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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

School start for 4 September born

50 replies

sppc42 · 11/04/2015 09:55

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

OP posts:

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claraschu · 13/04/2015 06:57

One of my children skipped year 1 with an October birthday. He was extremely academically ahead though. This was a 14 years ago, so might not happen now (though people at the time said it never happened then either). It was not a big deal and never caused any issues, but he happened to hit puberty quite early, so didn't look younger when it mattered.

mrz · 13/04/2015 07:47

That's very different to having a three year old in a reception class.

Some schools have Foundation Units which combine nursery and reception children which allows children to access work appropriate to their stage of development alongside lots of opportunities to develop the important social, emotional and physical skills vital to later achievement in an age appropriate environment.

TeddyBear5 · 13/04/2015 08:13

The op's child wouldn't be 3 yrs old though. He'd turn 4 on the first or second day of term. Not that much different to a child with a 31st Aigust birthday.

I have to say it's not something I woukd do. I'm glad my dd will go when she's 5yo.

misssmapp · 13/04/2015 08:25

Ds2 has 3rd sept bday. He reception started with his peer group, but we did move his nursery for the last year. He had been at the first nursery since 6mths ( when I returned to work) and was developing ' top of the tree ' itus, so we changed to a different , more school based nursery which really helped. I also made the most of the days we had at home together, loads of days out and walks, craft, art , book etc.

misssmapp · 13/04/2015 08:26

or He started reception - sorry !

meglet · 13/04/2015 08:27

we were in the same situation here. In the end it's worth them 'waiting' a year and sailing into reception year when they turn 5.

BikeRunSki · 13/04/2015 08:37

DS's birthday is 7 Sept and he is the 4th eldest in his class ! I appreciate your frustration, but i think you'd be fighting a losing battle. Friend of mine tried to get early entry for her 5 Sept child to no avail. (Kirklees Council).

Interestingly, the little cluster of Sept children in dS's class are all very different academically. Ds has been among the most able academically, but has really struggled socially/behaviourally.

petalunicorn · 13/04/2015 08:37

My DS did two different preschools (as we moved house) which is a good way to get a bit of variety for one who is older in the year.

Smartiepants79 · 13/04/2015 08:53

Very unlikely that a school would do this.
Even if he is exceptionally advanced.
I had the opposite problem. My Dd was barely 4 when she had to start school.
She has been fine and is happy and progressing. I'd still have given a lot to have had her at home. For another year. For her to be the oldest not the youngest. He has a natural advantage. I wouldn't throw it away.
A friend of ours was in your position. She sent her child to a private school for a year. Yet to be seen whether it has been a good choice or not.

MrsHathaway · 13/04/2015 09:16

I agree that skipping a year later on is quite different from starting school at not-quite-four.

That said, I would have been more supportive of your idea before I had any DC at school. Now I have a very able Y2. His excellent (rated Outstanding by Ofsted and also excellent in real life) school stretches the most able children horizontally once they have grasped all their year's work, rather than getting them ahead into the next year's work. It means DS is finding out such interesting science and history, and still at an age-appropriate level.

Spend the next months finding the best possible school for him for Sept 2016, and grasp his natural advantages.

MadAboutMathsMum · 13/04/2015 09:50

My DS has an early September birthday and was always excelling in nursery. However, it was still of great benefit for him to be the oldest in the school year rather than the youngest. Whilst academically he would have been ready for school the year before (e.g. he is now in year 1 and is the 'old style' level 3 in both maths and English) socially it has been a big change between nursery and school. The extra year gave him more confidence in himself and his abilities. He is also small for his age so a year of growing has helped him in PE and sports day. There really is no rush to get a child into a more academic system as they will still develop at their own rate whether at nursery, at school or at home. There is definitely more to a young child's life than maths and English in a formal setting.

