Repeating Reception - Rules

[Rah86]

Hi,

I wondered if anyone can help as can't seem to find anything online.

My daughter will be 5 in July and is coming to the end of Reception.

I know I had the option to delay her start to Reception but I didn't.
Now I feel she really could have done with delaying.
Does anyone know the rules with Summer babies repeating Reception? Is there a rule on this or is it down to Schools individually?

Many thanks

[NotAnotherJaffaCake]

You need to understand whether she is actually “behind” or whether she is within the normal spread of abilities for a reception cohort. Comparing her with her September born sibling is not helpful; being young for the year may be an excuse (for want of a better word) as to why you feel she’s not the equal of her older sibling at the end of reception, when it could just be that she’s not at the moment as academically inclined as her peers or sibling. Reading/phonics/writing is only a small part of the Early Learning Goals; how is she doing against the rest of them?

As others have said, the spread of reading ability at the end of reception is huge (and even at the end of Y1 to some extent). By the end of Y2 it’s all come out in the wash.

In our LA a deferred start is not a straightforward process and needs signing off by the County educational psychologist. I feel that in many cases it’s absolutely a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

[Gunpowder]

One of the boys in DD1’s inner city state school repeated reception (pushed for by teachers). No additional needs, just young for the year and was finding it hard to keep up. He has thrived doing reception a second time.

[Helix1244]

If it is reading you have about 12w to catch up before Sept. So plenty of time. You could ask for more school books or them to be changed more often. You could order/reserve books to your library.
Join reading chest and get ones at the correct or above band.
I did all this from mid yr r and dc could read very well by july (despite birthdate).
Writing is harder but might pick up with more school practice.

[Attache]

Back in the days of formal setting (long abandoned in our school), the lower sets were always largely populated with the younger children but it didn't stay like that through the school. Is she actually noticeably behind the bulk of summer borns? If it all comes back to her being on a low reading level, repeating YR would be OTT I think - she is still very little and plenty of children don't click with reading until a bit later. Y1 teachers deal with that all the time.

If you have concerns about SEN then I would suggest you pursue those yourself, don't wait for teachers to tell you. Also get her a proper eye test at the optician's, if you haven't already. The screening at school is a fairly blunt instrument. Maybe Google signs of hearing loss in children and get her hearing tested if that list chimes at all. These are just easy things to check and correct.

[Hollowvictory]

Helix that info you posted is about children being educated out of their year group not repeating a year I. E they've joined school later than usual. The issue with repeating a year is the lea being expected to fund an additional year's education so instead of 3 years infants they're expected to fund 4 years infants bec a child is repeating a year. Many dont want to do that for funding reasons

[stucknoue]

I doubt they even will have space for her as they have already sent out offer letters. It does occasionally happen but usually for SEN or illness reasons

[TheBrockmans]

If it is mainly reading they often don't test for dyslexia until they are 7 because there is a wide spectrum of 'normal' age to read at. Encourage a love of listening to stories as well as reading. Discuss the meaning of stories and encourage comprehension. My dd turned out to have Irlens/ visual stress and tinted glasses have helped her. Do also go to opticians and check if her eyesight is ok, some will also do a hearing test too. I imagine that compared to a September born she might seem further behind but that is a huge comparison to make at her age a year is a big difference, it will seem less of a difference when she is 8/9. Being a younger sibling though probably means that the school routines were less of a shock and expectations at school are easier to establish so it is swings and roundabouts!

[PeachScone]

I teach Reception and can tell you there is a huge spectrum of abilities by the end of the year. These balance out over Y1-2. The summer babies do tend to be ‘behind’ the others, but are generally still meeting early learning goals. Have you seen her profile? Is she meeting ELGs or is she working at 40-60? You may feel that she’s working at a lower level than she actually is

[Hmmmm2018]

I guess what I was trying to say was the importance of staying together with their own year so they stay with friends but get any support they need to thrive.

[Hmmmm2018]

We were discussing this the other day as my child was telling me how some people in her class do the end of year tests from the year below and have done for a couple of years. I think the school like to keep the children together so that they stay with people they know but target their learning appropriately. I am in awe of how the teachers in my daughters school manage to teach so well to keep all 30 kids engaged and progressing, has been a real education for me in inclusive education. In year 1, it should still be less formal than year 2, and the teachers should be aware if your child needs more time and a different approach.

[Littlefish]

Rah86 - you need to speak to your child's school and the local authority.

The school where I work has just moved a child back to Nursery.I from Reception. She will start the Reception year again, this September.

It was very easy to do and is for the "life of education" which means that she won't have to skip a year later on as long as she stays in the same local authority.

Feel free to send me a private message.

[MyDcAreMarvel]

As the child will be 17 taking GCSEs they can legally leave school at 16 and not sit their final year exams and there is nothing parents can do.
Most summer borns will be 16 not 17.
Also you have to be in education until 18 at least in England.

[Charmatt]

The school need to agree and have evidence of her need to be educated out of year group. Standard practice is to obtain the written agreement of an Ed Psych, preferably an LA Ed Psych, but a private referral's report may be acceptable to the LA.

In year 5, the parents will be reminded by the LA and will have to apply to ask to continue to have their child educated out of year group.

