We will be moving back to the UK (Scotland) next summer from the states. DS is currently in pre-K, which as I understand it is like British nursery - they learn the alphabet, do some numeracy work (mainly shapes, playing counting games etc) but spend most of their time on structured play, role play etc. Because of when his birthday falls (September 2008) and the difference in school intakes, I have discovered that he would actually be expected to go in to Primary 2, i.e. assuming that he had already had a year of formal schooling (if we stayed here he'd be in Kindergarten next year - still very play based - then Grade 1 in 2015 - here he is almost the eldest in his school year).
He's bright and likes to learn, he can read a little (phonetically obvious words - "The cat sat on the mat" e.g., would be easy for him; he also manages words like "says", "knight" to give examples), and is quite good with numbers - can do basic addition and subtraction, seemed to grasp number bonds to 10 very easily when I tried it with him. But he hasn't been taught this at school in any sort of a formal way. And the phonic sounds he has learned are American.
I'm finding it hard to get much of a response from the school we'll probably send him to in Scotland (I guess as we are not at present in their catchment area), but I spoke to the local authority education department, who said that he would need to start in the right year group for his age, and then if he struggled the school might consider moving him down a year (but I worry that this would knock his confidence and be disruptive). I really don't know whether I should push for him to be held back, but then he'd be really quite old in the year below (intake is 1 March to 28 February, so he'd be 5 months older than the next oldest child), and might catch up quickly?
I've even considered getting him a tutor to get him to where he needs to be, but this seems extreme for a 5 year old.