Have just got a pack from the local education authority to apply for a place at primary school for my DS. He will be 4 next Aug so will only just be 4 when he starts. I have seen loads of stuff about the youngest children of the year consistently doing worse academically than their peers. So my plan was to defer a year so my DS would be just 5 when he started. However the authority have told me that if I do this, he would have to miss out the reception year and then have to start year 1 - and be with the same set of children he would have started with the following year! Their policy does not allow children to join outside their "school year". So, would still be the youngest of the year with the added disadvantages of joining a group where friendships had already been formed, and missing the reception year. I am gobsmacked. Legally I know that a child has to start school/schooling the term after the 5th birthday, which is what I want my DS to do. Has anyone else had any experience of deferring their child for a year - or experience of their child being youngest in the class?? I will have same problem with my DD who was 1 in August.