Oh poo have I missed the date...

[eandh]

DD1 is 5 on the 7/9/09 I assumed she would start school sept 09 (literally on her 5th birthday) however, someone said I should have applied for her place this year (i though the cut off was 5th birthday had to be before 31/8/09)

The school I would like her to go to (linked to preschool and hardly ever have to decline places so 99% certain she'd get in) do have 2 admissions per year september and January so should she be going in January 2009.

To be honest she will be more than ready for school in January as she wants to learn etc and always asking me to do writing/reading etc with her (can't always do it as dd2 is only just a year old)

So I didnt apply because I thought she wouldn't be offered a place but it appears maybe I should have??

You're correct. She would n't start Reception until September 2009, in England / Wales, in which case you apply via LEA next academic year, but if there is a preschool/nursery attached you would probably have to apply direct to them now.

I don't think you could have missed the deadline. You usually do it 10-12 months before the actual admission for September intake. Check with the school about the January one.

No legally you have to have your child in FT education by the term NEAREST their 5th birthday.

So 2009 will be fine! (she'd only just be 4 poor lamb!)

Schools will always push to get you to do the year before but then they want bums on seats for the funding so can't blame them!!

European kids don't start till 6 & they're fine, probabvly more mature & had more time learning through play rather than formal school.

Does she go to Pre-school or nursery or something? You could gradually increase her sessions over the next year so she is ready for January 09 if you think that's right for her.

HTH

legally it is the term after 5th bday , so could be as late at January 2010 for your dd , although most schools would expect older children to go full time almost straight away.

Thanks she has been going to preschool since last summer (paid for her for 2 terms as she only got her free place in January because her birthday was a week after the cut off for free place in spetember )

She was doing 2 mornings a week as she took a while to settle (dd2 arrived early last year and dd1 took a while to adjust to having someone else around) she now loves it and goes 3 mornings a week and moans the 2 days she doesnt go (I work the other 2 days so she is at my Mums and MIL) she is going 4 days a week from September (my Mum will be able to take her and pick her up)

Just wondering about the January thing as I know she'll want to go (all her little mates she plays with at preschool leave at Christmas to go in January as they are all summer babies) may ring the school and see if they would consider her in January if she is ready

Thanks again

If your LEA is like ours, she should start in September 09. You should apply at the end of 08 or the beginning of 09, depending on the LEA. Here you apply to the LEA rather than the individual schools, and they allocate places (with slightly different arrangements for faith schools).
Based on proximity/siblings/LA care/special needs.
They may let you defer for a term (i.e. start in January 10) but unlikely that they'd let you start earlier (i.e. January 09).

Most LEA's are pretty dogmatic about the cut off dates tbh . Private schools can be more flexible.

OUr cut off for birthdays is 31st August/1st September. i.e. 31st August will be in the previous year, 1st September the folliowing. So dd was born in July and is in a class with children with birthdays from the previous september (they are now, in January, 5 and a quarter) right up to children with birthdays on 31st August, who are only 4 and a quarterish. 2 entries here. DD started last week because has a summer birthday.

Yes we have to apply through LEA (Kent) so I assumed I'd apply later this year and if she doesnt go to Sept 2009 she'd be the oldest in her school year (in fact her 5th birthday is on a Monday so may even have her 1st day at school on her birthday!)

I will double check about the January 09 thing but she will only be 4 and 4months so they may say that they prefer her to wait till September (oh the preschool have the privilge of having her and her non stop talking for an extra 9 months )

I think its only because her birthday is so close to start of school year that I got confused if her birthday was october/november I wouldnt have thought anyting about her starting till the spetember

Oh and just worked out that dd2 can take dd1 preschool place as she'll be 2 and 8 months in sept 09 so I'll pay for her to start

Oooo roll on sept 09 no children for at least 2 mornings a week

you'll have another one before then eandh

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

calmly makes the point that I am not having any more children (well certainly not planned ones anyway!!)

No you haven't missed the date- I'm sure of it. My dds birthday is also the 7th September and she started school the day after she was 5.

Academic year/ cut off date is 1st september in England and Wales.
I always felt dd2 had a great advantage being 5 when she started (unlike dd1 who was only 4 and a half)

DD2 had three whole years in the infant school whereas dd1 only had 2 and a bit (as she started part time for first term)

DD2 was also much more ready for the rigours of junior school than my eldest was and had so obviously had more time to consolidate her learning being that bit older and having had more time in the infants (and a whole year to play before the structure of yr 1 began.)

Both mine are September babies and it would be virtually impossible for your DD to start before September in the state system.
In our area you will probably get the letters from the LEA this September/October for entry Sept 09/Jan 2010.