Starting Primary school one year earlier than normal age.

[bobthemoggie]

Hi Lovely Supportive fellow parents,

Any experience, in the UK Public school, of starting the Reception class one year earlier than normal schooling age?

As per Local Council's policies, It seems that it's possible to start school either one year earlier or one year later than normal schooling age.

But I would like to find out the admission procedure in this case.

Cheers

Pinkflipflop85: again, no he wouldn’t have as where we live he’d have gone into reception not straight into year 1, sorry to have to correct you again

Haha @MC68 my premature twins started 2 days after turning 4. (30 August babies) they could have been held back but would have started age 5 in year 1, missing reception, and with no sen needs it makes sense to start school as per English rules. My dc have thrived and met year 2 Sats expectations. Some dc may struggle but you'd never pick my dc out as youngest unless you'd been told.

Re the op; no state school would take dc early. In England they must be 4 before 1st September but you can delay if there's a genuine reason.

@MC68 whether they go into reception or year 1 depends on the individual school and that rule only changed in the last 3 years.

Hi OP - you’ve reminded me of a non British friend who wanted the same -so just in case you’re unclear on the system if both parents work the government will fund 30 free hours of pre school education in a pre school (nursery) setting. This is equal to the time your children will spend at school so you have no childcare advantage starting school early. Just enroll in nursery

Alternatively many prep (private) schools take children at 3

Meant to say there are many children born in the first 2 weeks of September whose parents would start them a year earlier if this was possible so I assume it’s not

Yes I know my friends son was 4( by about a month only!) but he could have had another year of childhood prior to starting the slog of school & being with other children who can be older by over a year & physically & mentally more developed.

They don't suddenly become adults because they start reception class. My DD started in September, around 6 weeks after turning 4. She's still very much enjoying a childhood and not lagging behind in development in any way.

m0thrrofdragons:
Interesting as my child started in reception when they were 4 & 3/4 in 2012.....more than 3 years ago....but perhaps I’ve misunderstood your post?

Your child started reception at 'reception age'. We are talking about deferred reception start which has only been allowed I'm recent years but is extremely hard to get approved.

Mc68, you do seem to be really confused. Children in this country start reception the following September after their 4th birthday. Obviously if you're 4 in August, you'll be barely 4, if you're 4 in September, then you're nearly 5 by the time you start school (and very occasionally 5 already, if your birthday is in the first few days of September and term hasn't started.)
Legally, you don't have to do reception year, so you can start the following September (the first one after you've turned 5) but you'll go into year 1. They don't have children of different age groups in the same year. Well, unless there are extreme circumstances.

Legally, you have to start school ( or other type of fulltime education) at the beginning of the term after which you turn five, regardless of what time of year that is.

But you might not be able to find a place at the school you want if you wait that long!

@Wellmet I have a friend with a summer born child. She was due to start this September (in my daughters class) but between her, the school and the LEA, they have allowed her to defer a year and she will be staying in reception in September 2020. She will be 5yrs 3 months. She is one of 2 children doing this from my DDs preschool. Same LEA, different (state) primaries. Don't assume they'll have to skip reception year.

I went to school at 3 years of age but I wasn’t ahead because all children went to school at this age. I was an 80s child so maybe this was the difference. It didn’t do any of us any harm but we were all on a level playing field age wise.

I went to school at 3 years of age but I wasn’t ahead because all children went to school at this age. I was an 80s child so maybe this was the difference. It didn’t do any of us any harm but we were all on a level playing field age wise.

Where did you live and when did you start school? I presume this wasn’t a state school in England?

Or it was, in fact, a Nursery school.

I know someone who has done this - her child was a younger child, a girl, born 1 September, and had been to Montessori preschool which was basically like reception. Her daughter went straight into year 1 and skipped reception. The school had the child in for a few days at the end of the summer term to assess, and were happy that she was ready for year 1. I don't know if they have discussed what will happen when she goes to secondary, but for now it seems like a good decision all round.

@annoyedbyalfiebear that is occasionally allowed now I believe, but there are usually extreme circumstances involved. I've taught for 20 years and never, ever heard of it happening.

There is no procedure or admissions process to start earlier. The law in England is that a child starts school during the academic year in which they turn 5 and becomes statutory school age the term after they are 5. The LA where I work wouldn't allow child to start a year earlier than they were meant to.

Just to add, I'm not saying that because I've never heard of it it doesn't happen, I'm just pointing out how rare it is. Not disbelieving anyone or anything.

I had a look at the schools admissions guide for my local council, and while they have a section about Admission out of the normal age group, this is aimed at parents who want to delay their child a year.

I think that it’d be harder for parents to demonstrate its in the child’s best interests to start a year early than to start a year later.

Did OP say why she wants her DC to start school early?

There was a famous case about twins born over midnight. So one was born 31 aug and one 1 Sep. And they had to be in different school years.

This was under the old rules but gives you a flavour of how seriously the rules are taken.

I also know adopted ‘twins’ who are actually 2 weeks apart in age and again they’re in diff school years not by choice.

My parents were told to start me early (not in the UK), and then I skipped a year. I would NEVER recommend it. I was 15 in my last year of high school, and when everyone else was getting drivers licences and going out drinking, I was the odd one out. I've never really fit in with many groups of people, and think that I didn't have the usual social experiences that others get. My own son is gifted, and I sent him in the correct year, and just supported his curiosity with experiences and real life learning at home.

Please do not do this to your child.

I was a year ahead at school but did not skip a year until I was 7. at age 3 and 4 a year is a massive chunk of your life so I would do it later in but not age 3 or 4. For admissions info just contact your LEA?

MC68 my DD started school at the end of August after turning 4 in July. There are 12 other children in her class who turned 4 in July or August. That is completely normal.
2 children started at 3 as their birthdays were at the very end of august and term statues in our area on the 27th.
I wouldn’t have deferred entry anyway as mine was ready for school (and is absolutely loving it), but even if I wanted to our LEA only allow it in very exceptional circumstances.

MC68 my best friends daughter is a late august birthday, she asked about deferring her place and waiting a year but the LEA advised that if she did this her daughter would go into year 1 and not reception because they must be in the right year groups for the transition to high school and would end up having to repeat a year anyway. Only in exceptional circumstances (significant SEN) would a child who had deferred a place go into reception she was told.

@Wellmet

In my school we have several children who are not in their chronological year group. A few came through our Nursery and are summer born, who really struggled for many reasons, so did an extra year in nursery then went into reception when they were already 5, i.e. a school year behind their peers. A coup,e of others started late into reception after their parents requested it.
The biggest hurdle may well be when they are 11 and could legally start secondary school even though they may still be in Year 5, and then again at the end of Year 10, when they have reached school leaving age but are a year off completing GCSEs.

No LA school will enrol a child a year early. A headteacher can't override admissions arrangements unless it's a private school.