BrieAndChilli · 13/04/2015 10:03

its well known that some summer babies have a slight disadvantage when it comes to school so I wouldn't voluntarily put him in that category. He will then be a year younger the oldest in his class so won't be 'ahead' if anything he will be behind.
I say this as someone who's ds started school with a reading age of 14!
It's not just academic side of things, school is about the social, and emotional fevelopment as well, sports day, school plays etc.
I was put up a year in primary (back in the 80s) buthe secondary school wouldn't take me until I was the correct age (and I'm a December birthday so not one of the youngest). Meant I had to repeat year 6 and socially all my friends left but the class I went back to already had established friendship groups. I had to repeat work (although dos get some extension stuff)

LL0015 · 13/04/2015 15:03

I can feel your frustration.

My DS is June, he did start school but I have been surprised actually at his lack of academic progress... I have him down as smart. But he is socially and emotionally smart. This is not transferring to academic smart and his poor fine motor skills are preventing him from even writing his name.

My Niece is Sept 10th. My DBro was pulling his hair out at her behavior at 4yrs 4 months to 4yrs 11m. To compare her to my older DD (May bday), my DD had been in school the whole of that period. She had other adults telling her what to do so I told my brother to chill.

Back to the point from the rambling, my Niece is absolutely FLYING in reception this year. My DS is not. But last year, when they were in nursery, it was my Niece that was a nightmare.

My point I think is that your son will Fly when he gets there. If you do manage to put him in early, he will not. Try to just accept the system and accept the benefit it will give to your son when his turn comes.

Justusemyname · 13/04/2015 15:08

Why the rush to get him into school? Why do you think he's losing out on a year? He will still have that reception education, just a year later than you want.

DD was August born. I hated that she had to start school at 4.1 but she's been fine and is excelling. Age isn't always relevant ime.

TeddyBear5 - what an interesting situation!

bigTillyMint · 13/04/2015 15:12

How is he losing a year?

He will be the oldest in Reception all year long, which is a great position to be in (my birthday is 3rd September, DS's mate's is the 5th!)

Are you comparing him with Summer-born's who are only a month or two older and who will be the youngest in Reception?

mrz · 13/04/2015 16:45

Unfortunately Teddybear he will still be three not four on the first of September which is when the school year begins.
An application hasn't been made for a school place for September ... OP could you produce evidence that your child meets the G&T criteria?

ThereisnoFinWay · 13/04/2015 16:54

Ds1 has a similar birthday and this time last year I was thinking i wished he was starting school that year especially as a lot of his friends were, but now I'm glad he is starting this year at 5. He is so much more emotionally ready for school and has really benefitted from the extra year at preschool. Academically he would have been ready last year (he's reading and can do simple addition and subtraction) but he is physically not great (not behind just clumsy like his mother!) and also shy especially in big groups and I think will just cope much better with everything about school this year.

So my advice is start them in the proper age group.

ThereisnoFinWay · 13/04/2015 16:57

Ps ds1 has also done two different preschools which has helped with variety instead of 5 terms at one.

TeddyBear5 · 13/04/2015 18:19

Mrz I realise that and how the cut off date works, but we're discussing a child going 'a year early'. Of course he will be 3yo on the cut off date but for the vast majority of the academic year he will be 4yo, as I was saying, exactly like a child born 31st August. I know the 'technicalities' are different but the reality is very little difference. As I said it's not something I would do for my dd (2nd Sept) but it isn't completely inconceivably to think the OPs child would be fine with it.

mrz · 13/04/2015 18:49

And the statutory age to be in full time education is five

TeddyBear5 · 13/04/2015 19:56

I think we're on different wavelengths. I'm not disagreeing with anything you're saying (I think you think I'm arguing) I'm just pointing out the OP's reasoning for not seeing it as a big deal to be put in with children only a tiny bit older.

mrz · 13/04/2015 20:19

I don't think we are on different wavelengths ... I'm just pointing out the "technicalities" ...

resipsa · 13/04/2015 20:28

I'm a September born who went up a year so was always the youngest. Did me no harm academically or socially so far as I can tell. Maybe I'm just brilliant .

mrz · 14/04/2015 06:43

Were you still just three when you started school or did you move up after normal starting age?

I'm a December birthday and spent only 2 terms in the infants before moving up to the juniors ...it didn't do me any harm either - not sure it did any good either

resipsa · 14/04/2015 18:47

Oh, after normal starting age. Suspect it was for parental convenience as we lived in the sticks and the move up put me just one (rather than 2) year behind my sister.

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