decide.

Really wentworth? Where can I see those?

wish was option here if you defer a place and they start yera later they go straight into a class .so miss out reception and straight into year 1.Ds3 is July baby ans has sn but could not defer otherwise he be in y1 and wallop staright away .he is y1 now in speech unit and he is so much younge rin all ways than the other boys

IME - I would defer in an instant. I have NEVER met anyone who has regretted doing so, however I have met parents who in hindsight have questioned their decisions including a friend who decided that repeating P1 was the correct choice for her DS (Feb birth), not an easy one to make.

Wentworth - I'd also be interested in seeing standard grade results for deferred boys. where can you find this info?

Hmmm, depends whether the deferral is actually accepted by the school. I, and a few others deferred our DC's who would have been youngest in class only to have them put in a P1/2 'mix' class (in reality about 7P1 pupils in class of P2). So although they are 'on paper' in P1, they spend all day with the yeargroup they would have been in had they not deferred, so they are still the 'littlest' in the class.
Not ideal IMO.
Things will hopefully improve as they go up the school, if they join the proper year group, the one they were deferred to join.