Can I move my struggling year 1 back into reception?

musicmumhelp · 2023-03-13T11:47:07+00:00

She's the youngest in the class and yr1 has gone from bad to worse, she's now school refusing. What can I do?

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SeaToSki · 13/03/2023 11:47

How old is she and when is her birthday?

Original poster

musicmumhelp · 13/03/2023 11:48

She's 5, her birthday is end of august.

OP posts:

Floralnomad · 13/03/2023 11:48

I doubt it in the state system , could you HE for a couple of years .

SeaToSki · 13/03/2023 12:00

From the Government web site

Compulsory school age
Your child must start full-time education once they reach compulsory school age. This is on 31 December, 31 March or 31 August following their fifth birthday - whichever comes first. If your child’s fifth birthday is on one of those dates then they reach compulsory school age on that date.

For example, if your child reaches compulsory school age on 31 March, they must start full-time education at the beginning of the next term (summer term that year).

If your child starts in the September after they turn 5
Your child will go into year 1. Contact the local council or school if you want your child to start in reception instead. They do not have to agree

FrownedUpon · 13/03/2023 12:01

No, it’s highly unlikely you’d be able to do that. Probably not be best thing for your DC either in terms of confidence & friendships. What are school saying?

Marchforward · 13/03/2023 12:03

SeaToSki · 13/03/2023 12:00

From the Government web site

Compulsory school age
Your child must start full-time education once they reach compulsory school age. This is on 31 December, 31 March or 31 August following their fifth birthday - whichever comes first. If your child’s fifth birthday is on one of those dates then they reach compulsory school age on that date.

For example, if your child reaches compulsory school age on 31 March, they must start full-time education at the beginning of the next term (summer term that year).

If your child starts in the September after they turn 5
Your child will go into year 1. Contact the local council or school if you want your child to start in reception instead. They do not have to agree

This is not true. The term after children turn 5 they must start education, this doesn’t have to be in a school. Many children start reception after they turn 5. This is something my summer born youngest child will be doing next September.

OP the Facebook page flexible school admissions for summer borns maybe to help but it’s trickier after they have already started. In this situation it’s up to the will of the school.

lorisparkle · 13/03/2023 12:08

I am aware of children who have repeated a year and stayed in that year, however they had an EHCP. Could you work with the school so she is accessing some activities with year 1 and others with reception. What are the school suggesting?

Soontobe60 · 13/03/2023 12:16

Marchforward · 13/03/2023 12:03

This is not true. The term after children turn 5 they must start education, this doesn’t have to be in a school. Many children start reception after they turn 5. This is something my summer born youngest child will be doing next September.

OP the Facebook page flexible school admissions for summer borns maybe to help but it’s trickier after they have already started. In this situation it’s up to the will of the school.

Show quote history

It IS true! Schools can choose to let a summer born child start in R when they are 5, but they don’t have to.

Marchforward · 13/03/2023 12:22

Soontobe60 · 13/03/2023 12:16

It IS true! Schools can choose to let a summer born child start in R when they are 5, but they don’t have to.

Show quote history

You said children MUST but there is no must about it. The department if education disagrees and while it’s not the norm in England many summer born children start reception at 5.

Dodgeitornot · 13/03/2023 12:27

OP it's best you speak to the senco and admissions dept now, as the Reception places for September are being released on 16th April.

BendingSpoons · 13/03/2023 12:57

Dodgeitornot · 13/03/2023 12:27

OP it's best you speak to the senco and admissions dept now, as the Reception places for September are being released on 16th April.

The OP is asking about moving her child into the current Reception class.

OP you would have to speak with the school. It's fairly hard to do once a child is established in school, in part because the Reception class may be full. If the school are on board they may be able to push it through.

Axahooxa · 13/03/2023 13:01

Agree- set up an urgent meeting with class teacher and SENDCO. See where the anxiety is coming from and insist they put things in place to help her.

Do you know exactly what she is finding hardest?

I wouldn’t go back to reception as you’ll have the same issues again come year 1.

FlounderingFruitcake · 13/03/2023 13:02

Is there even space in the current reception class? If it’s an oversubscribed state school then it might be a non starter. If it’s a small private prep you might have more luck. It would also be a tough one socially, because everyone in both classes would know she’d been moved down. Have you spoken to the school and what are they saying?