[SadOtter]

She hasn't been formally diagnosed with any SEN, when (if) would this likely happen if there was any concern, Year 1? Or would they already have expressed concern?

Some children are diagnosed before they start school, others much later, possibly not even til secondary. If the school were concerned they would mention it as soon as they became concerned but that could be at any age and school being concerned and a formal diagnosis are very different things.

Why do you think she would benefit from staying down a year? If it is just reading I genuinely wouldn't worry, reading is hard and lots of children don't really click with it until year 1, sometimes year 2.

[Zoflorabore]

Hi op, apart from her age and reluctant reading, are there any other concerns you have?

The brightest boy in dd's class (year 3) is an August Born and the brightest girl is May born.
Dd started reception aged 4 and very bright and assured. She was on the "top table" which was effectively a colour but we wee told that.

I am and always have been a huge reader and has exposed dd to books from a tiny baby, expecting her to follow in my footsteps.

She absolutely hated reading and finished reception on the red level ORT books which was the only area where she was not exceeding.
She was still on the red books in the November of year one and then all of a sudden she began to show an interest. I beleive this was due to several factors but the main one was letting her choose a new book every Friday after school. Dd got free reign to choose within her age range and this began her love of reading. She had the choice of what to read rather than being given a Biff, Chip and Kipper book.

She ended year one way above her expected levels and has continued to thrive.
She is a February baby so admittedly younger in the year than your dd but I had almost given up and once it all clicked she never looked back.
Her confidence also increased as a result.

Please think carefully about the actual reasons for your concern. Is it something you can help with over the summer?

I know in dd's class ( i help with reading ) that there is a huge spectrum of reading ability from children like dd who are now free readers to children who are on stage 2 ORT.

A good teacher can and will be able to support all abilities. Try not to worry.

Dd is my second child and I've said with both of them that year one was the year that they made huge progress academically and matured a lot emotionally.

[AuditAngel]

DS is an August baby. When he was starting school, deferring entry did meaning jumping straight into year 1 with their peers, although I know that is no longer the case.

In year 1 and 2 DS was happy to get involved 8n class discussions but a very reluctant writer. His teachers said it would come. He was determined to be dyslexic in year 4 which explained that.

They manage, and actually, despite dyslexia, DS excelled in SATS in year 6

[SleepingStandingUp]

Op what have scho said about how behind she is? Do you know what age she's working at?

[Rah86]

No, I didn't apply for that but I knew it was an option.

The thing is, there wasn't and still isn't any guarantee that holding her back will improve her education massively.

At this stage I am now thinking about the effect on her emotional well-being and if holding her back will affect this, and if it will, I probably would say it's in her best interest not to.

She hasn't been formally diagnosed with any SEN, when (if) would this likely happen if there was any concern, Year 1? Or would they already have expressed concern?

She's my middle of 3 children and my first is a September baby so completely different end of the spectrums.

It's hard because all you really want to see is your children being happy but I get a sense that there is so much pressure for them to perform well at school too.

What she lacks in reading at the moment she makes up for in creativity and I suppose that's what makes us all unique!

I just hope there are resources available to help her if she does need some extra help.

Thanks for all your replies!

[theorchidwhisperer]

My daughter was back yeared and repeated reception.
She had to have the agreement of her teacher and the headteacher, who commissioned an Educational Psychologist to assess and report her findings.

I had to sign a lot of paperwork to agree as it can cause problems later. As the child will be 17 taking GCSEs they can legally leave school at 16 and not sit their final year exams and there is nothing parents can do.

[Oneminuteandthenallgone]

I know I had the option to delay her start to Reception but I didn't.

Did you apply to the LA and get approval but then decide not to?

[Helix1244]

The advice certainly does not say they WILL miss a year!
It would not be in the children's best interests and woukd make the whole being able to start at CSA worse than pointless as it wouldnt be helping summer borns.

[Helix1244]

Depends on the area, some areas a couple per 30 are delaying so going at csa.
However i doubt that many schools will allow repeating because it is am extra year but also there needs be a space in the 2019 reception class.

[VashtaNerada]

Teacher here and I know of a situation where a child was placed in the ‘wrong’ year group for various reasons (ie in Reception aged 5/6 rather than 4/5). The consensus from other teachers was that it would need to be corrected sooner rather than later. They went from Reception to Year One, but then jumped up to Year Two fairly quickly. Very unsettling for the child and would have made more sense just to stick to their year group in the first place. FWIW I’ve taught some very young Y1s and they do cope!

[SadOtter]

It can be done but its complicated, secondary schools do not have to take them out of age group so it could end up in her skipping a year later on, either in primary so she leaves at the same time as her original class or by secondary putting her straight into year 8. Other schools wouldn't have to do it either so if you move before she leaves school that could also mean her skipping a year (its down to headteachers decision)

You would have to convince the headteacher but they are incredibly unlikely to agree to it unless your child has SEN and really needs to stay down a year. I work with SEN children in mainstream, I have only known it happen once and that was a child with very, very complex needs. It was quite awkward for the child as well, children are not tactful and obviously noticed the child was still in reception while they were year 1, they weren't nasty about it but they did ask why and the child was upset.

[GreenTulips]

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/389448/Summer_born_admissions_advice_Dec_2014.pdf