To be able to choose when your child starts primary school

[kedge]

Like many other parents, I am waiting to find out which school DC3 will get a place at. Although DC1 & DC2 are already at our first choice of school for DC3, it is not guaranteed that a place will automatically follow so am understandably nervous. But was wondering how many parents feel that their child is actually ready to start school?

DC1 was nowhere near ready, having only turned 4 at the end of August and would definately have benefitted from an extra year at home. When we enquired about deferring a place for a year we were told that it was at the schools discretion if they would hold a place and that DC1 would join the class in Y1. We decided that there were no benefits to doing this as we felt reception class was too important to miss as it introduces the children to school life, is more 'play' based and enables them to form friendships. We were not allowed to defer the start such that DC1 would start the following year in reception and go through school with that year. Additionally, the school is one of the best in the area and heavily oversubscribed, so we didnt want to run the risk of losing a place there, so it was Catch 22.

When DC2 started, it was a whole different ball game as with a birthday that meant DC2 is one of the eldest in the year and was obviously 'ready' for school it has been plain sailing compared to DC1 who still hadn't settled in at the end of Y1!! DC3 is also going to be one of the older children in reception and is also ready to start school. The contrast between the two children already at school leaves me in no doubt that there is definately a 'right time' for them to go to school.

Would anyone else like to see a system whereby parents can decide if a child is ready to start school in the year they can apply for a place based on their own judgement? For example, if the childs birthday falls between June and end of August for a September start, they have a choice whether to defer a place for a year and start as a reception class child the following year, so that the child has effectively started school at just turned 5 rather than just turned 4?

Can't you defer in Scotland? In Germany, I think it is school and parents who decide whether the child is ready, and they only start at 6 anyway, but its all go then without that lovely introduction in Reception.

My DS April birthday was not ready to start. We would have liked him to start Reception a year later which would have put him in a much better place.

In R DS was silly and immature, refused to do maths with one assistent at school, refused to read at home although his teacher said he did it fine in school. It took him a year and a half to settle and make friends, despite being a chatty and sociable boy.

Now in Y2, reading, writing and maths he will only do if he has to, and now all this play based learning is slowly going and its more sit down and do the work kind of atmosphere. I do feel sad, because he could be in a much better place if he had been able to start R a year later.

Not to mention of the teachers who have to teach those silly, immature children who still need to just play and are not ready to start school, however 'play-based' it may be.

There's been a change, taking effect from this September I think. It is no longer up to the school - parents have the right to defer to January or April.

You do need to start during the Reception year though; a place will not be help over until year 1.

Couldn't there be a 'school readiness interview/meeting' where the school chats to the parents and does some 'tests/activities' with the child, and then a decision could be made whether the child is ready.

I feel parents vary very much as well, some can't wait until their child starts school whatever their age and others are very aware and concerned about it.

tiggyhat - yes, I think the OP meant that the child just starts a year later as a Reception child and not go into Y1, which put me off defering my immature DS as well.

tiggihat - hm, yes, not sure how that is being dealt with elsewhere, but it would certainly be an issue. But, the school would then certainly advise the lively 4 year old to start.

We can choose here, in Australia. Your child has to be 5 by the end of July to start kindy (school year starting in feb), but you don't have to put your child in kindy until they are 6. And, yes, it has pushed the average age of the class up as no one wants their child to be the youngest. But the teachers are happy about this and discourage children at the younger end from starting, especially if they are boys. My son has a July birthday and I'm very glad he could start school at 5.5 rather than 4.5.

I had the same problem but luckily I was allowed to defer, not for a full year but until January of the following year. This was 20 years ago and a tiny country village school. They were so glad he would go to their school they allowed this. My ds1 was nowhere near ready for school, he too was just turned 4. I think it is totally wrong and can upset the poor childs education for a long time. I don't know what to suggest here, I feel for you as a parent and your dc. Has your child been to nursery as this will help as the curriculum now follows through to reception. I found also that most of reception today is play based where as with ds1 it was school straight away.

This is of huge concern to me as I have a premature August born DS who wasn't due until November. I am gearing up to battle for him.

Of course some kids are different, a friend of mine was an early September birthday and went a year 'early'.

We have a variation of this system here in Berlin (Gabi - it depends on the state rather than being universal throughout the country). The cut-off date is end of December. All children who are 6 by 31.12. have to go in that school year (although confusingly, the school year starts in August, go figure, so most kids are 6 when starting but some are only 5.8). BUT children born in Jan to March can choose to go in the higher school year (along with children born in the previous year) OR to wait and be the oldest in the group along with children born April and later. Children born in these three months are called 'can children' (Kannkinder) because they CAN go in either year group. What it means in practice is that there is no more than 15 months between the eldest and youngest in any group (although given that it is also possible for children to repeat a year if their progress is weak, actually the difference could be even greater).

