Two years in Reception class.

[froggybedlegs]

Would you be ok with this?
My dd will be 4 next week so just missed out on starting school but I've always been happy with her being the oldest in her year.
Last year we experienced some problems with her childminder so my dh (who is a teacher) arranged for her to go to his school where they were trying out a full time nursery place system. We were on the understanding that she could stay there until it was time for her to start school. (We were not planning on her attending the school after nursery)
She settled well and loves the setting but we have just been informed that the full time nursery places have been discontinued. However, she is not being asked to leave but they have just suggested that she goes into the reception class instead of nursery. So then in Sept 2017 she would do a second (official) reception year in the school we want her to attend long term.
Just wondered what you thought of this? Would it work? What are the pitfalls? Should I look around for a nursery?
She's a bright girl, chatty and confident but within the normal range, not exceptional or gifted and she hates writing with a passion.
However the school's intake is a very mixed ability intake so I don't think she'd be trailing behind the class.

It sounds like it would be OK- our reception class is very like nursery anyway and if she's going on to a different school afterwards then it won't be exactly the same tasks or set-up. Hard to say without having personal knowledge of the class though. I would do what fits in best for you and see how it goes.

I can't think of any issues. Nursery is so similar to reception that it shouldn't be too much for her. But there would be a lot of repitition was she eventually does officially join reception in the new school
I'd go for it

Wouldn't it be a bit rubbish for her watching all her friends move up and her being stuck with the 'babies ' after a full year of learning? I'd personally find a feeder nursery for the school you want her to go to.

I'm sure your daughter would be fine academically as if she were born a couple of weeks early she would be in reception anyway. However, she might find it odd to do two years. I also find it strange that a school would put a child in reception who shouldn't be there and hasn't not be through the usual admission process with the education authority. Unless of course it's a private school in which case I guess they do what they feel is right.

I think I would look for another setting personally.

She'll be so much more mature than the other new starters next year she may find it boring.
Or do you mean she'd start reception at another school?

Thanks for your replies. Willow, good point. I think partly the school's undersubscribed currently so they can do it and partly they feel awful because they would let dh down if they just told us to take her away? I am worried that a sudden influx of reception age children would mean she suddenly had to leave though.
She'd leave the school for a different (private) school in Sept so hopefully wouldn't feel like she was being left behind with the babies. Sadly this school doesn't have any one obvious feeder nursery although I could ask around and see if there are any private day nurseries that send their children there. I know one mum who sends her children there and she said that many of their reception children were at a nearby part time playgroup setting before hand but we both work so couldn't accommodate this.

Few questions to ask the school.
Do they give homework?
Do they do tests of any description in Reception?

I read the other day about kids being given spelling tests by Easter time in reception. If you take the year seriously that could potentially put her miles ahead of next years intake. If you don't do the homework and treat it as a nursery then you are being unfair to the children in the class who do need to learn. She isn't going to be daft enough not to know that she is repeating the same stuff a year later which could cause her to switch off.

Personally I would look for a private nursery. Ask the school that you plan to send her to which ones they would recommend in the area. They might not have a direct feeder but they will know which ones seem to prepare kids best.

If it's a state school I'd check out the legality of their suggestion as she isn't school age they won't receive funding and she can't be officially on the school register in reception. If they are suggesting she attends registered as a nursery child then there is the issue of only being funded for 15 hours.

If it is for childcare purposes then what happens during the time before school starts and after school finishes?

cece it's worked for them for the past school year so I presume the same arrangements would be in place this year too

Why don't you see how she gets on and consider her moving into year 1 of the new school in September next year if she has made good progress this year - but you may need to talk to that school now about it - or consider starting her there in reception if they have the space this September instead and are willing? I assume we are talking about 2 private schools here?

Some Nottingham schools do this. My nephew was put into a reception class in January following his 4th birthday in December and my niece in April before her 4th birthday in August. Worked for niece but not for her older brother. I think it depends on how good at differentiation the teachers and ta are and if there are other children doing it as well

Hi thanks everybody,
Yes the holidays, before and after school are not changed so we can cover these.
I'm not sure about keeping her a year ahead as whilst she seems bright she doesn't seem hugely advanced for her age or anything so I'd worry that I'd be setting her up to fail, would have to see how it went I suppose.
I think they are suggesting she's on the register as a nursery child so not sure how funding will work, I'll check.
All useful suggestions so this has been really positive. Thanks!

Lace that's interesting, did your niece and nephew then do more than 3 terms in Reception?
I'm mainly worried about her writing which is very weak at present (can only write first letter of her name) so if they expected her to do the same as other children then I'd worry she'd get frustrated and lose confidence in herself.