Starting school in Yr1 instead of reception

[NicholasName]

I'm currently pondering when the best time for DS to start school is and wanted to put my thoughts down here in case anyone had anything useful to add (!)

We live in a very small community. There are 10 children that will be starting reception next year (DS could be one of them) 8 of the birthdays are between Sept-Dec. One birthday is in march. Ds is in May. He is the youngest, and the spread of birthdays is unfortunate I think.

We believe that children starting school at 4 years is too young (seems to be backed up by research) and we moved down here from Scotland, if we were still in Scotland then he'd go into Year 1 age 5 as reception does not exist. We think this is a better option.

My main bug bear is that we have been told by the current reception teacher (who i don't particularly like, she seems a bit bored by the whole thing and has taught this class for about 30 years) that if he doesn't do reception he will be really behind. She was HORRIFIED at the suggestion that DS go straight into year 1 the next year (or only do mornings in reception, or start reception after Xmas/Easter) She said in her 30 years teaching reception in this little community NO-ONE has ever not done reception.

This has really pissed me off because the school starting age where we are (not england) is the ACADEMIC year (not term) after you turn 5. This means reception is optional for every child (in England it's only optional for summer borns i think)

Either have the compulsory starting age at 5 and then start the curriculum from scratch at 5...OR move the compulsory start age to 4 if you're doing vital work aged 4...

It feels like my child would miss out for starting at the "correct" age.

I think it's relevant that DS is what I'd call painfully shy. His speech is behind and had been seeing a speech therapist (signed off now as making progress, just a little behind). He's a definitely homebody.

What i'm wondering I suppose is would he REALLY miss masses? He'd be at nursery still instead (8.30am-12 noon). It seems like the reception teacher wants an easy life and everyone to just be the same.

We are pondering what the best option is, and if anyone knows what exactly they learn in reception (that isn't re-covered in year 1)

Yonic because...well... everyone knows! It's a tiny island and everyone knows Mrs X teachers reception and Mrs Y teaches year 1. It's always been like that.

Our experience is nursery eyfs is not the same as reception. In reception they make sure they get writing for example, nursery is more they'll support them if they ask to write. That's just our nursery though. Worth having a chat with your nursery to see how they would support him in that case. Do they do any phonics or letter formation stuff with him now?
I don't know; it's a whole year off still, he'll grow up a lot in that time. Fwiw my extremely shy immature summer born was often upset going into nursery ... But loved reception from day 1. Even if he didn't open his mouth there for the first 3 weeks - teacher didn't tell us that till afterwards! He was coming home chatting away happily about all the new things and tripping happily in in the mornings.

Fair enough! And that might be wrong - but the fix is probably to put all the children in one classroom with both adults, not to employ a second teacher.

3.38.
Reception classes in maintained schools are subject to infant class size legislation.
The School Admissions (Infant Class Size) Regulations 2012 limit
the size of infant classes to 30 pupils per school teacher while an ordinary teaching session is conducted. ??School teachers?? do not include teaching assistants, higher level teaching assistants or other support staff.
Consequently, in an ordinary teaching session, a school must employ sufficient school teachers to enable it to teach its infant classes in groups of no more than 30 per school teacher

Yes ok so I guess the choice is to out yr and y1 in the same classroom and have two adults in there, or suck up that yr is taught by "only" a level 2 TA

If you are in the CI, and given the class size, I can probably guess which one, then the school starting age is the September after the child starts 5. Reception is not compulsory for any child. However, it is incredibly rare for a child not to do so. I don't know of anyone who hasn't, either my age or younger.

Even with the school place issue where people aren't getting spaces in catchment schools people aren't opting to miss reception.

There's no infant class size legislation. I've seen yr1 classes with 16 while the yr 2 class has 36 before.

Isn't reception mostly part-time until October/Xmas anyway? I'm not sure about the school in question, but a couple of years ago many were part time, with the decision about when to go full time being made on an individual basis after a certain point in the school year.

I know it was a bit of a bone of contention among working parents as it was making it difficult for some to go back to work.

