Child going back to nursery then repeat p1 help?!?!

[user1122]

Ok so this is a complicated one and long one!!
My little boy started school last Aug, I know in my heart he wasn't ready but listened to people around me and sent him, it's the biggest mistake ever, he is so unhappy, he has anxiety and is really struggling emotionally, his teacher is not caring and understanding, she has said it's my anxiety that's causing him to feel this way, he pleads with me everyday not to take him to school, he fakes illness, bed wets and tells me lots of things that he hates about school and the teacher is the main one!
We are moving house in 2 weeks so we thought this will be a fresh start for him and hopefully a more positive teacher and school
Unfortunately the new school has space for his older sibling but not him p1 is full, iv contacted council and nothing can be done, so they can offer a taxi to his current school but this will be extremely upsetting for him, he will struggle with the changes and getting put into a taxi with a stranger is a very scary thought!
So I spoke to current head teacher and she suggested putting him to nursery in new school and let him re start p1 in Aug, the more iv thought the more I think it would work, I have a list of pro's and cons and this is honestly what I think is best, I know it sounds crazy
So the council are telling me this hasn't been done before ,
Does anyone know where I stand with this,
Please bare in mind he has just turned 5 last week

User, all you need to remember is this is your child at the heart of this so stand your ground and fight for what is best for him. Councils are made up of people who are concerned with numbers and,as cold as it sounds, that is all your son is to them. A number at the top of a page. Trust your instincts and Stay strong. Unfortunately in education those that shout their corner the loudest usually get what they want. They can definitely do what you want, no reason logistically why they can't. If you are in the catchment area of the school you get a place if there is space in the school, not the class. That includes nursery.

It does seem like he would be definitely be better in the nursery class. Sounds like you're going to have to fight to get them to take him which you shouldn't have to do.

It seems wrong that they are saying nursery 'would not be good for his wellbeing' yet putting him in a taxi to go somewhere he is already distressed would be better for his wellbeing.

Are there children his age in the nursery class?
Can you maybe list your concerns for what they are suggesting and how you feel what you are suggesting would be beneficial to him and put it all in writing. Not sure who you would need to send it to with being in Scotland but you may know already or someone can probably advise.

I hope so but it's a scary thought!
I do genuinely believe it's the best thing for my son and I hope they see that

Iv had an email from local MP today and they want to help so told them the whole story and they have emailed a letter to director of education on my behalf so I'm not sure if that will help but worth a shot at this point

You'd need to speak to your MSP (Scottish Parliament) not your MP (UK parliament) as education is devolved. The good thing about the Scottish parliament is that as well as the local constituency MSP you'll have several "list" MSPs who will also fight your corner.

Really, from what you've said, the decison is made. You strongly feel that the best thing for your boy is to start P1 again in August at a different school along with lots of kids he already knows who are the same age, but deferred.

The issue is therefore purely financial - getting the council to agree to fund March - June in pre-school. Could you fund this yourself for a few months? Or speak to the preschool about what space they have - they may have a place for you two or three mornings/afternoons a week until the end of summer term.

They can definitely do what you want, no reason logistically why they can't.

To put a previously school-ed child back into nursery for the final term would definitely have funding problems. To say there are no reasons but badness isn't quite right.

For example: Parents of all children who would like to attend a Fife Council Nursery at any point between August 2016 and July 2017 must apply for their child by 31st January 2016.

OP has missed her DS's deadline by a year!

OP, you also still haven't answered my question about other possibilities. Have you looked at private nurseries and childminders?

Oops, I read that wrong. Anyway, there was a deadline, which has now been missed.

Why don't you send him to a private nursery from now until June and the into P1 at the new school in August ?

Boiled7Up why do u think him being with a childminder or private nursery would be better than in a school nursery with kids he will be moving on with? I feel you are being very negative and looking to argue, I am finding all of this extremely hard to deal with and very stressful I constantly doubt myself so was here looking for some advise and maybe a bit reassurance
I understand you don't agree with it, it is an extremely complicated situation and not something that is usually done but I am facing the situation the best way I see for my son

Because I think you have absolutely no chance of getting what you want. Do you want advice or do you just want everyone telling you that you can absolutely definitely get this?

If there was a space in a private nursery you could start him as soon as you move. You will not get this resolved by the council in anywhere near the same timeframe.

