Out-of-year placement for child with early September birthday?

[anonforthis87]

Hi everyone,

We're thinking of moving back to the UK from France next year and trying to work out the logistics, particularly around schooling. I’d really appreciate any insights or experiences.

Our son was born in early September, so he just misses the UK cut-off by a few days. According to the French system (cut-off 31 December), he would then be starting CE2, which would correspond to Year 4 in the UK. He’s doing very well, especially in maths and science, and he can read and write in English, so we’re concerned that if he’s placed into Year 3 on arrival, it will feel like repeating a year. My husband feels very strongly about this, he’s actually not on board with the move at all if it means our son has to "repeat" a year as there's quite a lot of stigma around that in France.

We’d like to request an out-of-year placement into Year 4, to keep him aligned with his current level. Has anyone had success in this situation?

We’d be moving in July 2026, so the request would be for a September 2026 start, as part of an in-year application once we have an address. (Obviously we can't move in the middle of the school year so applying in January is not an option.) Our younger child was born in August and would be starting reception in 2026, so it seems like good timing. We know it’s not automatic and that both the school and local authority have to agree. I’d love to hear how realistic this is in practice, especially for late-summer-born children coming from abroad.

Thanks so much in advance!

I did this 40 years ago - November birthday, age 10. Moved from 8eme into Y5, rather than Y6. I basically repeated “top year primary”. Everything was different though - curriculum content, grammar, mathmaticals methods taught, history. I also benefitted massively from becoming one of the older children in the year.

I’d be enormously surprised if the English/Welsh system is any more flexible now.

Also, DS has just done his GCSEs. His birthday is the first week of Sept. It’s always done him favours that birthday.

he wouldn’t be repeating a year. He’d just be in a group with his cohort. If you moved back to France he’d go back into his appropriate cohort according to European cut offs.
ive moved my September child to Uk from Europe. This isn’t the issue that you think it is.

What's the chance of him being accepted into the grandes ecoles of he's done English secondary school anyway? His French won't be good enough and he'll have missed philosophy. If your husband is set on the grandes ecoles, you'd be better staying in France. On the other hand, a British education will open up British and American universities. It won't make any difference for other European universities and neither will a year of schooling. The other thing to consider is that a A-B/6-7 grade student will do better in the UK than France because the 2nd tier universities like Bristol are way better in the UK, and 3rd tier has far less stigma and better future career options. Unless you're certain he's grandes ecole material he'll have more choice in the UK and less future CV stigma

But he won't be "old for year" in the same way that a child who was born and raised in the UK and applied for a degree in France (I know several of these) would not be "old for year" but just in the normal year. All the countries we have lived in have just had different age dates for starting and cut off -- even Scotland is different from England. And children here can't even repeat a year the way they can in France; it's just not done. I just can't imagine it being a "bad look" in France for a kid to come from the UK in the year the government actually requires him to be. It would be idiotic.

You can go private and do this but then it looks silly in the UK if he is doing well!

My birthday is September 1st and it's never, ever been a problem, in fact, it's helped me.

Scotland is much more flexible in this regard. All September to February born children have a choice of year group.

Sorry - didn’t read whole thread ignore if covered. Total advantage if staying here, but french system is very particular and look matters, so I can understand why your husband is bringing this up. But if he feels v french, wouldn’t he want your son to do the Bac and prepas etc?
Are you moving to London? If so, if you are considering private, the Lycée would solve all issues. I don’t know if there are Lycées elsewhere

In a UK university he won’t be old for his year. He’ll just be at the older end of the correct cohort. It’s also common to take a year out, go to university later as a mature student, study part time over several years. You’re over thibking.

So it sounds like he would normally be starting year ?3 ?4 in the UK and would be one of the oldest in the year, giving him some significant advantages both academically & socially.

Whichever year he’ll be due to start next year, and it’ll be based on his birthday/age as opposed to anything he’s done overseas

If he is in the correct year for his age, there is no concern that he’ll be repeating a year whatsoever (apart from in your DH’s head!)

Cohort! That’s the word I’m looking for!

He will simply be with his cohort/in the correct year group

I very much doubt a state school would allow him to ‘leap frog’ a year up just because the parents want him to

Sounds like you’re better off getting him into a private French school here and him continuing with the French year groups

French school in the UK? They should understand your concerns? The are some in London