1Sept kid with HLP how possible is start a year ahead

[Mayita]

My son is a lot more mature for his age and I am being in someway "home schooling" him as he has not been accepted for reception last year.

I put him on preschool but this has impacted him to his normal emotional development a lot more of what I was expecting. he was growing nice and healthier but I am now seeing traits that are causing me real concerns. he is already clearly more mature for kids of his own age (he is 4) and it is not only not having the chance to be kids older than her, but because he's been born on 1 sept he is instead hold with little kids as young and 3 a lot more little than her in every single aspect.

I am determined in doing whatever it takes for my son's health. I wonder of someone has any experience on this or have any advice.
if someone knows that this was possible for some kids.

He at least needs to be with kids of his age. and instead of starting
Reception, he needs to be on year 1.

I know that local autorities are very strict in this aspect, but the school admissions code states to have this considerations. I thought about the law and children rights too and the considerations on the child as individual. it seems SEN or inclusion policies of school does not help. so I am not sure how to approach and ask for a place to my local autority with which evidence. educational psycologists how? we have no resources to pay private either.. he is already having behavioural issues but this is because his experience in preschool

My child needs at least to be with kids of his age. he is very advanced emotionally speaking very mature and understanding, very kind and quick in understanding new learning, he only wants to make friends, needs to talk to people do things in a group. he feels isolated, and many times unhappy, he is so strong and understanding that he is trying to overcome this himself. he see himself different to the other that re considerable younger.

Many Thanks!

Have you actually applied for a reception place for this September?

Also - if the school is a maintained school (Not an academy, free school or or voluntary aided school) then the decision is made by the Local Authority as the admissions authority, but they have to consult with the Headteacher as well.

Realistically, it very rarely happens. I think you need to approach this as if it isn't going to, and figure out your approach based on that. If you haven't applied for a reception place for this sept, you are likely to have very few options anyway.

Tbh the whole all the rest will catch up is not working for ds6 atm. He was ahead at the beginning of reception, we were not aware of that until teacher pointed out things he was doing were not the norm, and is even more ahead now at end of year one. Not all kids absorb into the year and some may become outlier. Ds is going that way and the school don’t know what to do as theyve not dealt with the situation before and everyone is frustrated, ds included.

rest will catch up

This doesn't actually mean that the rest actually catch up, just that the differences are no longer defining, that's Fred, he's reading Harry Potter, that's George he's trying to chew to the corner of Spot goes to school. Once they can all read, they can all do maths etc, some are just better, it's not such a defining difference.

Being in a higher year doesn't make someone who would've been better in a lower year average, that's not how intelligience works, they'll still be better in the higher year too. Every school year is just as hard as every other, they might have needed to work harder for a brief period as they caught up in what they needed to learn, but if the kid is "advanced", then that won't happen either.

The next time period when big differences between kids become noticeable is puberty and that's possibly not a place to be the youngest.

Not all summer born children are lower ability, you know. My son is still three and will be starting school in Sept (June baby) but is more than capable of keeping up with everyone else. It really irritates me when people assume that summer borns aren't as clever. There will also be other Sept born children in the class.

But putting that aside, I can't see a school agreeing to this. I'm a teacher and any teacher worth their salt will be able to cater for a wide range of abilities with no problems. When I taught reception I had some still mark making and others reading and writing fluently. It's not uncommon.

Mayor's, it can be so scary as a parent, and from the opposite side, I wanted to keep DD2 (August 12th BD) down a year last May, because I was sure she wouldn't cope with year 6, then secondary. Honestly? She's never going to feel ready, and she'll never be amazingly confident, but I can see now that a change of year group is not the answer. It would have just pushed that down the line and reinforced her feeling that there was something wrong with her.

Don't make him skip a year of school. Let him be four. He has his whole life to find out about the world, and he'll never find out everything, even if he starts right now. Isn't that the wonder of being human?

It's not ability that makes sept borns better though is it it is age. They have naturally progressed to the next developmental stage.
Obviously some SB are ahead (as are some sept) and if they are 12m ahead they could be top of the class. But a SB that is average or delayed could easily be working at a level of the class below.
It is not necessarily just that the others catch up, it's that the skills needed change. Your dc could be good at arithmetic or learning to read. It doesn't necessarily mean they are good at writing stories/inference/comprehension/trig/algebra etc. If it is because they have good memories and pick things up quickly thats going to help.
The SB are just as bright but things like physical ability (writing), learning harder maths concepts a year younger, stamina, concentration, even earlier bedtimes and likely younger other siblings, will all have an effect. My SB lg wont read books without pictures. She can read HP but will not. She may do when she is 7 rather than 6. Their interests aren't necessarily as mature.
They do however have the opportunity to learn with the WB children so if they are unaffected by the obstacles they can be top.

Private schools have children moved up a year. Some do very well. (Some will be WB i guess though so in fact maybe not much younger and if you are exceptionally bright - enough to move up a year it probably puts you in a better position that an ordinary person unlucky enough to be SB. As some SB children are prem and i saw an eg of where one wasnt due till like the following Xmas. Whereas a sept born could have been 2w overdue.

