Scotland: Feb 2008 Child

[isw]

Am moving to scotland and have been finding out about nursery classes for DD who was born 28.02.08.
Have a made a mistake, should she be going into reception in Aug this year (age 3.5 yrs) and then P1 next year?
How many hours a week is reception ? Or is reception only in England? This is so confusing :(

we dont have reception in Scotland - P1 is the equivalent. Your lo will have entitlement to free nursery hours from the age of 3 (in this area we get 12.5hrs per week) and would start P1 at the age of 4 1/2 (or if you defer she could start a year later at the age of 5 1/2 - Jan and Feb born children can defer for a year and still enter P1)

Ahh thank you! I thought I had it sorted in my head then started seeing things about reception. Panic over :)

Your dd should go to school at 4 and a half, but if you decide that she maybe isn't 100% ready for school you can delay her starting until 5 and a half and she'll go to P1 with her nursery friends. She should however be entitled to a nursery place.

Depending on where you live you may find it is the norm for parents with kids with February birthdays to defer. I know it is in this neighbourhood but never heard of it when I was growing up. If I had a child with a February birthday I'd think of deferring - there may well be some kids in the class who would be over a year older if they had January birthdays and had been deferred. Also, our school has just formed loads of composite classes and because DS1 is one of the youngest in his class he will now always be in a composite class with the younger age group.

am slightly confused what happens with defered entry - would it mean she would do 12.5 hrs this year. Then next yr she would be in new preschool class again doing 12.5 hrs then move into P1 with them. What is the different between pre school and P1, is it just the number of hours? Is the curriculm very different
Many thanks

You would have to speak to the school to find out what they are doing with kids that are deferring. In Scotland children have the right to attend a state nursery from the start of the term after they turn three. As your child hasn't started nursery in Scotland the school may be happy for her to start her first year of nursery after the summer (although this would involve deferring). She would then have two nursery years before starting school. You'd have to ask though as it differs between schools and local authority areas. You may also find there isn't a nursery place available in your local school after the summer. Places don't depend on catchment areas and so although your child would have a right to attend a state nursery, it doesn't mean to say that it would be your nearest one. I know our local nurseries are very over subscribed. Also, our local council has been putting pressure on parents not to defer and have been charging some for keeping their kids at nursery for an extra year. You don't have to use a state nursery though. I am using a private nursery and receive a rebate from the Scottish Government since I am not taking up a state nursery place. This suits me better because I work and there is no wrap around care availalbe for the school nursery.

The curriculum for nursery and school varies hugely at our school. The nursery includes lots of play, both inside and out. Primary one is quite academic though - lots of formal sit down learning. It is quite a challenge for some of the kids to adapt.