Anyone kept an August born child at home till Year one?

[belindarose]

Not only does my DD have a late August birthday, but we're likely to have to move area before she starts school. She will be 4 in August 2014 and DH will not know about a new job until February of that year. So presumably, we'd miss the opportunity to apply for schools for reception as we don't know where we'll be living. Could be anywhere!

So I'm wondering, to take the pressure and worry off, if it would be sensible to plan to keep her at home until she's five anyway. Obviously she'd then have to start in year one and would have missed a whole year of school. Does anyone have experience of this? If current pregnancy goes well, she'll have a sibling 3 years younger at home too.

Personally, I think a four year old needs some form of Education at four. I sent my late August Dd to school at four, prior to that she had been in a private Montessori. That was fantastic as she had learned all her phonics and was close to reading. It depends on the child I guess, the August birthday was never a problem even though I thought it would be. She was tired but they all are tired when they start.
I would be reluctant to keep a four year old at home until 5 as they need to be getting familiar with socialising with other children. I would not worry about changing schools at that young stage either. Children adapt easily and have not really formed strong friendships...unless the Mums push certain together!

As you do not know if this move will happen, then I think you should apply for a place at your current location (in case the move does not come off). You can then defer her entry to the point you think is right (January or Easter).

If you discover you are moving, then you can relinquish the place once you know you won't be needing it, and apply in your new area once you have an address there (as you would have to do anyhow), either for a mid-year reception place, or for year 1, depending on what you think will be for the best at that point.

My DS will be the same age as your DD op. He was born august 19, but I have completely the opposite view to you. I think because he is younger then he will need as long as possible at preschool to prepare him for full time school.

My DD starts reception next September and having a November birthday is one of the older children at her preschool. There are a couple of children just started that will go up with her next year that seem like such babies still (not potty trained, still with dummies, unable to put shoes/coats on etc) and you get the feeling that being at preschool does help children become a bit more independant and more able to do things for themselves which I am led to believe is quite vital for starting school.

The problem with missing the reception year means that your child will have to learn how to behave at school/how school works possibly 2yrs after her peers iyswim?

This is just my view though, having given it quite a lot of thought due to having an august baby.

DC4 will be in the same place at the same time and I am wondering how she will cope. I have a chance to see how aug v's Sep babies cope as dc3 is a Sep baby and is 2 years older then dc4 so if they start school the sept of the year they turn 5 they will start a year apart yet dc3 will be 2 years older.
What may help the transition is they will both be at nursery before then so will be able to interact with other children and will have had some preparation in routines and how to behave. It is a source of worry though

It's a bit different but I kept my Aug born (with additional needs) ds off until Y2 as he wasn't ready, he had got very down on himself in pre-school when he couldn't hold a pencil never mind make any meaningful mark with it. I home educated him and tried to support him in gaining confidence in himself and his own abilities and we focused on the things he could do not the things he couldn't. He has asperger's and hypermobility so needs some extra support but he is now 12, in Y8 at high school and on both an IEP and gifted and talented. I have no regrets about waiting.

All that said, your dd is still very little, you really don't know how ready for school she will be until much, much closer to the time. I'd recommend applying as if she is going to school at 4 and deciding in the summer if she is ready.

If you delay until Y1 you will have very little choice in terms of schools. Most will already be full up with children who joined in Reception. You may strike it lucky but you are likely to end up with an unpopular school which could be some way from your home.

The fact you won't know about a new job until February 2014 won't necessarily be a problem. Some LAs treat people moving into the area after the deadline as on time applicants, although in that case there is obviously a final deadline after which you will definitely be regarded as a late applicant.

The curriculum in Reception is the same as in Nursery. The emphasis is on learning through play. The idea is for Reception to be a gentle introduction to school, including preparing children for the more formal approach they will encounter in Y1.

Personally, I would apply for a place where you are at the moment (assuming nothing changes). If you don't move you will then have a place and can choose to defer until later in the year if you want. If you do move you can then apply to your new LA for a school.

By the way, you don't have to give up a school place just because you move. As long as you can get your child to and from school you are entitled to hang on to the place.

I have an August-born and started her halfway through the second term (for complicated reasons); I was considering keeping her off until Y1. She learned a huge amount in Reception - much much more than I could have taught her at home - and I was very glad that she was there. My friend started her dd (winter-born) in Y1 because they went overseas during what would have her Reception year. It's been fine, but she did have two very close friends in the class with her.

In your situation I would apply for infant/primary school as normal, in the area that you are now living, and I would probably start her part-time. As soon as you know that you are moving, I would apply for schools in the new area. There is a lot of movement over the summer holiday so if you move close to your preferred school you may well get a place.

My DTs (Aug 27 birthday, and 5 weeks prem) have just started reception and I agree with DedalusDigglesPocketWatch in that I think it would be a huge disservice to them to keep them out of school for an additional year, as they make such great strides socially (as well as academically) in the first year. Sure, they are tired, but so are all the other children. Mine did half days until half term but are really enjoying going full time now.

