Consider deferring late-Aug born DD primary place

[OneOfManyDays]

After a bit of advice here...

My DD was born v late August, so we've always been a bit concerned that she will be the youngest in the year. If she was born 4 days later she would not have been in the Sept 2020 primary intake at all!

DD has been at nursery since 12 months, 3 days a week. And pre-school since she turned 3 for 4 days a week. Educationally is doing well - very good with numbers and letter recognition. But has no ability to sit still, doesn't care for writing or colouring or anything involving sitting down and holding a pencil and is also still rather immature emotionally (tantrums still). I know all this is completely and utterly normal for a 3yr old so not worried about this in general at all BUT I do worry for when she starts school in September. There is just such a big emotional difference between a nearly-5 year old and a brand newly turned 4 year old! DM is a primary teacher and admits that this is true but says they all even out eventually by school Year 3 so we'd just assumed she would start this September 2020.

However, coronavirus means DD is likely missing out on the next 6 months of pre-school (private pre-school so would have still attended during summer hols too). Preschool were doing so much to help her along in her emotional maturity and I'm concerned about her being properly ready to start school in Sept now. whilst we're trying to do educational/focused tasks at home with her during this lockdown to keep her on track, with the best will in the world, I can't recreate the full schedule, routine and relationship building opportunities (with peers) of her preschool. I'd also prefer her not to join school this Sept when it will be a very 'chaotic' school year (this is according to DM and DSIL who is also an early years teacher!) due to children having been out of school/preschool for a while and the behavioural impacts that might have.

Would you consider deferring placement in these circumstances or do you think its OTT?

Our LA website states a presumption of agreement of summer born applicants to defer for late start to reception (I.e they'd start in reception the following sept). I wouldn't consider it if it was straight to year 1 as that's not fair on my DD and expects too much.

The thing if though, these aren’t normal times and I don’t think we can predict anything. If a large number of families, who hadn’t already requested to defer suddenly does so, it will completely alter the numbers in the year groups and be really unfair on children in the 2021 cohort.

I know you are confident your child will get a place due to the sibling priority (we don’t have that here) but say there are 10 extra siblings next year, that’s 10 children who won’t get a place who would’ve otherwise done had other families not deferred. I know your little one is august born, so will only be just over a year older than the youngest children in the year, but what about the April born summer borns, they’ll have missed a lot of nursery too, and they could be 17 months older than they youngest, and might also miss nursery because there won’t be space for them as all the children who should’ve gone to school will be taking up the nursery places.

It’s so difficult for everyone at the moment and I don’t blame people for trying to do the best by their own little ones, whether that’s the families saying their reception aged child should repeat a year or summer born families requesting to defer. I think there needs to be a clear decision on this that applies to everyone either they all start late or no deferring apart from specific reasons such as SEN.

My fear would be that in these chaotic times, parents will defer and LA’s will agree only for the rules to change due to the circumstances and these children will be put straight into year one anyway with their correct year group because the next year just couldn’t cope with the numbers. That would be completely unfair.

You should definitely check how it works, where I am if you defer then you go straight into year one so a whole school year missed

An LA cannot operate a blanket policy like this. That has been ruled illegal. If they are not going to comply with parental preference on this, they must consider each case individually and make a decision which is in the best interests of the child.

Well the summer born DC cannot flood out YR in 2021 can they? Or where will that normal cohort go? There has to be balance. A case by case review would seem sensible. Prepare for many arguments!

My word, I hadn't thought of the implications of corona on this!! My dc turns 4 in Aug 2021, when do applications need to be submitted?
Thanks for this discussion, it has really opened my eyes to the issues!!!

I would defer.

My mum has been saying for 40 years that my oldest brother's whole life would have been more positive and successful if he hadn't had to start school too soon (birthday is 30th August).

My dc turns 4 in Aug 2021, when do applications need to be submitted?
By 15 January 2021. Applications will open in the autumn of this year.

*Prh47bridge
Thanks. It has come around so quick!

Sounds very similar to DD - and we've already deferred from last year, so she's due to start this Sept at 5. Corona's dealt a blow to continued nursery, so definitely can't imagine having done it this time last year.

If you've applied for a place you can still refuse it and reapply next year - but I would absolutely try (!) and speak to relevant schools now (which may almost be easier as many will be staffed over Easter hols for once). It depends very much on location as to how easy/acceptable the process is, and it would be fairer to refuse Sept place sooner rather than later.

The FB group mentioned below is VERY helpful.