Scottish P1 Entry - Deferring

[KirstyW10]

Hi needing some advice for DS, I have to register him for school just after the New Year, However, he's a February birthday so should go when he is 4 and a half. Some days I think he's totally ready and other days I'm not so sure.

I'm getting conflicting advice all the time but I don't know whether to send him or not, I don't want to make the wrong choice and regret it.

I'm at the stage where I'm just thinking, ok that's when his birthday is so that's obviously when he's meant to go. If he was born 4 days later it wouldn't be my decision.

HELP!

I would recommend deferring. January born DS may have been ready for P1 at 4 and a half but we were glad he was 12 and a half for the maturity to cope with secondary. His headteacher said she regretted not deferring her own son as he struggled with exams aged 15 and a half.
At a recent parents evening a few teachers said they can tell he is one of the older first years as he settles to work and doesn't wander as some of the younger ones are prone to do.

Yes my experience is that 15 is a bad age to be doing exams if your child is the slightest bit awkward.

They do mature a lot in 12 months at that stage. The 13_ 15 growth spurt and changes from child to young man were the closest I came again to the wonder of the changes in early years.

I know lots and lots of parents who have deferred their Jan/Feb born children and none who have regretted it.

As others have said you need to look forward to the senior stages too, it's much better to be one of the older ones in your peer group, sitting national 5s when you're 16 not just 15, Highers at 17, leaving school at 18 and a bit rather than 17 and a bit.

I have a child born first week in March - had he been born a few days earlier he would have been eligible to go to school a year earlier and I would have 100% deferred him. Just count your lucky stars that here in Scotland we have the choice - in England very young for the year children do not have that option.