When does your child legally have to start full time at school

[jules12]

Hi all

Just wondered if anyone could give me some advice. My daughter started school in September of this year. Her birthday is February. Her classroom teacher has said that all the class should be full time by January. However, I rang my education authority and they said that she does not legally have to be full time until after Easter. Where do I stand? Can the school say that is our rules and you have to accept them.

Any advice would be very much appreciated. Please note there are very valid reasons why I do not think she should go full time yet and it is not because I am just trying to be unreasonable.

Your LEA is correct that your child should be in FT education (not necessarily school) by the term after they turn 5.

Your school however will have its own procedure for each intake. You are perfectly entitled not to have your dd at school until after Easter. However that particular school is not obliged to hold a place for you.

Your options are to work with the school for a special arrnagement for your child (perfectly possible, but the school may be reluctant to set a precendent) or withdraw your dd until Easter, running the risk of losing the place at that school (though the LEA must find you a place at another suitable school). In practice if a school tends to be oversubscribed most parents compromise on the early start to school as the price to pay for getting their choice of school.

Depends on where you live I think, where I am and dependent on their birthday you can defer entry by one year and still get a funded pre-school place.