ANYONE DELAYED THEIR CHILD FROM STARTING PRIMARY SCHOOL?

[hifi]

dd is one of the youngest in her nursery class, most are now 4, her head at nursery says shes quite immature, confifmed today by a paediatritian.

both have suggested delaying her start to primary school this year, she will be 4yrs 3 months when she starts.

i do think she is too young, adopted her at 14 months and she had a rocky start in life.

anyone else done this with their children, and how have they got on?
will she still be funded for nursery?

Afraid I can't advise on nursery funding, sorry.

But I do believe that parents have very strong instincts about their children and that it is better to go with your instincts than worry about what is the norm/everyone else is doing, IYKWIM.

Sorry if this is too vague and not much help.

i dont think she will be able to cope, i didnt realise i had this option until they mentioned itmy gut feeling is to start her at 5,thanks.

i know a mum who lives near me who has 5 kids and she decided to hold her youngest back from starting school for a year, he has a June birthday so would be quite young in his year and she just felt that he hadn't mastered the things that his older brothers and sisters had when they started school and that school might ovewhelm him because of that. And as he loves the nursery/playgroups he goes to she was happy with that. I guess when you have had 4 kids previously you can tell what is right for them! I spoke to her recently and she said he had come on loads in the last few months and will join his peers in year one (i think?) in sept. Think the school where fine with it. All the best to you

as a teacher i have never heard anyone regret keeping a child back.. only people regretting that they didn't. it sounds like keeping her back is the best thing. hope some who knows about funding can post some advice...

just trying to find out on web, does say all 3 and 4 year olds but shes already had a year of funding.

think you are probably right about regretting not keeping her back.
ja9, does it happen alot? feel as though its just me.

A friend of mine delayed her DS who is end Auguest b/day. She was able to get him in to reception class at 5 and a week (this is the tricky bit) ie he is the oldest in the year (just) rather than the youngest.

He has a developmental delay, they don't know why but there are various issues and it is certainly a good thing, when you meet him, that he is not trying to tackle the work DS1 (who is the same age) is doing (he is in yr 3 now but shd be in yr 4).

You can keep her in nursery until she is 5 so I assume she will still be funded (better check tho). I would get all the ammunition (ed psych? paed is good) you can on yr side to argue she should start a year below - otherwise she will just start in year 1 which will be no good at all IMHO.

If you can't delay her start I would tbh start her in reception and try to argue for shorter days etc. Honestly the move fron nursery to reception (ie Foundation Stage 1 to FS2) is in many ways not as big a jump as FS2 to yr 1 (apart from the long day of course! I mean in terms of what they do at school).

thanks clary, so what you are saying is i could delay her but she would still start when her peer group have already done a year?
i will re read weds am, thanks very much. still up worrying.

yes sorry. Yes she doesn't have to start until (in her case) the sept after she is 5, ie Sept 2009.

But most schools would then (unless like my pal you are lucky enough to persuade them otherside - but there has to be a really good reason) put her straight into yr1 which is to FS2 what, erm, black treacle is to icing sugar. Maybe.

FS2 is lots of play, choosing, simple phonics, try to write your name and stand in line but meanwhile here's some play dough and you can get messy with those paints.

Yr1 is please all sit still we are going to do some maths, I will do my best to make it fun but now we have a spelling test and please copy this work off the whiteboard.

I am hugely simplifying of course but I would be a bit worried about her (or any child) starting in at yr1.

Go and have a look in school to see what I mean (and to see what it's like at yr school!)

I don't think schools have to hold the place open either, if someone needs it, it will go

Then you might not get your local/choice school

i wouldnt expect them to our nearest is not the best one near us so no great loss, only problem is if she gets into my 1 to 3 choice.

Could you send her in Jan instead? My DS has just started, and he's settled really well, whereas going in Sept would have been a disaster for him at his stage of maturity. Starting in Jan would at least mean a few more months' Nursery, but also the chance to get into the Foundation Year swing of things before going up to Year 1.

hadnt thaught of that either vicky, will check if they will allow, spoke to nursery and she will get funded if she stays another year, thanks for all the tips.