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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Starting school in Scotland

15 replies

Glolly · 11/10/2007 23:00

Hi, Im new to this but would be really greatful for any advice. My son has just started school nursery in August and I have been told he can either go to school next year or the following as he is 4 in January. Does anyone have any advice on the best age to start. My gut instict is for him to start at 5 and a half so he has 2 years at nursery and does not struggle at school but then i dont want him getting bored and disruptive at nursery. If anyone else has faced the same dilema I would love to hear from you.

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saltire · 11/10/2007 23:07

I had this, DS2 is a January birthday. I talked at length to the nursery staff - who wanted him to stay on a year with them, to the primary one teacher and head, and to teh health visitor. We took the decisio to let him start school, and the understanding was that he would go and see how he coped. If by the October holidays he was really struggling, then with the support of teh school he could back to nursery. It never came to that, he setteld ok.
Sorry, can't be more specific, off to bed, will check back in morning.

Original poster

Glolly · 11/10/2007 23:56

Thank you so much for your reply. Do you know when you have to decide by as it seems so far off just now but im already worrying about it!!

OP posts:

Linnet · 12/10/2007 01:02

If they are due to start school in the August enrolment is usually in the January, so that would be next January 2008 for starting school next August.

harrisey · 12/10/2007 02:33

I have 2 kids with Feb birthdays. Though both are smart kids well ahead of themselves academically they both started school at 5.5 I have NO regrets. I spent all of school as the youngest in the class expected to keep up. I'm delighted my kids dont have this.

School is a big deal, and I woudl heartily recopmmend 2 years in nursery for your kid.

saltire · 12/10/2007 07:58

I didn't ahve time to post the rest of this last night. My friend has a child, 2 years old than DS2, he is a 27th february birthdya and she kept him in nursery for another year, and she found it helped him. I think a lot of it depends on the individual child. You should chat with the staff and get their advice, Is the nursery one that is attached to teh school?

Original poster

Glolly · 12/10/2007 09:37

Yes i will have a word with the teachers but as you dont have to decide till Jan that gives me a bit of time to see how he gets on at nursery. DD born in March so at least I dont have to make the decision!

OP posts:

erniesmama · 12/10/2007 11:41

Glolly: My DS1 is a Feb birthday and I didn't 'hold him back' and really regretted it; he just wasn't as mature as the other kids, was very tired, etc. I'd only just moved to Scotland at time so didn't understand system; it's very difficult to do this in England. I would say that the majority of Jan / Feb birthdays make the most of the extra year and wait, and friends who did it this year didn't have to decide till May (after open days etc.). Hope that's some help.

trockodile · 12/10/2007 15:03

My niece was 5 in March and is doing really well as one of the oldest. Much the best imo. I would have thought he is unlikely to be the only one so nursery should be set up to challenge the older ones.

VoluptuaGoodshag · 12/10/2007 15:08

My DS is a January birthday and I'll be deferring him. He doesn't start nursery until January 2008 when he's 3 but I just feel in myself that he is not mature enough to be starting proper school at 4.5. He's bright enough but just wouldn't have the social development side sorted out to make him sit on his butt for 5 mins. I never hear of anyone who regrets deferring entry but I do hear of people who regret sending them early.

Of course it all depends on the child.

Pruners · 12/10/2007 15:16

Message withdrawn

hotcrossbunny · 12/10/2007 15:18

I am so that you can do this. Scotland has such a sensible system! My dd (4) has just started in England and I would have kept her back if it was possible. Beinmg one of the oldest is MUCH easier than one of the youngest...

oggsfrog · 12/10/2007 15:25

Dd now 7 (birthday in Feb) started at 4.5 as she was ready and we have had no regrets at all.
My friend's ds also 7 (birthday in Jan) was most definately not ready so she deferred for a year.
The nursery teacher agreed with our decisions.
Both decisions were right - it just depends on the child.
What does the nursery teacher think?

Original poster

Glolly · 12/10/2007 15:54

We are in Fife. Checked enrolement today and it takes place w/c 14/01.

I read a discussion about this today from way back in 2004 on MN and the impression I got was that DDs are better prepared for going to school early than DSs. Would anyone agree with this.

By the way thanks for all the replies, as i said earlier this the first time on MN.

OP posts:

erniesmama · 12/10/2007 16:05

Glolly, I think DDs cope much better than DS, though that is a sweeping statement!! My Ds1 was (is!) very immature and certainly the girls in his class seemed very together, probably like Oggsfrog's DD!

I think you have to trust your instincts. Nurseries will often say kids are ready, because it means they've done their job properly. Didn't realise they had to decide so early in Edinburgh -- much slacker in Glasgow!

haggisaggis · 12/10/2007 16:14

You can also decide to enrol them anyway - but not send them when the time comes. You just need to let the Education department of your council (and the school!) know.
We were going to defer, but decided in May of teh year he started P1 that he was actually ready.

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