My son aged 3 years and 7 months has been identified as extremely bright by nursery teachers and all who know him. He turns 4 in September and so just misses the cut-off to start school this year. I am gutted for him that his friends will all be moving on, and also that he cannot start school despite clearly being ready. He is mature for his age - socially confident and very articulate - and happily learning at nursery to read and write - but will effectively be waiting another year and a half before starting reception. Some of his academic year peers are barely talking, still in nappies etc and it is absurd when we have 'play dates' with them. I've met with the head at the local primary who said that all they can do is differentiate class work - but that with 32 in a class this isn't always the reality even with teaching assistants around. Does anyone have any ideas what I can do to help my boy? I've gone round the local private school but the fees rule this out. I've canvassed friends and family who suggested writing to our local politician but I'm skeptical of this resulting in anything useful. Ultimately of course my son's happiness is the most important thing. I do think this requires being stimulated by his contemporaries and surroundings, though, and gainfully occupied (being taught letters/phonics after having been reading for a year and a half???)... It is hard to write this post without coming across as a precocious parent. My parents were too self-absorbed to ever think about my education so when I landed at Cambridge University I had the raw talent but was seriously 'underpolished' and could have had a smoother ride had I been stretched appropriately previously (and of course, not been advised incorrectly by my sixth form college that Discrete Mathematics was an appropriate module when in fact Statistics was required. But that's another story). I want to prevent history repeating itself. Thanks, in hope, for reading - from a novice poster.