School start for 4 September born

[sppc42]

Hi,

My DS was born on 4th September. I understand that the cut off for school joining is 1st September, but that week mean losing out by almost a whole year just because of 3 days difference.

He has been always ahead in nursery, showing early developments and progressing to higher classes ahead of his elders. Wanted to see if its possible to approach the school or council and be able to secure an admission for this year? Are there any precedents around these, or is it a strict rule for a 1st cut off?

Would really appreciate any guidance on this.

Thanks

My ds2 is similar b'day and academically ahead, could have happily gone to school with the cohort ahead of him and done well there. In reality what we did rather than fight the system..was take the advantages that being the older end of the class has given him, found him a great nursery until he did start school (I actually ended up getting him 4 days there halfway through his preschool year as their curriculum was fantastic) and also found him extra curricular stuff with the time in hand. That meant as a sporty kid he was able to do all sorts, swimming, loads of stuff. We read tons to him and generally kept him busy. He has always been top of his class and has got in a super-selective grammar, he does music and sports outside school. I'd say get your head round using the advantages you've been given. Don't necessarily think that a year in school will be the best or only way to go. HTH.

The cut off for state schools in England is the 31st August meaning children must be 5 before August 31 of the school year in which they are admitted (school year runs Sept - August).
I'm afraid it's very unlikely that you will find a state school willing to admit a 4 year old with a Sept birthday as there will be no funding available.

I would make the most of this situation. It will give your ds an advantage.

I appreciate it is frustrating but there has to be a cut-off and in this country it is 31 August.

My friends DS was born at approx 2am on 1st Sept so he will miss out by 2 hours

My ds1 has 6th September birthday.

My ds2 was born on 1st September.

Ds1 could easily have run academically with the year above. Socially, not so much. I'm very very pleased with how things have panned out for him.

Equally, ds2 needed an extra year at home to show interest in learning and he is happy, confident and doing very well (in reception now). There is no way at all that I would have been happy with him being the youngest in the year. He was simply not ready.

My eldest child has a July birthday. She did well at primary. I still think she was a little on the young side to be starting school at only just 4.

Given a choice, and with the experience of the younger dcs, i think it would have been great for her to start at 5 rather than 4.

Sadly you will need to look for other options if you are talking about state schools. We were in the same situation with my september born who had unfortunately ended up in the "wrong" nursery class with the summer borns of the year above him. They all started school and left him behind to essentially repeat his nursery year. It wasnt particularly easy at the time and by the time he got to reception he was totally bored by the early years curiculum, but now he is older it is definitely an advantage to be one of the oldest rather than the youngest in the year group.

Our school which is VA is open to these requests. It says so on their admissions policy, so it may be worth checking with which school you would most likely to be given.

I doubt you'd secure an admission for this year now anyway, applications had to be in on 15th January and places announced this Thursday coming. Unless there's a school still with places then you're too late.

My dd will be 5 on 2nd September and I have a DS who will be 4 on 8th August. Both will start this September- So both extremes!

I believe children can technically be admitted outside their normal age group, and schools normally get funding according to the number of children on roll regardless of their age. (Though possibly counties have some discretion on that?)

However, hard to imagine circumstances where it would be to a child's advantage to be admitted early. People usually seem to think it's to their advantage to be top of the pack. I'm not sure how true that is always for individual children, though it is true statistically overall. It would certainly be hard to demonstrate otherwise strongly enough to cause an exception to be made. What does your child have that all the other bright kids in his year group don't? And I should imagine it's far too late now anyway - school applications for September are all in and allocations coming out next week.

I will admit to idly wondering about it having a DD who while not autumn born is far far "readier" for school now at 3.1 than DS was when he started at 4.5. Academically, socially and physically. (And he's academically strong in his year.)

But actually she'll be happy enough running around in her little fantasy world for another year and looking after the "babies" (some of whom are her age peers!). My plan is to see if I can get her started on learning a musical instrument next year to divert her a bit from standard academics and give her something special to focus on. Is there anythign like that you could sign your son up for to keep him challenged - music, language, sport?

