skipping a year - good idea or big mistake?

[yorkshirebound]

My children will move schools this summer when we move house. One of the schools is suggesting that my sept-born daughter goes into year 2 instead of into year 1. She is very bright although so far my impression is that although very able, curious and articulate she's not absolutely steaming ahead, but she spent a day w the year 1 class last week and the teachers said she fitted in well, was comfortably working at the top of their mid ability group despite understandable gaps in what she knows eg some maths techniques, her spelling rather more phonetic than you might expect for a year 1 child etc.

I am not worried about her ability to cope socially as she is very confident and makes friends easily, but I don't want to put her in a position where, because she is young for her year, she isn't really seen as very able and will just pass 11+ rather than excel etc. She does respond well to a challenge, and I guess if she stays in her calendar year she might lack the really sparky peer group which she has responded really well to at her current, selective school.

Any thoughts? Anyone with experience of this themselves/their children?

have I missed something?

I think you misunderstood. She is YR, but is working at mid ability for Y1, whereas, I'm guessing those working at top end of Y1 are Y1 .

I have reread the thread again and it is private so really they should be able to accomodate this within there normal class structure. In a good private it is not uncommon to have a child working in there correct year group, but two years above in ability. I would be asking why they feel they can't accommodate her in her normal year group.

I agree a reception child working at mid Y1 level at this point in the year isn't unusual

There were at least 5 children in DS1s year group (32 children in YR) working at mid Y1 level or above so can't be that unusual.

I would love to keep my summer born DD down a year. If DS had been a September baby, I would have wanted him to move up a year.

An October born relative was moved up a year in a state school, but then repeated Y6 in another school.

I once worked for someone who did a degree course which is usually 3 years, in 2 at Yale.

For a bright/mature child it's the right thing. But for the majority of children it's probably a bad idea.

Private schools who suggest this probably have a low year in one place, and a full year in another.

Hello again. I agree there is a motivation from the school to fill years, but also think they would not suggest it if they think it would be bad for her - what would be the point? We'd just end up taking her out and having a bad view of the school which given the very competitive nature of the educational establishment in yorkshire wouldn't do them any good. I also appreciate they suggested it at her first assessment BUT then didn't offer the place until she had come back and spent a full day with the year 1 class.

Also agree she isn't completely exceptional in her achievements, sure there are plenty of sept born children who would have had the same experience. If we were staying in London this would not have come up, it's just that the move is throwing up this additional consideration.

Still don't know what to do but am totally fascinated by the conversation, thank you again!

what would be the point? money?

I would be thinking carefully about benefit to your Dd vs risk. Have the school said why your Dd will benefit from being in the year above rather than being taught in an appropriately differentiated way in her own year group? And what if your Dd is bright now but, for whatever reasons, levels out vs other children later? Have the school said what they would suggest in say year 5 if she is then in the lower groups? Is there a risk they would suggest putting her back a year into her "proper" year group? I would really be questioning the quality of a school that didn't feel it could appropriately differentiate for a bright child in reception operating one or two years ahead of average expectations.
I would suggest keeping her in her current year group, discuss with the school how they will effectively differentiate for her, and then see how it goes.

My instinct is that this is not the right school for her. Is there a better one where she can be in Y1 with a sparky year group as you say....

Although of course I am talking out of my bo**om, or wine glass as I don't really know your DD or the school .

If she was way ahead then I would maybe say consider it, but she is onl;y slightly ahead and they have formed that opinion based on one day in school