They have seemed to grow up massively in the year between turning 3 and 4...I too was really worried this time last year but I shouldn't have been.

Is there any way you could get her into a music programme instead of regular school? More beneficial in the long run imo.

Thanks for all the advice and varied opinions. At least I have some time to mull it over.

My DD is 30th July and Reception exhausted her.

They also seem to apply the pressure straight away. At our first parents night we were told that she 'only' knew 4 of the Key Words. We were a bit shocked as we thought she was settling in fine and making friends and that was what reception was all about.

They also make no allowances between the older and younger kids. One of DD's friends is a Nov birthday so she is almost a year older than DD and obviously more ahead of her in an academic sense.

With my DD2 I am planning on keeping her in the lovely nursery she is in at the moment until she is 5 and put her into year 1. (she does 3 mornings as I am a freelancer and use this time to work).

I think her nursery will help with the getting ready for school thing really well without the pressure that school applies. I'm not too worried about getting a place as 4 left DD's class and 3 have joined so there is some movement.

OP, the main thing is to keep your options open as much as you can. With a summer-born child it is a bit tricky whatever you do, tbh.

OTOH my winter-born was definitely bored the last term at nursery.

This was my concern for my teeny weeny dd she is 26th Aug. He was socially and mentally ready for sure she is a little fireball. However when comes down to education I can see a difference to a child who is sept born. Her writing and formation of letters is coming on but when I looked at the child who was a year older more or less their writing was more developed.
I also noticed that teacher works with the older children. She didn't tell me much at parents eve other than she has settled and knows her numbers. But when I overheard her to another childs parent whose kid was Sept I heard her talking about phonics!!!
So made me wonder whether dd is made to play more whilst the older kids r getting more input!!!

Debating with myself whether to have a word or not. As my dd loves learning buy short attention span and that probably to do with maturity.
X

I had an immature April born DS and was considering a later start but being told that he would have to go into Y1 put me off. Our school is not pushy and very play based, in comparisson to a friend's 'outstanding' rated school. My friend was told by a teacher once: 'this is not a nursery, its a school!' In YR they had 2x weekly reading books and did quite a lot of formal learning. Our school, in comparisson, didn't push the reading (they might have if my DS would have been interested) and there is lots of play. Walking past every day I often see the R children in the garden with lots of toys. Our school is rated 'good' but they do not put pressure on the little one's.

What I am trying to say is that you should take a good look at the school and ask about their ethos, and what their attitude is towards those very little/immature ones.

And, yes, by Nov born DD (now 3) will probably be bored in her final terms at pre-school as she has 2 years there and will then be one of the oldest. I think I will then just let her do 2 sessions per week and do more exciting stuff with her myself (not meaning reading and writing though) e.g. trips to the museum, chats, reading stories, library, trips out ...

i have one aug born and one july born (my eldest two) i kept them out of school until the eldest was 9yrs old ds2 was 6yrs old and then they both started in the right yr group for their age.

for us that worked fine, they werent ready for school the sept after their 4th birthdays, so we kept them home, the year before they started school full time, they flexi schooled which was great, would this be an option for you?

not exactly the same situation, but ds1 missed all but the last month of reception, as we'd moved into a new area and the only school with places was dire and nowhere near us. because he has a june birthday, i didn't send him.

he did a few weeks at the end of term because legally he had to be at school after his 5th birthday, and then started year 1. i did absolutely no work at home with him, so he pretty much started at the bottom of the class, but within 6 weeks had caught up with the rest of the class who'd been there for a year with no problems.

I delayed an august born one. Went into year 1 just after 5th birthday. He was at a very good nursery, so we didn't have any problems. If you feel it is for you, then go for it.

Be warned the school does not hold places through reeption year though. You will have to take the risk on whether it is there.

mrsravelstein - 'I did absolutely no work with him'

I believe you read to him, talk about lots of things, answer his questions, take him out to places, draw, build, paint, climb ... that is his work - and I believe he learned all he needed to catch up quickly when he was ready.

I guess I'll see how she is nearer the time then. I'm a teacher, so would not have any trouble with the academics if I felt them necessary. Also not at all averse to the idea of home schooling, so I'm sure we'll be able to work out something that suits us. Interesting to hear other people's experiences, thank you.

gabid yes absolutely did all that good stuff - but didn't teach him to read, teach him his alphabet, teach him to write etc.

i just think it's worth pointing out as reassurance that in my experience, missing out on reception was a total non issue in terms of academic achievement.

mrsravelstein - I know what you meant, but a child who is not ready will take all Year R to learn their letters and blend a few, on the other hand, a well read, articulate and stimulated child will learn quickly once they are ready to read and write.

I wish I had been brave enough to keep mine out.