Applying for school only just turned 4.

[GEK1983]

Hey all,

I've had a letter to say that we have to apply for a reception place for my daughter by jan 15th 2024. Daughter is 3. She turns 4 end of August 2024 and would start September 2024.I feel like this is so young to be in reception. I heard you can hold them back a year but does that mean she will go from nursery back home for a year? I also heard they may not be guaranteed a place in reception the following year and may end up straight in year 1. I feel a bit downhearted about it all. She only started nursery in october this year.

You need to ask your LA about their procedures for parents who want to defer. Some accept readily, others might need persuading (the school cohort is meant to be suitable for the entire age range, and they might need more of a reason than it feels wrong IYSWIM - lots of August DC thrive in the "correct" cohort)

You also need to ask the nursery about their policy for keeping on deferred summer born DC. It'll be something they come across every year, so fingers crossed you get a useful answer

Sorry you feel downhearted - I remember feeling like that with my first child who is also a late August baby. You should be able to defer entry a year, but you need to speak to you LA about this and if you decide to defer you will probably be asked for specific reasons why. There are loads of threads on here about deferring entry for summer borns and lots of people on here who have deferred.

Just to try and reassure you, despite feeling really worried about it, we didn't defer our child and it worked out really well for her. Yes, she's often felt young for her class but primary schools are completely geared up to teaching all ages and abillities within a year's cohort. She's in year 7 now and doing so well. I'm really glad we kept her in the right year.

Thanks to you both for the advice. My husband is more worried than me as he was a late August baby and struggled at school. Could have just been him though lol we will talk about it in more detail and then go from there but I know what we can do and how to now so thanks :)

Hi, I delayed my July daughter’s start to school. She was due to start in September 23 but we have permission from our LA to start her in September 24. I felt like you, she just seemed so young! She’s now doing another year at nursery and is thriving. Best thing we did and it was very easy!

Join the Facebook group Flexible
Admissions for Summer borns. Members will help you out and give you lots of advice.

I have a late August born teen... I'd defer and would have done if it was possible then (they would have definately had to start in yr 1. Things changed a couple of years later)

I have a July born and considers delaying for a while. Depending on your LA some schools say you need to apply anyway and accept the place then defer which means she goes into Yr 1. Others will allow you to fully defer and go into reception. I was also warned of issues later with sports clubs and playing in age groups but I don't know how significant that would be.

Anyway we didn't defer.m and I'm really glad. She is thriving, has made and friendship group quickly, is bang on track with her reading, but mostly she just loves it. The last month at nursery was emotional for her and I wondered if she was bored and I think I was right. Only 8 weeks in at school and the thought of her being at nursery now with the little ones feels wild, no way would that have been right for her.

So it really depends on the child, she will be very different come sept compared to now and it's difficult to see that sometimes.

You've had lots of good advice already about contacting the LA and the schools you are looking to apply to for their policy and stance on it. I definitely wouldn't go for it if any of them make a deferred child go straight into Year 1 as the Reception year is so important to help them settle into the school while still following the same Early Years curriculum they are already following at nursery.

If they do let them completely defer into the next year's cohort it is something to consider but you'll still need to apply and them state your decision to defer before she is due to start.

It's definitely not a decision I'd take lightly. The Reception year is like an extension of nursery and, as an experienced Reception teacher, believe me when I say that many Summer borns do cope absolutely fine. They mature and change so much in such a short period of time at this age. I wouldn't expect any 3 year old August born child to seem ready for school yet, so I completely understand your fears, but many with September/October born children who are already 4 often feel their child would have been ready to go this year and worry about them being bored of nursery by Easter and ready for more stimulation. So by the summer you may have noticed a big change in your daughter and see things differently.

Some children would benefit massively from an extra year of nursery, others will end up bored by Christmas if you hold them back based on age only.

So find out when you need to defer by, if indeed you can, and make the decision as late as possible, based on your child's individual needs, rather than just her date of birth.

Thank you so much everyone. This has all been really helpful. Hope you have a great weekend all :)

My DD is late aug birthday and started just after turning 4. She's been absolutely fine & is flying with her reading etc.

I'd say the most important factor though was she's independent - always v keen to do her own buttons & zips, get on with/try things by herself and not expect a grown up to be constantly on hand guiding.