School age

[OnePinkFairy]

Hiya

My son is 3 in December 2025 so does that mean he can start school(year R) in January 2027 ? Or does he start school the September of 2027, some of my friends with winter babies started the term after they turned 4

thank you

He will start September 2027 assuming your in England state schools have one official start point each year at the start of the academic year.

Where do you live? In England they start the September following their 4th birthday, so September 2027 for your child. Summer borns can be deferred to the following academic year, but you can't fast track a child born earlier in the year. Why on Earth would you want to, too?

By saying you know people who started earlier, I can only assume this is in another country?

@BoleynMemories13they started early in England

I’ve never heard of any kids starting reception early, only late if you choose to defer. I would think he’d start Sept 27

They can go to a school based nursery from 3 usually, that doesn’t have to be a September start.

They may have started at the Nursery attached to the school but they won’t have started in the actual school. that is the September after your 4th Birthday. Even if your 4 on the 1st September you still wouldn’t start school until the September after.

As others have said, you are mistaken I'm afraid. They can start in a nursery attached to the school, but they don't start school officially until they enter Reception the following September.

Not quite right. In England, they can turn 4 on 31st August and go to school in Sept. However, if they turn 4 on 1st Sept, they will go the next Sept (DD is one of the latter cases and her friend, who is one day older than she is, is one of the former).

You apply for school by the January before they are due, and find out where you have been given in April.

The children finding out their school assignments tomorrow will start in September, unless there is a deferral of some kind. They were all born between 1 Sept 2020 and 31 Aug 2021.

The system is different in Scotland (and maybe NI?)

They might have been admitted into a mixed Foundation years on turning 4, but that is effectively preschool with no guarantee of a Reception place for the following September. Your dc is eligible for Reception in September 2027.

They won't have started in F2 (reception) the term after they turned 4, they may have joined the schools early years unit that could include F1 (nursery ) and F2 children. But they won't officially be in the reception class untill the September after they turn 4 because in England the school year runs from 1 September to 31 august.
The reception class for 2025 will start in September and will comprise children who turned 4 between 1 September 2024 to 31st August 2025. If they were 4 in December 2024 and started school in January 2025 they would be in the wrong school year.