Reception part time until compulsory school age?

[User24689]

Hi, we have recently moved to the UK with DD who was 3 end of August so will be starting reception next year. We are considering deferring her reception place based upon how young she is for the year, but have just started her in preschool so are going to see how she is getting on with that by the end of this term.

I was chatting to a preschool mum the other day who said that when you start them in reception, you can effectively have as many days off as you like before they turn 5 and that some people she knows have taken every Friday off. Is this really accepted, or is it one of those things that you can get away with in theory but in actual fact just really pisses off the school? Thanks!

Yes, it's fine. Chat to the school to see what fits best in terms of days or sessions. My child turned 4in August and is doing just 2.5 hours a day.

I kept DC1 at home until the final term of Reception (June baby). He started full time after Easter, so he was very nearly five. Then sent DC2 (another summer baby) for half days when she started Reception, until she declared that she wanted to go to school all day, and that was that. She was about 4.5 at the time. School is not compulsory until children are five. However, I think we were fortunate in that ours have always been in the independent sector, where there may be more flexibility (I think 'outstanding' state primaries may be oversubscribed, so may not offer this kind of flexibility, but am happy to be corrected).

"you can effectively have as many days off as you like before they turn 5 "

Although you can't be prosecuted for school absence before a child is of statutory school age, simply taking days off whenever you feel like it really isn't appropriate.

By all means, have a conversation with the school and agree a pattern of regular attendance which means that your child will not be disadvantaged educationally or socially by attending part time.

Some schools like children to attend school every day for a shorter period of time so that they are in school for short phonics/maths sessions. Other schools suggest a fewer number of full days.

Some schools don't like it but the rules are clear. Up until the start of term following your child's fifth birthday they can attend part time if you want. It is your choice, not the school's. However, I agree with Littlefish that you should establish a regular pattern rather than taking random days off.

You can, but think about whether it is making things harder for your child.

They will already need to cope with being younger than other children, do you want them to also be trying to catch up on the teaching they miss, catch up with friendships etc?

Legally they can't stop you. My kid only gos 2 days a week because I believe it's the best thing right now

Thanks very much for these useful replies! This is an alternative to deferring that I hadn't considered.

My friend did this with her little boy, but agreed with the school. He did half days initially, and then they built it up slowly adding an afternoon at a time until January when he went full time. Seemed to work ok and as they did all the phonics stuff in the morning he just missed out on more play.

He did question her a lot about it though because he could see his friends were staying behind and it sort of marked him as a bit different to begin with.

Honestly I think this would be more difficult for your child than just sending them full time. They do projects that span multiple days, missing days during the week will mean they never keep up with their classmates. The plan for the class isn’t set on a day by day basis, it’s half term or termly.

Consider the art project where they make something with clay on a Wednesday and paint it on the Friday? Or start the Christmas cards own day and finish them the next? The assembly or play they won’t get a proper part in because they’d miss half the rehearsals? Practice days for sports day? Let alone the projects based on a book they’ve been read in class that they haven’t heard because they’re off that day, the reading and writing practice they won’t have properly because they miss half the lessons on it. I don’t know why you’d even consider doing this to your child?

If you must defer them a year - though make sure they'd then be joining in reception rather than going straight into year one - but please don’t confuse them with sending them half the time unless genuinely needed for medical/educational reasons (like if they have additional needs)

I would aim to do every morning, and take afternoons off if needed.
The core learning of maths and phonics happens in the mornings.

Also agree that afternoons off should be regular not random as then everyone knows where they are.

The core learning of maths and phonics happens in the mornings
Sometimes, in some schools.

Yes, I agree, not all schools.
So check with the school when the core learning is, and be there then.

I would also consider you motivation for deferring. There are many good reasons for deferring and I think it’s totally right that parents are given this option.

However, my youngest daughter has struggled far more being the oldest in the year (very start of September) than by elder daughter whose birthday is the very end of August. She was bored in reception.

The August DD has, at times, played catch up on more physical things (pencil grip, hopping, skipping, getting tired) but has never struggled academically. In fact, as we come to the end of primary years she is top of the class in many subjects and you wouldn’t be able to tell she’s the youngest.

Base your decision on your daughter at the time, don’t just defer because you can.

TeenTimesTwo the ‘core learning of English and maths’ isn’t the only thing schools teach, and aren’t the only things worth being in school for.

Buffalo I agree that schools teach loads of stuff, but if I were doing reception part time, those are the bits I'd not want to miss.

I can't see why you would want to, my son developed so much, as well as learning so much in his reception year. It would surely make the gap even larger by the time year 1 comes along? Unless I'm reading this wrong and they'd be starting in reception at age 5?

I'd wait to see how she's getting on. My daughter just turned 4 at the end of August and she has settled into reception fine and she'd be gutted if she had to leave at lunch and miss out. She's also aware she's younger than many of her friends and wouldn't like to be singled out because of it.

There are good reasons to defer or go part time but I wouldn't do it purely on age.

Unless you anticipate her struggling with the transition, I wouldn't assume half days or part time would be better. Mine absolutely loved Reception and only being there part-time would have meant missing out on so much, including building new friendships. She's in Year 1 now and loves school and counts down the days til she goes back during the school holidays. There are no children in her school who deferred or went part time and she definitely would have been the odd one out and I think her social development would have really suffered.