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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

DD could start school in August, will be 4 in May. Opinions please!

39 replies

carries · 02/03/2008 21:52

My DD will be 4 in May. As we live in Scotland she wouldn't start state school until August 2009. However, a local private school will take her this August. There are several reasons why we are considering this. Mainly, she is VERY intelligent especially with language. She can write her name and recognises letters and is beginning to read. She is above average in numeracy. Another reason, she is in nursery, in her anti pre-school year. It is a mixed year with some anti pre-schoolers and preschoolers. Her friends are pre-schoolers and therefore start primary 1 this August. She seems to be ahead of the rest of her age group. Also she is hungry to learn and I suppose DH and I want to grab this opportunity.

I started school, in N.I, when I was 4 and 3 months. My folks say I coped fine, but when we moved to Scotland I had to redo primary 1 as I was to young, in their educational eyes, to start primary 2.

What age to kids in England start school?

I would appreciate your thoughts. We haven't made a decision as there are obviously some disadvantages. SHe is emotionally only 3 and 9 months (her age) and she would be young do everything - exams, starting uni or work.

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Hulababy · 02/03/2008 21:54

DD started school aged 4y5m; her birthday is April. DD was more than ready to start school and loved it from day one. Hasn't struggled at all.

Ledodgy · 02/03/2008 21:56

Mine was also 4.5 when she started school and like Hula said was more than ready. She had been to pre school since the September after she was 3 also.

fatzak · 02/03/2008 21:56

Many children in England will start at younger than your DD - DS2 will be 4 on August 25th ( not this year thank goodness but 2009) and could possibly start school a week later Hopefully they will not bring in the one year admission into our LEA and he will be able to hang on until the Jan.

ChipButty · 02/03/2008 21:56

Sounds like she's ready to me.
By the time she's ready to be taking exams, start work, no one will know she is younger! Speak to the school about how they deal with very young children and discuss whether there are possiblitlies for part-time attendance for the first term or so.

yelnats · 02/03/2008 21:57

My dd1 is very slightly older than your dd(will be 4 in April), we are also in Scotland and to be honest I wouldnt consider sending her if emotionally she is her age. My DD is also very smart for her age (biased?), can write her own name and everyone in the family - infact can write anything as long as we spell it out to her, dial phone numbers that we tell her to, recognises all numbers up to 10 and knows her alphabet and recognises most of the letters - they have great memory's(sp)) She can also do simple additions (again memory I think).

So to be honest I wouldnt consider sending her at this age as emotionally it would be difficult for her.

Original poster

carries · 02/03/2008 21:57

I take it you live in England? What age do kids have to be before they can start, or when do they have to be 4?

Do you know what the general opinion is across the border?

OP posts:

Ledodgy · 02/03/2008 21:57

Alot start school when they are just 4 as well. There are children in my dd's class who have August birthdays so start reception in the September.

Original poster

carries · 02/03/2008 21:58

My last post is irrelevant now!

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Niecie · 02/03/2008 21:59

Children in England ususally start school in the September of the year they are 5 so my DS1 has a late July birthday and started school at 4 and 6 weeks. He did OK and he wasn't anywhere as academically advanced as your DD sounds and I would say too, like your DD, he was emotionally his age or even slightly younger.

If you think she may be bored at pre-school next year with her friends gone then I would start her in August. What do her pre-school teachers think? Do they think she would cope with school as they know her better than most?

Original poster

carries · 02/03/2008 22:01

Yelnats, thank you that helps. And you are not biased! She sounds very smart! And I thought my DD was bright! I suppose the big factor regarding the school is that class sizes are no bigger than 12 kids and there is a lot of co-teaching. Plus, (don't tell anyone) her Grandma is the head teacher. If it was a 25 plus class as per normal state school I would not send her.

To all you folks in England, Wales and NI, do the kids do reception then P1 or is it the same thing?

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dinny · 02/03/2008 22:02

my dd is May birthday and so started school at 4 years and 3 months. would have LOVED her to start much later and feel really glad ds is a v early September birthday and so won't till he is actually 5...

what's the hurry? just enjoy her as long as you can before she's at school all day, that's my advice.

Original poster

carries · 02/03/2008 22:04

Niecle, I haven't spoken to her nursery teachers yet, but I know that they think she needs another year of pre-school to grow emotionally. But I know she will be board, she wants to learn to read and count and to write etc.

OP posts:

Original poster

carries · 02/03/2008 22:04

emmm... bored!

She doesn't get her intelligence from me!

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dinny · 02/03/2008 22:05

was itching to say, but resisted the urge

Waswondering · 02/03/2008 22:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

carries · 02/03/2008 22:06

Dinny, that's the other disadvantage, I don't know if I'm ready to see her go to school. I have a 1 year old DD too and she maybe be the last baby. But if they all grow up too quickly I will want another baby!

As you can tell I am no where near making a decision.

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Original poster

carries · 02/03/2008 22:09

Waswondering - that is something I'd forgotten about the English/NI system. That is something to think about.

Thanks everyone. Due to both dd having colds, coughs and temps, have had disturded sleep and must go to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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dinny · 02/03/2008 22:09

Carries, honestly, don't be in a hurry to make her start school - do extra with her at home if she is bored. tbh I only feel now dd is nearly ready (for her) emotionally for school about now, and she is 6 in May.

yelnats · 02/03/2008 22:10

Thanks!

I think if her nursery teachers think she is not emotionally ready then you should leave her where she is and encourage her with her reading etc at home. Though on the other hand if it is small class sizes then it might be ok. I would just be concerned incase it didnt work out and then you would have to take her out and put her back to nursery. My cousins ds turned 4 in February(a few eyars back) and went to school in the August (as they do in Scotland - Feb is cut off date) and after a few weeks it was obvious he wasnt emotionally ready and so she had the unfortunate task of taking him out of school and back to nursery (sad)

Waswondering · 02/03/2008 22:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

yelnats · 02/03/2008 22:10

Plus I think that sending them to school too early is forcing them to grow up - I will be so sad when the time comes for my dd's to go to school!

yelnats · 02/03/2008 22:11

Ah I see you also have a 1 year old too - snap! Our kids are same ages.

Waswondering · 02/03/2008 22:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pofaced · 02/03/2008 22:25

It's a difficult call: I've 3 academic DDs (especially good readers: eg reading Harry Potter before they were 6) but all started school just before they were 5 (Oct & Dec birthdays). They found the schooling side of things easy but the social side difficult and part of going to school is learning to get on with others. We are all pretty academic on both sides but I'm not convinced that academic intelligence necessarily overrides all other considerations: social/ emotional intelligence is especially important with girls as they mature. Not to put it too finely, a mature 8 year old girl can be very sophisticated in how she manipulates her friendship with a clever but quiet 7 year old who is in her class (especially if her grandmother is headteacher!). I'd keep her at home another year!

dinny · 02/03/2008 22:34

my goodness, Pofaced, that is amazing, esp all three of them!

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