Dithering over alternative education for reception child

[houseofboys]

I know there are lots of threads on steiner ed etc. My DS 4 has a place at an ofsted rated outstanding (hmm) primary in our village where his siblings go, but we are exploring alternative options, bit last minute I know. I just have this gut feeling that even a play based reception won't suit him, especially as the teacher is very young and spends far more time with the good girls than diffident boys (i know, one of mine has just gone through her class!) His pre school says he is a hugely independent learner, quite stubborn but gifted in many ways. He'd love a lot about Montessori and the ways things are taught using objects, and the jobs they have to do (his idea of a treat is being allowed to polish the shoes! Hes a real 'doer') Trouble is our nearest is 25 miles away (not so bad as I have to go there 3 days a week for work myself) but tricky with other children and school times. There is also a Steiner kindergarten nearby (5 miles) where he could go part time (they don't do full time) until 7. My dilemmas are separating him from his siblings, whether it is worth it, and if we go private whether infant is the right age to do it (we couldn't afford all through for any of ours) But after my oldest child had a very bad start in reception and yr1, being just generally too young to be interested in holding a pencil and writing etc) I don't' want to make the same mistake again. Oldest child now doing ok, but he has montessori tutor for maths once a week as he still needs to learn in this way. Any thoughts on this rambling post appreciated!

Imo wouldn't be a good plan to treat him differently, at least until you've tried him at the other dcs' school. Could set up lots of family problems.

move house close to the Montessori school?

if it's any help I had my daughter in Steiner until year one - it suited her and was right for her at that time but now she's in mainstream school, which seems right for her at this stage and she's caught up really well.

I'd probably keep him in the same school but would consider letting him attend part time. He doesn't have to be in full time education till the term after his 5th birthday. Staying in the main stream school will help him learn some of the normal main stream things and you can aim to put no pressure on him at home. We have had tons of steiner kids join our school aged 7 and most seem really out of step. Usually takes them a very long time to catch up but also the peer groups are strongly formed by that point and so can be hard to break in to.

How's your son doing in preschool? If it suits him, you could let him stay there, keeping him in an environment he enjoys for a bit longer and also delaying the decision about his longer-term education. You could accept the place at the state school and ask for his start to be deferred until the term after his fifth birthday. (However, they'll only keep the place waiting if he starts at some time during his Reception year.) That would keep your options open.

Thanks. He's very bored at pre-school though they try and give him jobs to do to keep him interested, ie he painted the new climbing frame for them, and cuts the lawn (with scissors - spends entire mornings at it!)
He's five in Nov so unfortunately would only have a term of delayed place. I'm learning towards montessori its just logistics of coping with two other children at a different school 25 miles away. I know lots of people do it, I've obviously had it easy up til now, as school is across field from our house!