Reception, at age 4, please explain to an American

[PITA5000]

Hi,

We have just moved to London from the US, we have 2 daughters age 4 and 6. We are in the process of seaking a flat in order to determine what school our 6 year old will attend. In the states children begin school in kindergarten at age 5, so had we stayed in the US my 4 year old would have stayed home with me this year. (Admittedly, many Americans send their young children to preschools or pre-kindergarten, but these cost money and we have not been in a position to pay tuition even if we had wanted to).

Would it be very, very, very, odd if I chose not to send her this year, as it has never been a part of our plan? I feel like I'm losing out on a year of her childhood that I had been counting on spending with her. I will of course be educating her at home so that she does not enter school with a deficit of knowledge. Do other Americans do similarly? Do any locals?

Thanks for your advice

Is it your catchment school? This might be worth considering if you want to keep both children at the same school whether you delay with your younger or not. A place in year 2 doesn't automatically get you a reception place or a year 1 place next year. Siblings at the school is likely a criteria but being in catchment is likely more important I think.

OP You should apply for your 6 year old, and this September make an in year application for your 4 year old before there are a lot of applications if you want her to start school in year one. I think it would be better if she started school now because:

1. Many schools process primary applications quicker than in year applications.
2. Friendship groups form at the start of Reception.
3. You will have free childcare.
4. For the first few weeks, she will be able to go to school for only half a day so it will be easier to settle in.

I haven't read the full thread but you have the option of trying to start her at five in Reception - there is a facebook group called Flexible School Admissions for Summerborns where you will get excellent advice.

You could also send her to Reception part time (they do not legally have to attend until the term after they turn five, so attendance can't be enforced). A school might try to talk you out of it but it is your right. My daughter is attending Reception two days a week.

Not all schools / areas do the half days settling in Roses. It's full time from day one round here.

A post above made me want to clarify, unless you are in an unusual situation in London (such as a Priority Admissions Area for a particular school) then catchment doesn't mean much. In other areas it means 'the school for which someone living at your address has priority'. But in London it's generally done purely by distance (after Looked After Children and siblings, generally). So 'catchment' in London is often used to mean 'streets from which children usually get a place at a particular school' but does not actually give you any type of priority in a way it might elsewhere.

Most (not absolutely all) schools give priority to siblings, so if you can see a school with a Y2 place, it would be worth checking their admission criteria to see if they do this. If they do have sibling priority, then you've got a much better chance of your younger child getting a place.

Just to add even more complexity, some schools give 'siblings in catchment' priority but not 'siblings outside catchment', but again this is unusual in London.