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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

Applications! For reception or year 1?

34 replies

Simskdd · 25/03/2022 20:14

Hi so I have a little question. I'm going to apply for a reception place when applications open in January.

My son was born on 7.8.19 if we don't get the places we want and we don't want to send him. I've heard we can do this as he legally doesn't have to attend until he is 5. So my question is... If we do this then how does it work with him starting in year one and applications.

The reason I'm worried.... My son is really intelligent (not my opinion... His childminder who has 30yrs experience, she actually said he would fall through the cracks and not be a priority in those schools). He often acts up when he's not stimulated enough. The schools that I don't want him to go to have a high staff turnover. Antisocial behavior etc. I can see him falling into this trap at that school. There are exclusions regularly in year one at said schools!

Anyhow... We have one school which is really good within a mile of us... But it's extremely oversubscribed.

This may mean that although were within a mile away we don't get in. So where do we stand if we don't accept a place at the antisocial school? Can we wait and apply the next year for him to go in year 1?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Daqqe · 25/03/2022 21:57

Where are you? I’m assuming maybe not England?

BendingSpoons · 26/03/2022 07:42

Firstly applications CLOSE in January. They will open between Sept and Nov. You probably know this but just to be sure.

Your choices are:

Apply for Reception in Sept 2023
Apply for a deferred Reception in Sept 2024
Apply for year 1 in Sept 2024

I would do option 1 in your case. Option 3 is pointless, as they won't have any more spaces, so you would be relying on someone leaving. You will only get a year 1 space if someone has left AND you are top of the list (I.e. Best meet the admissions criteria). It sounds like you don't want Option 2, as if he is top of the class, then deferring him a year will widen the gap and make him more bored.

So I would apply to start in Sept 2023 and take what you get offered. If you really hate the allocated school you could consider delaying him to start after Christmas or after Easter and hope you get a place on a waiting list, but I wouldn't recommend this because he will miss out on lots of teaching and settling. Plus a place may not come up. I would apply normally and hope for the best. If you aren't happy, start him in Sept 2023, but remain on waiting lists for the schools you like.

Horcruxe · 26/03/2022 07:44

Tup

Apply in Sept to Dec.
Jan may be too late

DearMallorie · 26/03/2022 08:12

Your childminder sounds quite negative about school. There are many fantastic EYFS classes and you can be the best childminder or parent in the world and still not be able to replicate the experience of a reception class.

Your chances of getting a place in the school you want will actually decrease if you don't apply until year one. If the school is full you will have to wait for a child to leave. And your child will have missed out on an exciting year.

I understand that your childminder is experienced and she knows your child and the schools in your area but personally I think she's talking a lot of rubbish.

If you are genuinely in a situation where you are not willing to send your child to the schools you realistically stand a chance of getting in to, you need to move house as a matter or priority.

Sitting on your hands and not sending him for a year, especially if he's a capable child, is not going to help the situation at all.

Footballsundays6777 · 26/03/2022 08:15

Which schools are you in the catchment area for Op?
What happens if he doesn’t get in the 2nd time around what will you do? My DD is a few weeks later than your DC, and I will apply for her to go to school so she starts Sept 23. She will be the youngest by far as her birthday is a few days before Sept. But her speech is amazing and she is emotionally on par with her peers.
If he acts up when not stimulated enough he might not emotionally be ready for school.

DearMallorie · 26/03/2022 08:17

Also, I think applying for a deferred reception place for a capable child is a terrible idea. He will be frustrated when he's in a class of much younger children, some of whom barely know their own names when they start school.

I've lived in a country where it was up to the parents if they sent them at five or waited a year until they were six. At first I thought it was wonderful and very progressive but by year three I had very definitely changed my mind.

YellowDots · 26/03/2022 08:19

If he acts up when not stimulated enough he might not emotionally be ready for school.
Well no but he's not going until September 2023 at the earliest.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 26/03/2022 08:20

she actually said he would fall through the cracks and not be a priority in those schools

Does your childminder have teaching experience?

RachelSq · 26/03/2022 09:14

If your child is “bright” there’s not really an option but starting him in reception this year.

Starting in year 1 means he’ll miss so much opportunity to learn (reading!) and grow friendships etc, as well as reception being so fun for them. Also, what’s actually the chance of getting a year 1 space, as others said!

If you defer and he is actually bright, he’ll be with younger children and more likely to be unchallenged, as you put it. If you don’t get a space in the preferred school this year, short of moving there’s a fair chance that you wouldn’t next year either.

I would not at all worry about a bright kid being bored in reception. So much is child led they can do what they want to entertain themselves. My son (who can read) adores the reception phonics sessions, he says they’re his favourite bit of the day!

MigAndMog · 26/03/2022 11:09

He may be very bright but he's also going to be very young for his year assuming you are in England. I would expect some Autumn born children to be at least as advanced as he is. Also bright children often need to learn social skills and reception focusses on that. If you are in England, applications open in October I think and close around 15 January. Getting a place directly into Year 1 would rely on the Year R class having space when they move up. That might happen as birth rates are fairly low so they might not be 30 in year R and someone might move away before year 1, but I wouldn't rely on it, especially for a popular school.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 26/03/2022 11:50

Does the school you want have a Preschool attached? If so it's worth looking to get him in there this September after he turns 3.