Not being pushed enough isnt anazing but certainly preferable to the work going too fast or being youngest and tired before end of term and every pe lesson (because everyone else is taller/stronger etc).

YR is a lovely time, so much play based learning. It would be a shame to miss out on that

I think you are being very short sighted.

Do you want him to go to secondary school days after his 11th birthday when lots of others are nearly 12? Do you want him to take his GCSEs when he is 15 instead of 16? Will you wonder whether he could have done better in those exams with an extra year? Do you want him to take his A Levels when he is 17 instead of 18 and be one of the only kids who can't go for a legal pint afterwards to celebrate? Will you wonder if he could have got better grades then with an extra year? Do you think he will be rueful when all his friends start driving lessons in the U6th and he can't?

Do you want him to go to university by himself weeks after his 18th birthday, instead of at 19, and have a year less at home with you?

^ all excellent points

Exactly because he is mature has the opportunity to receive a response from kids of his own emotional, moral, social maturity.
He came all alone on learning all those things probably thanks to what he has seen and is learning that world can be unfair even from those that already should have learned good things for social life.
He has not preference, when he is with little ones he treats as so and plays in the way he thinks they need and help me them play and finds his joy too. with older kids he follows and is encouraged to do things as they do, he does not expect to be given allowances as he is the one that offers at times those allowances as per turns, just as a caring and kind person would do to others irrespective of their age. he is very inclusive, and identifies and get sad when something happens to someone or someone does something unfair and fights for it and because he is still child and sensitive he cries for the unfair or sad thing someone may have told him or done to him.
I observe him, with kids of his age while one child will tell him you are not my best friend anymore just because he is with another friend at that moment he tries to talk to say 'we can all play together' and when physically the other kid does not let him in to be together then he still insists and gets sad to tears and I have to be nearby to talk to him and do something with him. But if this would happen to the other kid, they would not mind or will just cry screaming and do other thing as one the boys does. by the way his friend of the same age than him has a bossy and stubborn attitude and does not take in consideration if the other kid is happy or having fun too. and he is thought to be mature because he is good in being in saying others what to do and make others to follow him, giving roles or so.
this same boy will get something from my boy and he will try to have it back and then because the other boy will cry for the toy my boy just give it to him and well i also ask him better to play with something else, and then my boy starts with something else this boy comes and gets that toy as well from his hands and my boy already fed up gets it back himself and then the other boy goes on crying loud to his mum and it may appear my son has made him to cry... well this was constant and many ways and now i am avoiding meeting my friend for this.

Op there is nothing in your post that will be solved by going up a year though - these things still happen in Year 2 and above.

You I think are escalating out from an issue he is having with one friend and extrapolating - there is nothing in there that unfortuntately is not a normal part of social learning at that age.

And I have realised instead of starting reception you want him to go straight to Year 1 in September - that is not the best for him at all - these children will have spent the year learning stuff. And no school is going to agree to that
You do however have an issue with meeting your friend and how the children are intereacting

As a year one teacher I'm not sure how I'd feel about having someone who missed reception fully. I've had new arrivals from other countries who are bright but missed reception due to other countries education systems and they are miles behind in terms of socialisation.

Reception is a fantastic year where they can explore their learning through play! Let him be 4! He will only be 4 once! I've got some children in my class who are September born and they are the lowest ability. It doesn't make a massive difference in my opinion. He could go into a reception cohort that is extremely bright and if the reception is more structured he will have endless opportunities to extend his learning ready for when he goes into year one. Have you applied for your reception place?

You are being silly.

My DS is late August born, so is the relative age in his cohort that your DS would be in the year above.

My DS is really tall, the tallest in his year group even though he is the youngest. He's the best in his year at a particular sport. He's mature and bright. He has great social relationships. He does completely fine in his year group.

Do I wish he was 14 days younger and in the year below? Yes. Because of the longer term picture.

I don't want him to go to university at just 18. I found it hard enough at nearly 20. I hope he will take one gap year before he goes, maybe even two. I don't really want him to take his A Levels at 17. Have you seen the statistics for the effect being summer born has on results and university entrance? Do I think it will cost him being able to go to Oxbridge like his dad and I did? Probably.

Honestly- do some research.

He sounds like a nice boy, but I can’t see why any of what you’ve mentioned above is reason to go up a year and miss out Reception.
My daughter was born on the same day as your son. She’s also very able (funny how we’re all saying that, eh?). I did feel a bit sad for her this time last year when her friends were getting school places because I knew that she would have coped fine in Reception too. However I’m also glad that she will be one of the oldest (not the Oldest as there are a few boys in her nursery who deferred a year). My (autumn born) brother was put up a year at school and had a miserable time because of it. Intellectually he was fine but emotionally he really struggled, especially in his teens.
As pp have said, a bright kid will be a bright kid regardless of if they’re the oldest or the youngest in their year. I’m fairly certain that my dd would meet the early learning goals in every area of learning if she was assessed against them tomorrow. That doesn’t mean she that she won’t get anything out of Reception though. Far from it! I’m sure she’ll leave incredibly secure and able. Who wouldn’t want that?