Original poster

musicmumhelp · 13/03/2023 14:02

Hello thank you for comments so far. To answer some of the questions. I think she has no SEN. Her current class has more children with SEN than they know what to do with and out of control behaviour, one child has been expelled, another has been offered a special school and declined. Others have diagnoses (at least another 6 that I know of). I think the school can't cope with this, as evidenced by needing to expel a 5 year old. My child regularly comes home with bruises and black eyes and the teacher has admitted she's been injured "non accidentally". She's miserable. My child is quiet, kind and compliant and so has been ignored at lot in class whilst they firefight the behavioural
Problems or deal with the loud attention grabbing personalities, they realised in September she couldn't read even the first stage books or write clearly. I wasn't surprised - they'd sat her (the youngest child in the class) at the back and ignored for her a year.

I've requested a meeting with the teacher. Not sure about the SENCO or what they would do?

There are other problems too that mean she's either scared, bored or unhappy at school. I would move schools entirely but I have other children settled and thriving in the school in higher years and can't be in two places at once.

OP posts:

prista · 13/03/2023 14:06

OP if she's coming home with black eyes at the age of 5, is it really impossible to move her? I know how hard managing the pick up and drop off is, and I don't want to add a guilt trip, but if you were being beaten up by your workmates on a regular basis and were scared to go to work you would move jobs I think, even if it was very inconvenient?

RoseslnTheHospital · 13/03/2023 14:06

But if your child is regularly getting injured non-accidentally and she isn't learning despite no SEN, then the school is failing her utterly on every measure. If they can't or won't address that, then a different school is the only option!

Is there any wrap around childcare at this school or at other possible schools you could move your DD to?

Dodgeitornot · 13/03/2023 14:07

It sounds like you need to move school not necessarily year groups. Your child should never be coming home with a black eye. I'm surprised you're so calm about this.
Have a look at what's available spaces wise in schools you like, but unfortunately this is the consequence of the state of the education at the moment and no school is immune unless you have the money for private. Even then it's not a guarantee sadly.
I believe when you move, you are able to request for her to go into the year below/retake her current year.
We were able to do this with my daughter in secondary school so I don't see why it wouldn't be possible so early on.

Farcis · 13/03/2023 14:11

Sorry for what you’re going through OP, it sounds like a nightmare.

i have to say that I agree with other posters - the problem isn’t your daughter and she won’t be helped by moving back to YR, the problem is the school. I would do all you can to move her as the resolutions will take too long to help her.

lorisparkle · 13/03/2023 14:15

It does sound like you should look at alternate schools. Are there any other local schools?

Original poster

musicmumhelp · 13/03/2023 14:35

I think I am too calm @Dodgeitornot I think we've all just got used to it.

I want to move her back because she wants to play and hates the school work. Essentially I think she just wasn't ready to start although was ready socially and wanted to go so we went with it.

None of the nearest schools have wraparound.

The school have started doing small group extra work with her and seem suddenly desperate to get her through the phonics check. I don't think they think she'll pass though.

My main concern is how unhappy she is. I couldn't give a stuff about a phonics check.

OP posts:

lorisparkle · 13/03/2023 14:40

Could you look at a childminder to do the wrap around care at an alternate school?

MaverickSnoopy · 13/03/2023 14:43

Speak to your child's teacher to discuss your thoughts and go from there. I repeated year 2 for the same reason - early Sept bday but started school age 4.

LIZS · 13/03/2023 14:49

What makes you think repeating reception is the answer? You sound a bit passive. Ask the teacher/head how they are Safeguarding your child against the attacks. Keep a record, make a formal complaint and speak to LA if needs be. They are failing your child here. Is there any wraparound care there, which your other dc could use if your younger one moved school? Could you pay a cm to do drop off/pick up or ask another parent to watch them until you get there?

Briallen · 13/03/2023 15:00

It sounds like the school isn’t very good op. And there would only be one term left if she went down to reception now so not much time to play.
i would be seriously considering moving school if she’s school refusing at 5. I realise it’s not easy with wrap around care but if you’re child isn’t attending school at all then that’s way more of an issue

TooManyPlatesInMotion · 13/03/2023 15:06

This sounds awful. Your poor dd.

However, she has been let down by the school (very, very badly if she is coming home with bruises resulting from non-accidental injuries). The school, including the leadership, has let her down, so why would you want her to stay at the school, just in Reception? If the school has been unable to act on these very serious issues, then it will happen again in other year groups.

In your situation, I would move her and I would do it asap. I would start calling round other local schools to see where there are places.

As you say, the phonics check doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but your dd's safety and wellbeing absolutely does.

You say that you think that she may not have been ready to start school and this is why she is behind. However, I would hazard a guess that she would have coped fine and would be doing absolutely fine if the school had done a half decent job of addressing the issues you have mentioned. It is not necessarily the case that she wasn't or isn't ready for year 1.

Press the eject button if you can, don't just move her down a year. The problems won't go away.