Possible to skip a year?

[M2boy]

Has anyone's child skipped a year in school?

My child is unhappy in school (yr 3) mostly because it's 'too boring' and child is above average in all subjects. Is skipping a year ever an option?

Unfortunately, we can't home educate.

I found myself in that position by default .... I cannot recommend it.

No.

Most universities have their U18 policies on their websites. Some are more detailed than others.

There are various things like U18 students are not permitted to view an 18 film provided on campus for entertainment but may view it as part of course work.

As a parent you have to fill in a lot of forms, and the universities make it very clear that they are not in loco parentis.

There are grey areas around Compulsory 16-18 education and U18s on university courses where the contact hours are less then the 540 a year minimum for full time education.

Some will insist parents live with the student locally off-campus. Some will allow U18 to live on campus.

Student Unions are issued large photos to go up behind the bar to ensure the U18s aren't served alcohol, and some have an 8pm curfew.

You need to have a very good reason to take that path, and the young person needs to be fully signed up to what it means for them in terms of social and academic life. There are times that the pros massively outweigh the cons, but for most students and most courses and most careers there is no benefit to doing things early.

There is however an issue that because compulsory education is now until term after 18th birthday, you do have to find something to occupy their time. And for some subjects, taking a break is not good and you end up with nothing except university as the next step in that subject. Hence why I say that sometimes it is the right move as there are no alternatives that allow progression other than tertiary.

Likewise. And always said I would never do it.
But have ended up there despite trying to avoid. I am now trying to minimise the pitfalls... and have had a lot of conversations and offered alternative ideas. We will not be doing it the way I did!

My eldest was very bored in years 3,4&5. In year 6 and secondary they start streaming and she's finally less bored.

It didn't occur to us to skip a year as the social aspect is so important.

She did apply for private secondary schools to get more stretch, but in the end she decided against it for now.

When I was in that position nearly 40 years ago, Cambridge made it pretty clear that the only under-18s they would take were mathematicians. Any other subject they 'strongly recommended' (i.e. insisted) that you applied for deferred entry and took a gap year, which is what I did - working in the UK for six months then overseas for six months. I guess it might be harder now to get a paid temp job aged 17, but still possible.

There are two subjects that get a bit of a pass. Maths and music.

I do know of others, but it is far, far less common. My sibling did psychology at 16 - but I suspect that is a definite no these days. Back then, I'm not sure anyone really noticed they weren't 18.

It's possible to try and get a job - but the LEA will want you to study alongside for a day a week on an accredited course. And sorting anything with LEAs is a NIGHTMARE.

Hence why I really, really don't advise skipping a year.

It wasn't uncommon in Poland to send a very bright child earlier to school (age 6 instead of 7) or skip a year if they passed evaluations including a psychological one. It was usually done very early, I haven't heard about anyone who would be older than 9 that skipped a year. It was all fine until they got to teenage years - this is when the age difference suddenly started to make difference, in terms of psychological development and maturity. There was also a problem having different degree of freedoms allowed than peers, because of age, and subsequent feeling of being left behind.

I personally would not do this.

I'd say don't. 40+ years ago (I know a very long time ago). DHs very clever DB skipped a year. He was a late summer born baby, went to one of the top London boys school (top then and now) and sat his A levels when he was still 16!

I blame the in-laws :-) They loved telling everyone how clever he was but pushing him so far ahead he failed his Oxbridge interview (as they really weren't interested in accepting someone so young) and then he got a B in one of his A levels (that he shouldn't have even taken because it wasn't one of his strengths, he was just so cocky he choose the hardest A levels).

Several of his classmate got into Oxbridge, on far easier A levels. I'm told he didn't handle this rejection well so refused to resit/reapply. It's been the story of his life. So clever but immature.

He was always told he was so, so bright but in the end he was clever but not exceptional. He'd had to work quite hard to keep up with his peers and so missed out on being well-rounded and trying new things. The biggest issue, that I see, is his immaturity. It was glossed over and explained away because he was so much younger, and lets face it private boys schools 40 years ago rarely turned out boys that didn't show confidence bordering on arrogance. He still behaves like that. Great for business, awful for relationships. He has zero hobbies too - as he never had the time, too busy studying and this transferred to his working life! I doubt he'll ever retire as he simply won't know how to function.

You can have more than 30 in a KS2 class (tmy DD had 32 in KS1 due to twins/refugees). Schools will always find a place for a known well behaved clever child.

Interesting, they were already lucky to be going to out of catchment school and their house is literally round the corner from the catchment school. To be honest both schools are fine

Thought I'd update on this one, to say that having ended up with a 16 year-old with a university offer for this September, we have done a lot of thinking and research and turned it down. Not deferred as want to put some other options on the table, but university have indicated that they would welcome them back at 17 or even at 18.

Have managed to find a very satisfactory plan for child for this year and it will give them time to mature without feeling they're not making forward progress, and to have fun with peer group.

The relief and weight off my mind is immense - I hadn't appreciated how many things I was worrying about until it was no longer a worry.

Obviously he was intelligent enough to skip a year - he did just that.

I think you have side stepped into personality disorders here, rather than discussing the advantages and disadvantages of skipping a school year.

You can't possibility make those assumption about someone you have never met from one specific post made by someone who is reporting this third hand.

He was a 16 public school boy 40+ years ago - they didn't turn out many that weren't cocky and arrogant.

As I said. I blame the parents!

Honestly, I wouldn't consider this. My family moved and I went from a private school with high academic standards to local state school. It was the last year of primary school and I was streets ahead of everyone else and had covered the work in the new school previously. I was moved up to the local secondary school which was a huge cultural shock but academically still not challenging. My parents then moved me to a private school which meant a horrendous 2hr commute and I stayed in one year ahead of my age group. At this school I was probably slightly above average academically but there were plenty of pupils above me. Socially it was initially fine but as I moved up the school there were things I wasn't old enough to do that my classmates could do - see higher rated films, start to learn to drive etc. I finished 6th year aged16 and really wasn't mature enough to make a decision on what I wanted to do so I ended up taking a double gap year before going to uni which was definitely the right decision. If I had gone earlier I won't have been able to enjoy pubs and clubs etc with my friends and would have possibly lacked the maturity to enjoy the whole student experience.

I skipped a year in primary, but that was back in the 1960s when there seemed more latitude. Then I was held back a year as secondary school refused to take a nine year old. But in that year there was better provision not to repeat things and keep it interesting.

DD was often bored at school, even with all the extension stuff. She started violin lessons in Y3, piano in Y4 and drum kit in Y7. The music lessons and associated bands and ensembles keep her happy and occupied.

Staff have suggested this could be an option for DD who starts school this autumn, but I am pretty adamantly set against it for many of the reasons discussed here. I would rather she stay with her year group and either just play/reinforce learning or have extension work in class. I think joining the class above for the odd lesson might work.

Well you’re right it should always be considered and her opinions taken into account, I do agree. At the moment she’s only four and not even in full time nursery so she wouldnt really understand the concept of the ‘class’ or year group.

Why are you so desperate to push him into an older year.

These responses are interesting. Skip it if you can. I skipped two years and my DH skipped one. It gives you a massive advantage later in life as it means you finish Uni earlier and basically start earning (and saving) earlier.