Give the clusterfuck that is the Education Board attempting to manage the education system that may have been something they've changed though.

Our reception class are full time from the first day (starting with all other year groups)

The OP isn't in the UK though, and the system is different.

Traditionally, at least the first half term and often the first term are part time for all children. Even after going full time reception children don't generally stay for lunch, or at least it's strongly discouraged. Going full time isn't an option.

I think it goes back to the fact that the school starting age is the beginning of year 1 for all children and that parents may apply for a place to start a year earlier if a school has space and the staff to do so. Although in practice all schools have at least one Reception class and I don't think anyone has ever been refused a reception place.

Rafa - off topic - have you seen the Nadal/Hilfiger ads?

No, not yet. I will go and look for them, though.

Yet another parent being "precious" about there "little darling". For goodness sake, I'm sick to death of reading about parents wanting to defer because their child's reception place because "they think it's best". If you want your child to take up a place in one of our country's state schools then you as the parent need to adhere to that particular schools admissions policy, if you can't then you need to pay for your child to go to a private school were I assume you could opt to start them at a date of your choosing.

I put a link on the US Open thread...

Back on topic:

OP, would you prefer that your little one is taught largely by a TA with decades of experience, supervised by the teacher, or by the nursery? I would have thought more learning will be done in the former situation but that's not the only factor, of course.

Charlotte, don't be horrible - the OP is not under the English system and she's entitled to discuss her worries on here.

TBF Yonic ,I would prefer a reception child to be taught by a teacher rather than a TA. There isn't really any particular reason for the YR being taught by the TA in a different room if that is what is happening.

The OP isn't taking up a place at one of your countries state schools Charlotte. The school's admission policy is that children enter in year 1 but may also enter a year earlier if parents want them to. She is following the admissions policy, the issue is that it's exceptionally unusual to do what she is doing. And sh doesn't really have a choice of another school.

"TBF Yonic ,I would prefer a reception child to be taught by a teacher rather than a TA. There isn't really any particular reason for the YR being taught by the TA in a different room if that is what is happening. "

Yes, sorry, I agree with this. But if the OP is unable to change that situation (and I don't know about Channel Islands law on this!), her child will either be taught EYFS by a non-teacher in nursery or by a non-teacher in school - with the non-teacher in school having a lot of relevant experience.

I'm not sure of the law in this particular area either. I'm not really sure whether a teacher actually has to be a qualified teacher.

There was a huge report into the whole system 4 years ago, and I assume if being qualified was't necessary it would have been mentioned in that.

I'd imagine this might be the school playing fast and loose with the organisation of the classes.

OP, have you read the school's last validation report?

rafal thank you for all your comments. We only have one school on the island (age 4-16) and no private options.

Reception is mornings only for a week then full time. I asked about staying mornings only and that's really when the horrified looks started. Apparently doing mornings only would mean he missed lots of vital learning (despite being a year under compulsory school age). The after lunch bit is only 90 mins so doesn't seem the end of the world to miss it.

The schools latest validation report was awful. But there is no choice of school. It's that or move to the UK which we don't want to. Both sets of grandparents here, our jobs, etc etc

The EYFS staff in the nursery are level 3. In reception she is level 2.

charlotte I assume you're just bored and won't be coming back to this thread. But I'm not in "your" country and ironically I AM trying to follow the admissions rules...it's everyone else who does something different.

Ah, you have read it then. In fairness, the EYFS was praised, in particular the progress children make in Reception, it is the rest of the school that falls down on just about every measure.

I wonder if it escaped a bit of the pressure because Mulkerrin thought it was doing OK. Since the validation was bad perhaps Education will keep a closer eye on it.

Is another island an option rather than the UK?

1 week is not standard elsewhere other than in the private schools as far as I can tell. I think I might try and insist on mornings only and see what they say when you point out it isn't compulsory. If they refuse to budge, then just apply later in the year when you think he's ready or apply in year 1 but do some of the academic stuff with him at home so he isn't too far behind.

Have u actually visited to see what reception do?