Starting school with a long bus journey

[LoosingBattle]

DD is 4 at the end of Feb and so will start Primary 1 in August.

I went to register at our local primary this week and have been told the school is closing to be rebuilt for the whole academic year 14-15 so the school is moving to a building in another school for the year.

For the local school the bus would pick up DD at 8:15am however it will be 7:45 for the year the school is shut and drop her back at 4pm. Such a long day for a little one.

As DD is a Feb birthday we have the option to keep her back a year and let her start at five and a half next year which would be my preferred option. DH however is dead against it and wants her to start, esp as our nursery fees are very high and they feel DD is ready for school.

Is it better to be the youngest or oldest in a class?

I don't know what to do for the best - wwyd?

[Bunnyjo]

Living in England, I don't know the ins and outs of deferring your child.

However, my DD is an August born and also gets school transport to out local school. She gets the bus around 7:55am and is dropped off home around 4:20pm. She has done this since after the first half teem in reception. She was fine and the kids love the bus journey - it gives them a chance to chatter and unwind.

[Bunnyjo]

Teem should be term. Bloody phone!

[Pooka]

While of course it would be great to have the spare money from no more nursery fees, in terms of giving your dd a better start at school, I think out should maintain the status quo, carry on paying for a year extra and start her later.

Wile dd was fine at 4.5, I do think that there is a benefit to being the oldest - certainly with ds1 being older in his year group has offset some of the difficulties he has had to a degree. It's been good for is self esteem. There is a difference, in that there was no way he was ready for school at just gone 4 whereas at just gone 5 he was more ready, while your nursery seem to thnk your dd is ready. But I thnk that if you have the choice, you should take it. It's not like you're suddenly having to come up with the nursery fees out of nowhere - you're simply maintaining the status quo for an extra few months for a much longer term gain.

[TallulahMcFey]

I have 2 summer born girls now 19 (and studying law at uni) and 11 who were only just 4 when they started school and a winter born 3 year old son who will be nearly 5 when he starts school. My two girls were and are always at the top of their class regardless of age but my son, although only 3, is v different. For a start, his speech is not what theirs was at his age and he shows a lot less interest in numbers, colours etc but is much better physically. I am v glad he will be nearly 5 when he starts school. In short, what I'm trying to say is all children are different and only you know your child. However, in general girls are more than boys and if the nursery say she is ready, I would tend to believe them. You will no doubt find that she just adapts to it. Bearing in mind, how quickly a year goes and how many school holidays there actually are. Five and a half seems v late to be starting school and I know it wouldn't have suited my girls - but may well my son!