Also put things in perspective by reading some of the G&T threads here - compared to some of the toddlers there my DD is barely above average.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/275598/school_admissions_code_1_february_2012.pdf page 21

Thanks mrz, knew I'd seen it somewhere.
Admission of children outside their normal age group
"2.17 Parents of gifted and talented children, or those who have experienced
problems or missed part of a year, for example due to ill health, can seek
places outside their normal age group. Admission authorities must make
decisions on the basis of the circumstances of each case, informing parents
of their statutory right to appeal. This right does not apply if they are offered a
place in another year group at the school."

Different admissions authorities publish different amounts of detail about how they interpret this. This one from cornwall elaborates a lot, explicitly mentions early entry to reception as a possibility and states explicitly that funding is unaffected. (FAQ p15).
www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/10963673/Admission-of-pupils-outside-their-normal-age-group-v32.pdf

Enjoy the advantages it will bring. Can he start at school nursery - ideally at a school he is likely to go to?

I would look at things like being able to go away when you like. Use the time to e.g. Teach him to swim or other things. Help him learn to colour and crayon etc so he can hold a pen. Do loads of fun stuff. Once reception starts you are tied to school hours and they are often tired and grumpy when they get home. He won't struggle when he starts as he will be so ready

We're taking advantage of the system as well. DD could have coped quite well if she'd gone in September, but going this year means she's had another year of preschool, she is very confident and we've worked on developing her interests, she loves music and dance. I think she would have done well with the year above but may have struggled socially now I don't have to worry, she has made several friends who are likely to be going to the same school so she'll start with a bit of a social peer group.

I'm afraid even if there was something you could do about it, you have more than likely missed your opportunity any way as applications to start in this September had to be in nearly 3 months ago (national offer day is Thursday).. are you in area that is known to be fairly under subscribed? Unless this is the case, you will more than likely not be able to have your pick of schools.

Exactly what Jemima said in the 1st reply.
Take advantage of being the oldest in the year, don't fight to make him the youngest.

Look at how your local schools place children in classes. Our intake is 70. The oldest 10 in reception go into a class with the youngest Y1's and then there are 2 classes of 30 other reception children.

Your son and I share a birthday (but I am a good bit older)

My parents did put me in the year above at primary. This was mainly so that my Dsis and I would not be in the same school year mum says.

Academically I had no trouble at all but socially it was not great. I did make some good friends who I am still in touch with now but with things like sport I found it so hard as I was just physically not so developed and was always last to get picked for teams etc which was demoralising. It was a bit of a revelation to me when I occasionally did play with my own year group that I was not as crap as I thought but to this day I hate team sports with a passion.

They moved me back to my correct year group for secondary as we were moving area and I didn't really notice repeating stuff as I was adjusting to the move. I then enjoyed the advantages of being eldest and coming top of everything. It's a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy I think. You feel more confident and so you do better.

In the long run I bet he will thank you for letting him be the eldest.

mamadoc
Can I ask how you got on being in the same in the same year as your sister?

In the end I never was.

I was put up a year in primary to avoid it and went to different secondary. My parents felt pretty strongly that it should be avoided.

We are really close and always have been but we didn't see much of each other at school and had different friends.

I expect it might have been harder on dsis than on me if we were in the same class but I honestly don't know.

She is younger to clarify

Being the oldest is generally a huge advantage.

Scroll through the primary section here and see his many threads about summer norms starting school too early.

2 DC can end up in same year if only 9-12 months apart

I think Teddybear was asking because she has 2 DC due to start in the same year (judging by another thread).

Teddy yours are a girl and a boy aren't they? I think that probably makes quite a difference. My parents were afraid we would always get compared being 2 girls.

Thanks. Yes mine are girl/boy. The school is single form entry and initially I was unsure but I've had some good advice from teachers on here and in RL. Mine are quite different (physically, socially and academically ) and again different sexes, so I think comparing will be more difficult. I also know the school having two older children having gone there and they are ready for them!