School age differences- moving to uk

[Movingtouk24]

Hello!

I apologise if this has been asked before- I couldn’t find a response on this exact topic.

We are possibly planning to move to the UK for 3 years initially. This would be a move back for me, but a move for the rest of the family. My children are both in a British school overseas following IB- and loosely what would be expected of Y1 in the UK (e.g. 100+ sight words by the end of the year). My daughter was born November and started year 1 when she was 4, turning 5. My son was born in September and started his first year of “kindergarten” when he was 2, turning 3. This is because the school year runs based on calendar year age.

I’m aware based on age my children would move back a year. Has anyone had any success with any flex on age if coming from overseas? I’m actually more concerned about my younger child- he’s itching to learn more than he is especially being only 22 months younger than his sister who’s he watched learn to read (he wishes he could too!) and he’s only a few days younger than the cut off. For my older child she might be confused she’s repeating the year, but so long as she’s suitably stretched I’m less concerned.

Thank you!

You would need to speak to the specific school that you apply for. All will be different and have their own policy. Our Trust will only consider putting a child into a year group different to their chronological age due to SEN for example.

This isn’t really how primary school works. Kids learn by leaps and bounds at different times. Just because your child is “ahead” now does not mean they wouldn’t learn anything by “repeating” a year. Socially and emotionally your child belongs with same age peers and that matters way more than how many words they know at X age.

I don’t know anyone who has managed to start school earlier than their age group - everyone I know who has received flex has been to delay a start. Honestly I would be more worried about the social adjustment than academics at that age, and being the youngest comes with a whole host of disadvantages that can persist (and evolve) as he grows older.

Find him a great pre-school that will feed his eagerness to progress his reading. Lots of kids are reading before reception, and lots are not - he won’t be the only one tracking ahead if he starts school just before turning 5.

I've spoken to international schools within the UK (near/in London) and they were quite happy to consider placement outside "usual" group, because they have a regular flow of kids coming to/from the southern hemisphere and therefore an age range approaching 2 years in most classes. Some Montessori schools also operate with mixed-age classes based on readiness, and some small village primaries have 2 year groups in one due to small class size., and are thus open to the idea. Otherwise you will find the system very rigid.
If you children are a fair bit brighter than average - particularly the September-born one - then it may be worth pushing for them to be placed in the year above (they'd only be a few weeks younger than some of the other kids) but you may have limited luck. Otherwise if they're nearer the median they'd probably be better in the "usual" year group.
I do know one family who moved to a different country and the kids were "put back" a year due to different age cutoffs. For two of the kids it was fine, but for one of them, who was very bright and mature, it was immensely frustrating, so I think it depends on the child.

Did your son turn 3 this September?

Private schools generally no problem as they are used to international transitions.

State schools very tricky.