Delaying and deferring reception admission

[BettyandDon]

I have taken part in several discussions on Mumsnet regarding this issue and wanted to share the following which was featured on BBC this week.

[[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-25726538]]

There is a closed Facebook group entitled Flexible School Admissions for Summer Borns which also may be of interest to many. Their report was featured on the BBC.

It has become apparent that many LAs are largely ignoring or are unaware of DoE advice from July 2013 on the matter of deferring and delaying reception entry. They appear to be using a variety of tactics involving misinforming parents to force children into starting reception at 4. For example, misinforming that children would have to miss reception year and start at compulsory school age 5 in Y1.

I do hope I have managed the link correctly. I have found it most useful.

Gove did not however withdraw that right. And reinforced that it is parents who decide when (within year R) their child starts.

The DfE claim the policy hasn't changed but it has disappeared from the document

Could someone link to the relevant legislation so I can take a copy to school. I want DD3 who is 4 in August to start school maybe after Christmas, It isn't a definite as she has just started nursery, later than planned, and we want to see how she goes this term.

Thanks

I think I will need to clarify with the LA exactly what there policy is in writing! I have been told very differently to what is written below....

Actually I am just going to contact the DoE. I'm confusing myself now

Tiggy if you were to request a Y1 admission for a late summer born at what point would you request this and be placed on a waiting list if the school was full? Would you still be on it from the previous year Application process I presume? Or would it be in year admissions? I am confused about this too.

I think it would be an in year admission - you wouldn't be on the waiting list throughout year R as that implies you applied for year R - but I'm not one of the experts!

Or you could delay his start to Reception until January or April.

Luckily I did apply in time for YR that's something. So at the very least I know I legally needn't take the place until Summer term that does seem like a good option.

Just out of interest for anyone who has been there before... are the options of start dates given on school acceptance forms or is it just a yes / no response that is required?

Any choice has positives and negatives though Paintyfingers - holding a child back a year might have negative consequences later on too.

Painty fingers - I totally sympathise with your situation. It is such a complex issue. I would describe my LA as 'passive aggressive' on the issue. I honestly feel it's smoke and mirrors.

Our daughter is also speech delayed but I don't have a 'real age' for her yet. Her social confidence is probably about a year behind IMO, but it's harder to 'qualify' this. She is the same height as a 2.5 yr old. Her legs are so short that she is the only child at preschool that can't use the tricycles which are designed for 2-4 yr olds!

Does she have an extreme medical or social need? Well strictly no. Would she benefit from more time in nursery vs school well yes!

Do I have the mental strength to spend the next year fighting about it with the LA? God knows...

Ps - we can't afford private either ho hum...

Did you apply this year Paintyfingers?

There are some negatives listed from one Council on the FB page. They were along the lines of;

• leaving before exams
• trouble moving to other schools and getting them to agree with year vs age
• reaching puberty before others (you have got to be kidding right!)
• being unable to be academically challenged
• missing out on some sort of provision for training once left school

I can't recall the exact terms and I'm hopeless linking, I mean really! I found them largely ridiculous.

Twinkle

- leaving before exams

we had a child taught out of year and when she reached Y5 there were long consultation whether she would have to do her SATs in Y5 and move to secondary at the end of the year or be allowed to continue with us then move directly into Y8 or remain with us transfer to Y7 with the rest of the class but end her education before GCSEs due to age (before changes to school leaving age).

- trouble moving to other schools and getting them to agree with year vs age

other schools do not have to agree to continuing teaching out of year so if you move you could find your child having to miss out a whole year of school.

so I'm afraid these issue are real and need to be considered rather than ignored