It's not a perfect solution - a friend's DS is born in later December and is hence one of the youngest, yet because he's not a 'can child' they couldn't choose to keep him back a year. This has proved very problematic as she thinks he is borderline Aspergers and finds writing difficult, and being the youngest in the group has only made the problem worse.

I think the trouble with offering the option to chose which class your summer-born goes into is that it will entrench the disparity between advantaged and disadvantaged children. Those with educated, involved parents may well read the research and opt for their July born child to be the oldest. But those without such resources will more likely opt to put them in earlier, especially since it might offer a welcome childcare solution for them. And what you're doing is actually widening the gulf of ages from 12 months to 15 months - that seems pretty unfair since you might have an educated m-c girl a whole 15 months older than less advantaged boy.
I do think that there should be some latitude for premature babies though - that they should put them in classes on their adjusted age or full term due date.

I think PollyParanoia is right. I was shocked when a friend of mine was bemoaning the fact that her DC3 was a September birthday, rather than August as it meant another year of childcare costs!
Most parents I know tend to be pleased with DC born early in the school year.
I certainly noticed the difference between my Dec born DC1 and end of June born DC2 in terms of readiness. I would say it took DC2 until the last school year (yr2) to really settle in and catch up academically.

oops! classed, not calassed.

My dd turns 4 in august and I'm also worried about her starting reception in sept this year. Her pre school teacher has described her as immature for her age and says she doesn't listen or do anything she's asked fast enough! Which has worried me now. My dd has a cousin who is nov born and seems much more ready. Guess I'm going to have to give dd lots of support and I hope the teachers do the same.

If I had another chance with my immature DS (now Y2), knowing what I know now, I would have home educated the first 3 years. I guess his attitude to education would have been a lot more positive than it is now (he is just about average, but doesn't want to read, write or do any maths, unless its really easy and he doesn't have to think). Also, it would be a shame at the same time as they do lots of good and fun stuff too, and the socialising. It's a difficult decision.

But I do think they should look at the individual child and not just at the date of birth.

Also, not only disadvantaged children will suffer. I know a boy from very educated parents and grandparents (all with a Phd) and he was aged 4 in R and still is academically and socially behind in Y2 (almost 7), but slowly catching up. I do think that boy will do well in the end, its just a shame that he had to go to school aged 4 and 2 weeks - I think he could have learned and benefited more at home for another year at least.

You can defer until later in the year. A child in my son's class deferred completely until this term/April. Child turned five in the Easter holidays. School didn't like it: if child defers past January the school doesn't get funding for that place for the year. Still, the parent felt it was in the child's best interest so went ahead and did it anyway. It took no arrangement whatsoever, just a letter informing the school.

If you defer, the child still gets the nursery grant until they turn five.

In Scotland children who are 4 before the end of February can start school the following August. Children with January or February birthdays can defer until the following year and are entitled to another funded year of nursery. Children born mid August to December can defer but have to appeal for a funded nursery place. I have never known it to cause a problem.

Yes, I think there should be flexibility. I am relieved that both my kids are Autumn born (October and November). Wasn't planned like this but makes life a lot easier with the system we have. My DD will start school nursery in September and turn 4 in November. If she was 3 months older she'd be starting reception. She is a bright little thing and will thrive in school nursery but the thought of her in Reception is horrifying and this is what is facing parents with those July/August birthdays.

OP, as other posters have said you can defer your son's start date or he can go part time in YR. I am thinking of this with my summer born DD.

It's in section 2.16 of the Admissions Code. In fact I think you can defer until compulsory school age but if that is y1' then he would go into Y1.

Here you go, go to page 21

www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-00013-2012.pdf

Deux: you can defer until the term after your child turns five, or the summer term, whichever comes first. You cannot start later than the summer term (ie you can't start in year one). This is your right.

Part time is not a right, but it is at the schools discretion. You can request it and the school can grant it up until your child turns five. However, if the child is going part time in January (when the schools funding is set for the year) the school will receive restricted funds for your child's place for the following year. So they are unlikely to allow it as they will want him/her full time on the register.

Thanks for the clarification. I was just thinking of part time till January.

I didn't think that schools could refuse the parents request.

So you can definitely defer to January but may not get part time hours granted? Could you point me to the black and white information re part time. Just want to get my ducks in a row!