Well as you don't run the council you have no idea what il get and what I won't, I'm asking for advise not negative comments, I'm not asking people what I can get im asking for advise on how best to fix this situation for my unhappy child , I feel bad enough about this whole situation without you having a go at me, what can private nursery offer him? Thank you for taking the time to respond but iv made my choice and iv done what I can do so il wait to see what happens from here

Private nurseries could offer a place. He could start immediately.

Going back into a council nursery from P1 is not a choice you can make. You might get it after a long fight, but you don't have the time for that if you're moving next week.

It sounds very stressful for you op.

I don't think boiled7up is saying that a private nursery or childminder is better, just that you may need to consider other options while the council decide.

Personally, I would keep him at home while you wait but if you don't want to do that then your options in the meantime are limited to private nursery or childminder. I hope they make a decision soon as it must be horrible being left waiting and you clearly just want what's best for your DS.

Yes that's it, I want him to be happy whatever the solution is , his happiness is the point here, not what I want, he will be finishing school next fri and he home until they come up with a suitable solution
I'm scared he gets used to that though

Keep him in a school routine. Go to drop off, then come back home and do a little bit of non-stressful work. Have a 'playtime' around 10.30, a little work, lunch.

If he is as stressed as you say, he will need the time to calm himself completely.

I suspect that not all posters are fully aware of the legal position in Scotland. If your child is born in January or February ( like the OPs ) , your u have an automatic right to defer their entry to school. One half of children of this age have deferred entry.

www.gov.scot/Publications/2012/05/7940/4

Parents of January and February born children are also entitled to an extra year of funding for their child to attend PT Nursery . So what the OP is asking for seems quite reasonable . Now they might argue that you should have applied earlier , but that's not relevant , you couldn't because you have just moved into the council area.

Imagine another child the same age as your child moves in next door, and they are still at nursery because their parents deferred their entry . would they be expected to go to P1 or not get funding for Nursery ?

I'm not clear if the council have agreee to find your child's place elsewhere? And on what grounds are they refusing your child entry to the nursery attached to the school ?

Have you made a formal application which they have refused ?

And why are they offreeing to taxi him back to his old school if it's in a different local authority ? The correct procedure woduo be to offer his a place at a nearby school in their area and then transfer him to his catchment school when a place is available.

And I don't understand why this a matter for the ed psych when you have an authomatic right to defer.

Kr1stina both schools are within the same LA so the deadline has been missed either way and the original school is the next closest school in the area to OP's requested school hence the taxi being offered.

Also although Jan/Feb birthdays are entitled to the extra funding IF school entry is deferred once they are enrolled into school the available funding is re-distributed as it is not required for nursery provision - deferring entry is not the same as going back to nursery because school hasn't worked out.

It is a matter for the EdPsych because it hasn't been done within the LA before (as far as I'm aware) and the LA should be covering all their bases - OP it might be an idea to look into if there are previous cases where it has been done as I know a parent who used DD2's case as a precedent to argue that her November born child should have the extra year even though they really didn't need it a few years later.

I have had many dealings with the LA's education dept in relation to the OP's original school and in all honesty the only way to get anything done is to bypass the HT & EO and go straight to their head office because the schools default setting is "ignore until the complainant gets bored & hopefully they'll go away".

Boiled7up, my friend missed the deadline for deferring her child by about 7 months. She still managed to defer her DD AND got funding for nursery so it can be done after the deadline.

And her DD was born in December, so not in the automatic deferral window of Jan/Feb.

trixymalixy was this done after starting school or just after the deadline for deferring?

trixymalixy was this done after starting school or just after the deadline for deferring?

Deferring can be done until the day before the child starts school- I'm not sure what you mean by the 'deadline'.

And I don't understand why this a matter for the ed psych when you have an authomatic right to defer.

OP gave up that right when she sent the little one to school.

^Yes that's it, I want him to be happy whatever the solution is , his happiness is the point here, not what I want, he will be finishing school next fri and he home until they come up with a suitable solution
I'm scared he gets used to that though ^

I wouldn't worry about that; it is the second best solution. In the days before there was much in the way of nursery education, I knew two boys who left school in the middle of P1 and just started against the following August. One was precipitated by a house move, the other just unhappy. Both the same age but different schools, so can't be that rare!

Just an update for anyone interested, had my meeting today with HT EP and EO and they have decided with the current circumstances they will let my son return to nursery to finish this year, I'm so relieved and glad they finally pulled through for my son and myself, and we are all working together as move forward to make sure my son gets the support he needs!
Thank you to u all for the words of advise