Scottish vs English system

[dontmixthecolours]

We currently live in Scotland and have 2 DDs aged 6 and 3. It's likely that we'll move south sometime in the next couple of years (to the Midlands) and I want to do this at the best time for DDs time at school. The current proposal from DHs work is that we move in September 2014. This would mean dd2 would miss reception year and start straight into year 1. In Scotland children have 2 years in nursery and start school at 5. My question is, would this put her at a major disadvantage? Is going from nursery into year one even possible?

TIA

Bump

In England the cut off dates are different to Scotland, the cut off is the 31st August, so a child who is 5 on or before 31st August goes into year 1 that September. There can be arguments made for moving in September or mid-year. Whichever way schools do cope very well with children moving from Scotland, or other countries or even having very little to no-English.
In England it is very unusual and difficult for a child to be out of their correct age year group.

Your DD will probably catch up very quickly.

I am in Scotland and both mine started school aged 4½ years old (october and november birthdays) - neither had a full 2 years at nursery either. The cut off date for scotland is the end of February whereas in England it is the end of August. When are your childrens' birthdays?

Dd2 is in march so would be old for her year in Scotland. I'm just concerned if she went from nursery in Scotland to year 1 in England she's struggle and be behind

I would think it depends on the school how formal their reception classes are. Reception is suppose to be very play based and a child who has been 2 years in nursery will have learnt all the socialisation skills and how to go to the loo by themselves etc that are part and parcel of the first year of school. And you are allowed to hold a child back in England until the term after their fifth birthday so in theory some children can start school at the beginning of year one. In reality it's pretty rare though, I know no-one who has done it, it's not like in Scotland where parents can choose for their child to start school a year later.

you could put in an early entry request in for your dd2 and put the fact you are moving to England and dont want her to be behind as a reason for the request. She would not be that much younger than her peers and it would help get her ready for school in England.

Our early entry requests in our local authority have to be in for february in the year they would start school so in your case (if you were asking for early entry) it would be just before your dd would turn 4 i.e. feb 2013. (hope that is correct as it is quite confusing)

I have known a girl start year 1 having never been to nursery or school before, she had caught up with her peers by the end of the year. I have worked with pupils who have arrived at various times in infants with little or no English, and they all cope.