Got third choice. Keep 4 year old in private

[starrain]

So schools around us are not amazing. We chose a school from all of them, that will help us with the after school pick up (all my husbands nephew and nieces go there) . But now havent got our first choice im wondering if i can keep my ds in private nursery until he is 5. He only just turns 4 in july. It would help us because we both work so the hours are better and he is very settled there and loves it. And he hates waking up for 8am every morning so maybe hes not ready for it. Has anyone left their dc in private nursery until 5? Any advice would be great as im now stressing

I think the only way round this is to ask for a deferral, and go on the waiting list for preferred school

Different authorities have different views on this, I highly recommend the Facebook group "flexible admissions for summerborns" as a starting point as there will be someone there who has experience of fighting for it in your authority on there.

Also your nursery might have a policy on the matter, I'm fairly sure you would NOT be eligible for 30 free hours beyond this summer but they might not care if you are paying.

Im sure the 30 hours is for 3 and 4 year olds...but i will ask them. I forgot to mention we are actually looking to move into another area ( better schools) not sure when.. because we haven't found a house we want yet. I heard the deferred entry.. is that when a summerborn 5 year old can start reception and not year 1.

What would you do once he reaches 5?

I can only see that you are delaying the problem of pick ups. Can you get a childminder instead?

When he is 5 i suppose child minder or nursery. Because even after school clubs at most schools are only until 5. I just assumed he would get in there and hadnt done much research on the other schools...especially as we are looking to move anyway

There is a summer born child in our nursery who will start Reception this term, after staying at nursery for two extra terms and getting the free hours too. The Early Years curriculum is the same whether they are at nursery or school. School may complain but if they offer you a place you are perfectly entitled to start after Easter. They don’t like it because funding is based on roll numbers in October, so they can lose out a year’s worth of funding, even if your child starts after Easter.

But have you considered about impact of summer born child not attending school? They will be learning a lot in reception, not just phonics and all that, but also rules and routines. It will increase the already existing gap between older ones and younger ones.

As said above, you can unilaterally delay his start date until April (the school may be more or less supportive, but it's your choice). Delaying beyond April only possible if you get a deferral agreed, and means giving up the current offered place. His early years funding will stay with him until he reaches statutory school age or starts school, whichever comes first, so you can keep claiming the 15/30 hours for the extra terms in nursery if you decide a delayed start is best. Decades ago of course, and I know the pressures/expectations are greater these days, but I started school halfway through the intake year, settled better for it and caught up v fast academically. So it can be a good solution, but depends on the child and the school.

You could put him on the waiting list and take it half term by half term?
You'll have a better idea by, say, June, of where you are on the waiting list and whether it's moved.

Are you hoping to start Reception NEXT September? Or just do a part year of Reception?
If the former, you will have the same problem with spaces in your preferred school this time next year.

The primary issues are whether or not you and your partner wish to seek for him to start reception a full year later; and whether this is a realistic prospect where you now live or would like to live.

Deferring entry to reception for a year is not at all easy, you would need to carefully investigate your current local authority’s policy, and that of the area(s) you are keen to move to.

In most places, with oversubscribed schools, it’s important to enter at reception because otherwise there will be no places available.

Also, many schools are their own admissions authority now so can have a different policy.

I'd also think hard about how staying at nursery for an extra ?term or two will work out for him. Is he in a mixed age room with friends who won't start school in Sept 18? Will he benefit in terms of increased maturity and development from 6 months being the daddy of the preschool room, experiencing (for once!) what being one of the oldest is like? Or will he be missing his friends (if they're all older, and starting Reception... Or conscious of being left out of a transition peers are making? Where will he learn best?

As your son is summer born you have the option of delaying entry until September 2019. However, it is up to the school and/or local authority whether he can start in Reception. They have to consider your request to start Reception in 2019 properly rather than implement a blanket policy but many will only agree to deferral if there is evidence that the child has delayed development. If they don't agree to deferred entry to Reception your son will go straight into Y1. As most schools will be full your choice will be very limited if that happens. You may not get any of your choices.

The other thing to remember is that you are now on the waiting list for your first and second choice schools. You may still get a place at one of them between now and September.

I'm not sure if we're clear here if the OP wants to:
Send her child to this school to Reception in April 2019
OR
Send her child to this school (or whichever she gets) to Y1 in September 2019
OR
Ask for a place in Reception in this school or another school in September 2019.
OR
Wait and see if she can get a place in Reception in Sept 2018 at another school (or October/January/February/April).
All are possible but only the first one is guaranteed.

As I've said the other alternative is to hold onto a waiting list space at preferred schools term by term or even half term by half term.

Thanks for the replies and sorry for the confusion.

Basically i wanted to put him in this year at reception sept 2018. But with work and possible relocation and now we havent got first or second choice...im thinking if its ok to keep him in private nursery until next year when i then will put him in year 1 as he will be 5. I didnt realise about the half the year thing. That could also work...keep him in a few terms in nursery and then see if we get first choice from waiting list.
Is it worth ringing the primary school too?

You will need to follow the LEA procedures for going on the waiting list for school 1 and school 2.
The school themselves will be able to tell you where you are on the waiting list and, nearer the summer, will also be able to tell you if there's been any movement (e.g., if you go on the list now and you are no 4, then if you ring in June and find out where you are then you could still be at no 4 BUT they could actually have had 5 places come up it's just that 5 people applied after you but were higher priority so they got a space/a higher place on the waiting list).
Or, you could be no 1 but by September not a single place could have come up meaning that no child has dropped out in the previous 5 months.

Yes, you can delay until next year and start your son in Y1. However, you can't hold the place you've been offered until then, nor can you hold a place at any other school. You can defer entry until Easter and they have to hold the place for you. But if you want to wait a full year you will have to see which schools have places in Y1 at that time. You may not be able to get a place at any of your preferred schools.

If you think that you might move before next April then I would defer until Easter, keep him in nursery, if a better place comes up on the waiting list then take it and delay the decision until next Easter by which time you might be living elsewhere anyway. If you relocate is it to somewhere nearby so would you stick with the school or would he have to move schools then anyway?

I'd keep him in nursery for another year. My dd has a very late July birthday and I wish I kept her behind a year..

I recommend joining the summer born children chat on facebook. Basically you can request your child to start reception next year as they are summer born child. Your local LA has to consider your request and has to do decide whats the best interest of the child. It is recommended you get written approval from the schools as it adds weight to your request. The group can offer you more advice . Starting your child in september next year does not automatically mean they will be in y1

Starting your child in september next year does not automatically mean they will be in y1

This correct but it also doesn't mean they have any better chance of getting a place in the school you want.

Wait if he starts next year he wont be year 1?? I actually dont want him a year behind. Im just wanting to put him in nursery until we know more about location and then obviously working it around mine and dh work

Yes how will nursery work - will he have friends or will he suddenly be the oldest in the room learning everything he did the year before

3p hours extends to four year olds.

Wait if he starts next year he wont be year 1

You can request that he starts in Reception next year. If you don't ask for that he will go into Y1 but you will have a very limited choice of schools.

Op if you want him to start next year and go straight to y1 then thats up to you. I was pointing out that if you want dc to start next year and worried he may miss reception then you can apply for recption place out of his current year group as he is summer born. From what you are saying you are happy for him to start next year in y1 then i would keep him in nursery until you decide location