August child repeating reception in a new school

[Sallyssss]

would you do it? Why wouldn't you? (It could possibly be an option as it's a private school). I am thinking he will always struggle being the youngest, so this may give him an advantage.

I think it could be a good idea but only if he will stay indi for all school years - otherwise he would most likely be faced with transfering into chronilogical year if he moved back to state at some point. Also I'd be asking current reception exactly what levels he s scoring in each of the 69 criteria of the EYFS. It is possible that regardless of his date of birth he is doing well and needs the extra academic work of year1.

And think about whether your DC will hate you when they turn 16 and could be finished?

For me it would depend on whether your child had made any close friendships in their class. If they are socially and academically not ready for year 1 and you have the option to keep them back for the long term I would definitely talk to school.

My experience of children repeating reception or part of reception year and then rejoining their peers has been negative for the child and my only experience of a child continuing working a year behind their peer group had limited benefit for the child.

He won't always struggle because he's the youngest.

He will always struggle if he has unsupported SEN.

The vast majority of summer kids do perfectly fine without repeating a year.

I think you really need to examine why you think he'd benefit from being kept back.

I would. We are in Scotland where deferring school entry is common. Many of ds's P1 friends are 6+ and it is all the oldest ones that are in the top groups and whilst I agree that others may catch up eventually it is easier to start there. IMO the better social skills and readiness for school gives them a confidence in their learning and play.

Sallyssss. I worried about my dd. She is now 12 and year 8 (state school) and her birthday is the end of August so was always the youngest each school year and started reception a week after her 4th birthday and some children were having their 5th birthday just after that. So confusing. But she has always been ahead of everyone else and is G&T. I was told when she started reception that birthdays don't make any difference because the children all start at the same time. Please don't worry. Personally i wouldn't put your son back into reception but obviously it would be your choice. Good luck.

Mrz - just wondering what is was that didn't work out for the children that you have had experiance of ?
My son is likely to "repeat" reception next year only because they took in 22 (PAN 15) and have mixed Y1/2 class so not enough seats (and legal cap of 30 I think) in the next class so 7 children will be staying in reception - we have been assured by school that the will be taught for thier ability but I'm a bit bemused.
It will certainly feel to my son that he is repeating reception however it is labeled - Sally maybe your's too might be a bit down-hearted ?

The children who repeated reception or part of the reception year before rejoining their correct peer group found it very difficult to fit in initially and all failed to "catch up" socially and academically.
The child who continued through the school had significant SEN so it's difficult to say whether their failure to develop emotionally and socially was due to SEN or not.

I wouldn't necessarily consider mixed age classes as repeating reception both my children attended small village primary schools (my son had a PAN of 15 my daughter a PAN of 10) both have summer birthdays

I agree with Jubilee as its similar in Northern Ireland (or at least was when I was growing up) & seemed to give the July & August children more of a chance, although they tended to repeat P7, not P1 (& only if necessary - the brighter ones carried on).

That said, if they are coming back into state education in England, not sure what that would mean.

Thank you.

Just to add, my ds (now yr6) repeated reception year. He is autistic and mid August birthday. He did have a statement in place by the November of his second 'go' at reception detailing this requirement to repeat reception year. The LA and school were more than happy to allow this to happen as he essentially spent most of 'first' reception year knocking over displays, biting other kids or falling asleep. By Christmas I was collecting him at lunchtime as he basically slept all afternoon (terrible night sleeper - common in autism).
It is usually only a considered a good case to repeat a year with a July/Aug born child and skipp a year for a Sept/Oct child. I know this as I researched many counties' policies before we did this.

Academically it has been absolutely the best thing. If he'd gone up to year 1 he would have missed a lot of the building blocks (rest of very small cohort all doing really well academically by then). In year 6 he is now level 5 across the board and rarely knocks over displays anymore . Socially, it has been fine. He is the oldest in the year group by 10 days. It's nothing.
With regard to moving up to secondary, we are actually going indie (where we were praised for our decision to delay him a year) BUT had we stayed state, all four of the schools we looked at would happily have taken him a year 'late'. It used to be that the reason for wanting the child to get back to their chronological year group at some point was so that they didn't decide to leave school at end of year 10 thus depriving the school of one child's GCSE results. However, as he (and all younger children) now have to stay in formal education (or training) until 18 they were all happy to keep him in the year below. This was confirmed to us by all four headteachers. (And obviously at indie, we're unlikely to pay for four years of eduation and let him leave with no GCSEs).
The only 'issue' if any we have had is a few snidey comments from other parents. 'Yes, X has done well in his yr 4 SATS, because he's really a year 5' 'No, he's not, he's not yet been taught the year 5 curriculum'. Etc.
Am not saying it's the right thing for your dc, OP, at all; I think you need to consider all the advice above and really only do it if your dc is really far behind emotionally, socially and academically (and crucially you do believe he will catch up in this repeated year). Just wanted to correct some slight misinformation that he would definitely have to move up again at secondary level.
If you are definitely going indie, you will probably have much more flexibility now and at 11+/13+.
Good luck.

I have to say when we arrive in Australia and my eldest can have the option of repeating year 7 I am so tempted to take it. She's an August baby but out there she would be one of the eldest rather than the youngest.

I get fed up of seeing the girls she's with rolling their eyes at the daft things she says making her feel like shit when her sister 22 months younger would have her mates rolling on the floor with the same lines.

Thank you for replying. As it stands we are not going to let him repeat reception, although I still feel it would be a good thing for him, OH disagrees. He is going to his new school this week, so I'm going to see how he gets on there.

I know you have decided but only just seen your post.

I thought you might be interested in the below article. It discusses research findings and discussing the associated implications of how children born in august fare educationally at school - the effects are there even at ages 16 and 18!

As a teacher i have always found this to be the case during the younger years, most significantly for boys. I have to say, if I had the choice I would repeat and you are lucky to have the choice!

www.ifs.org.uk/docs/born_matters_summary.pdf

hth someone!

I know this isn't quite the same but I thought I'd share anyway.

When I was 14 I missed a year of school due to illness. That being year 10, I couldn't have very well gone into my final GCSE year without the foundations. I "repeated" year 10 at a different school. Although this was a grammar school, it wa a state school. They were perfectly happy for me to do it. They had to accept that u would be counted as older by a year and so league table-wise they would have one child with "no passes at GCSE" when I was in year 10 but in the age category of year 11. This is one of the best state schools in the country so it was no small thing they did I think (100% A-C usually).

After a bit of initial "oh well you would do well as you're a year older", EVERY BODY FORGOT and I was just like everyone else. I was really concerned that I'd alway be different, but after a week or so, it was fine. Plus I don't even have to explain since going to Uni - lots f people tool gap years so I was no longer out of synch.

Oh, and academically, it was the best decision that could have been made. I now have two doctorates and have a cracking job that I love. And no, that's not because I'm 28 and should have done all this by 27