Reception school - Start in September or wait! please advise!

[sven2011]

Hi all,
I am newbie here. This is my first visit to the website and obviously first post.

I am in a dilemma. Desperately need your advise. We are moving from Kent to Surreny soon. My little one is starting school this september. We did our best to move things faster so that we will be in our new home before school term starts but unfortunately it's been delayed for about a month/and half.

We are not sure what's best for our son, whether to start school here in Kent for few weeks until we move to Surrey. Or continue nursery until we finally move. We both work full time so he goes to nursery five days a week.

I personally feel that we should send him to nursery just not to make too many changes if it upsets him but a friend mentioned if he starts late then he will be behind other kids in learning.

What do you think? Any help much appreciated.

Wait until you are settled in your new home

I would wait until you have moved I think.

Just wanted to check though - do you have a confirmed place for when you have moved?

I'd wait, but explain the situation to the nursery and ask if they can start doing some reception level work with him if they don't already do that, so he's not too behind when he does start school.

Thank you all for your replies. We have checked the availability in Surrey there is a place available in a school that hasn't got good ratings on ofsted. And the closest which is good we will be 2nd in the waiting list.
We have also offered a place in Kent and I am going to speak with the Kent council and see if they can help us secure a place in Surrey.

if you have a definite moving date before term starts then wait but if it could drag on start him in Kent. Surrey won't allocate a place even on a waiting list until you have exchanged contracts or signed a rental agreement. Whereabouts are you moving to ?

I would certainly leave him in nursery - he'll have enough changes in moving house and going from nursery to the new school, without adding another change. I don't think a few weeks of reception will make any difference to him - in many places they allow children to start in January instead of September depending on their birthday, plus reception isn't even compulsory and you can defer till Y1 if you want to, and the children quickly catch up on where the others have reached.

Reception(or rather ft education) is compulsory if the child has turned 5 by Easter.

Education is compulsory the term after a child is 5 however a child due to start reception in September will not yet be 5 (although they mat turn 5 in Sept). However a child can legally remain in an EY setting or indeed at home.

sorry , meant next Easter !

Thanks again everyone. He will turn 5 in April next year so technically he can even start next term in Janaury if house move drags a bit.
LIZS, we are moving to Camberley from Dartford in Kent.

sven2011, we're in a similar position. We're in the process of buying a house in Sussex, moving from London ? the sale won't go through until September and then the new house needs about 4 weeks building work so we probably won't be moving until the end of October.

I had been thinking about keeping DS at nursery to keep disruption to a minimum but he's really excited about going to school, especially as his best friend is going to the same school (and all his friends at nursery will have left to go to school). We've told him that if he goes to school in London it won't be for very long but he still wants to go.

My DH thinks it might be a good idea to let him make the move from a small nursery class to a huge reception class in the company of a friend, even though he'll only be there for about 6 weeks, in the hope that moving to the new school where he knows no one won't be such a shock as he'll be used to the big class size, uniforms, school rules, etc.

While my gut reaction is to keep DS at nursery, I can see DH's point.

Sorry to ramble. I hope that hasn't made you more confused, I know I am!

I'd stick with nursery till the move then start school in new location.

Have you asked new location school how they work with mid year starters to ensure they cover the phonics the others have done in first weeks.

Do you have a school place lined up in new location?

hi, i would stay with nursery school until you move and keep things as normal as possible. our kids are very happy in surrey schools...best of luck. hx