Its not a guarantee to then get the Reception place, but it will expand his learning being in a more school environment.

Original poster

Simskdd · 26/03/2022 18:18

Hello, thanks everyone for the advice. We live in England and yes... I will apply earlier but was advised the applications deadline is January. I've looked at the school we really want for him and last year they had 57 children start with them instead of this capacity of 60. I can only assume this was because the parents accepted other schools. Therefore even though the school although oversubscribed and had 200 applications didn't fill all their spaces.

I know it may sound a bit out of place for the childminder to say this. But she's just being honest. My hubby is a teacher and he has the same opinion. I as a child fell into this trap. I was held back constantly by class disruptions... Inconsistent teachers etc. Hence ... Why I really don't want this for him. To put it into perspective I got a 1st at uni but scrapped through gcses!

It obviously is a big unknown. The school that we should get into that is actually the nearest is a great one. But the second closest is poor.... The third one is ok. So lots of unkowns!

OP posts:

YerAWizardHarry · 26/03/2022 18:22

Honestly there will be disruption in early years at ANY school especially with children who have lived through covid and lockdowns. My Primary 3s and more like Primary 1s and their attention span is approximately 7 seconds

raspberryjamchicken · 26/03/2022 18:26

If you wouldn't get a place in Reception I don't understand why you think you would get one in Year 1? I would just apply for him in Reception 2023 and accept whichever school he is given. You can always join the waiting list of other schools.

LIZS · 26/03/2022 18:32

Is the usual intake number actually 60 or could the 57 be capacity if they operate mixed age classes? You can accept whatever is offered, go on waiting lists but decide to send him later in the year. Thus meaning he has a definite place before year 1 and a preferred place may come up. However a bright child is likely to be frustrated staying with younger children. Reception learning is a softer introduction than straight into year 1 and he may benefit from that time to develop other skills without serious academic demands.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 26/03/2022 18:38

How many options do you get in your area? Its between 3 and 5. So not all those applications are first choice applications if that makes sense.

You need to look at the admissions criteria and what category you are in, and the distance offered in this category, to see your chances of getting in. It will be similar most years, depending on local birth rates and sibling numbers usually.

BendingSpoons · 26/03/2022 18:38

Your update suggests you have a reasonable chance at a space - spare spaces this year and quite near. I don't think you need to panic!

That's not a 'really oversubscribed' school if they didn't fill their places. Yes 200 families listed the school for their child, but 143 listed at least one school higher and got it. (Some of the 57 may have also listed another school higher and not got it of course). Everyone is encouraged to apply to at least 3 schools, more in some areas. So 200 applicants is not necessarily that high if they aren't all putting it first.

RachelSq · 26/03/2022 18:43

@Simskdd

It obviously is a big unknown. The school that we should get into that is actually the nearest is a great one. But the second closest is poor.... The third one is ok. So lots of unkowns!

If you’re worried about disruption in the class you’d want him to be one of the younger ones (who would typically be more “disruptive” in the early years just because they’re younger).

I don’t get what any of the rest of your post is really getting at, unless you move you’re going to have to play the chance game like anyone else and hope you get a space.

It also sounds as if your expectations are a bit high really, all classes have some disruption. Maybe private school would be worth looking at if you’re set on a less disruptive setting?

SunshineCake1 · 26/03/2022 18:47

Reception is not just about academic stuff. It is about social and emotional learning too. My dd has an August birthday so was barely four when she started. Also very bright, reading at two, an actual certified genius but she still had to learn how to share, make friends, line up, listen to the teacher. Didn't matter she could read and
write her own name, know how many counters there were in a pile by just looking and explain the different names of the moon. Teacher needs to know she can sit nicely, wait her turn etc. Missing reception is a daft thing to do.

TulipsfromAsda · 26/03/2022 18:48

60 is an unusual number for reception. Are there mixed age group classes?

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 26/03/2022 18:50

@TulipsfromAsda

60 is an unusual number for reception. Are there mixed age group classes?

Two classes of 30? That's pretty standard in England

WlNDMlLL · 26/03/2022 18:50

@TulipsfromAsda

60 is an unusual number for reception. Are there mixed age group classes?

No it's not - 2 classes of 30. Sounds pretty standard?

BendingSpoons · 26/03/2022 18:50

60 is 2 classes of 30, which is pretty standard around here.

WlNDMlLL · 26/03/2022 18:50

@Horcruxe

Tup

Apply in Sept to Dec.
Jan may be too late

Applications are all processed together after the deadline I thought?

CaptainMyCaptain · 26/03/2022 18:54

@TulipsfromAsda

60 is an unusual number for reception. Are there mixed age group classes?

Two classes of 30 is not unusual. It was the usual Reception intake at my school.

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