However, all this talk of what would be best is a bit of a moot point. In reality there’s virtually no flexibility and I’d be amazed if you got any LEA/ head teacher to even consider it. I do wish you and your son all the best with whatever happens though.

I think you are saying that he didn't get a reception place last year, so you think that when he starts school he will go into reception?

he won't.

Schools will accept him into the year group for his age.

There are great advantages to being the oldest in the class due to the sept birthday. as the oldest he will ofetn be seen as the most sensible, the most mature and get given little jobs and tasks. You may find other kids look to him as a leader etc.

I really like the pp who said teach him loads of stuff he will never do in school, like juggling or the speak French. That will satisfy his intellectual need

I sat A levels at 17, and turned 18 in the first term at university (having changed for the Scottish system to the English system). It was really tough being at least a year younger than everyone, two if they'd taken a gap year. My A level results were rubbish (even considering they were back in the dark ages before grade inflation ), and I wasn't mature enough to cope with uni.

I've also watched DD (late August birthday) and very bright struggle with social stuff due to being so young in the year. Now as an adult she's fine, but being the last to start driving lessons, last to be allowed to drink (legally), that's tough.

A good school will work with you OP to make sure your son is being stretched academically, but please remember that academic stuff is only a part of school and growing up. You need to learn how to get on with all sorts of other people, and recognise that everyone is different with different strengths. Who is mature at 4 isn't always the one who is mature at 10 or 16. Let your DS enjoy being little, climb trees and eat mud. School takes far too much time out of childhood as it is.

We had this option but decided against it. Absolutely the best decision. Get your dc to learn the violin or something as a challenge, find one of the many science clubs that run at the weekend and let him enjoy all that good reception classes offer. In my school reception we have children who are streets ahead the others with reading and maths but they are all challenged. Being tall won’t be a problem, one of our tallest pupils is still only 4.

I do find it vaguely amusing, I have to say:
When a parent of a summer born comes along and is worried about being youngest in year, the vast majority of replies is 'DC will be fine, schools know how to deal with this, I am a summer born myself and turned out fine'.
But when a parent of an early September born comes along and wishes her child to be in exact that situation - youngest in year - then everyone predicts doom and gloom!

What exactly makes it ok for a child born on 31st August, but not for the child born on 1st September?

(Nevertheless, it is unlikely to happen, and if I had the choice I would go for the year down rather than the year up, even with an able and mature child.)

I think she wanted him in reception last year a year early and him to go Year 1 now.

Whereas he should be in reception in September

Summer born children do find it harder in the first instance but it should level it out by juniors but undoubtedly the initial stage can be harder for yhem

but it should level it out by juniors

It doesn't. Statistically it affects which university they go to.

I do think that at least 1 or 2 weeks either side of the cut-off should always have leeway. I come from a family where most of us went through young-in-year and for us it was right - in fact it was recommended to my parents that I be advanced a year, skipping year 2, (this in a different country but similar mainly age-directed system) but they couldn't get agreement to do this and when my secondary school suggested the same in year 7 they felt it was too late to be a good idea.
My mother has honestly said she wishes she'd just told the school I changed to in year 2 that I was a year older than I actually was - I was more than tall enough to pass.

I've ended up with a summer born son - doing extremely well and having matured early it's just as well he wasn't a year lower. And an October-born daughter - who might have benefitted a lot - socially - from being young in year instead of old in year, but only had it happened from the start. If she'd been born 2 weeks early instead of 2 weeks late then I would probably have been negotiating with a private school to do exactly what the OP wants to do.

Good luck, it sounds like it is worth a try. Shame you couldn't get him started a year ago.

lowdooorinthewal1 Have any of the kids who would've gone to all annual entry (most kids starting in the school year they turn 5, rather than the term) actually gone to university yet? The statistics I suspect you're quoting were certainly from cohorts where large numbers of summer borns simply received less schooling because they started later.

Of course, no-one actually knows the causal relationship, we don't know if it's being the youngest in the year, or being young at point of entry that matters, or if it's something completely different (different environmental factors of the pregnant mother due to time of year, there's loads of possible causes.)

brillotic I don't think anyone has actually described those two extremes, the vast majority of kids do fine within their own age group, taking them outside their own age group - by advancing or delaying is not ideal. As you say there is no difference between the two dates, but that doesn't mean that people would encourage you to advance to just be fine, or that there are not disadvantages to it, just like there are also disadvantages to being the oldest in the year.

get sad when something happens to someone or someone does something unfair and fights for it and because he is still child and sensitive he cries for the unfair

This is what they learn as kids, putting him into a situation where the other kids have learnt it, and he hasn't doesn't solve things. As described he's not out of the norm socially mature, he's struggling with normal age appropriate things.