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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Scottish system of school age: please help me work this out as I'm too bloody thick.

45 replies

MadamAnt · 25/09/2008 22:07

DD has a Jan birthday and is now 3.9. She is allowed to start school next September or the year after. (I think she'll be fine to start next year as she's v outgoing).

DS has an Aug birthday. He will start school when he's five + a few days.

We've only recently moved back to Scotland, and I was v worried about hin starting school in England at four. The scottish system is going to be much better for him.

Anyway, I'm toying with the idea of a third DC. More than toying actually, I'm sure we're going to go for it soon. I know it's impossible to time these things, but in an ideal world, I'd like to avoid TDC3 (T = theoretical) being the youngest in his / her class.

So if I got up the duff in the early spring, and TDC3 was born in Dec/Nov, would he/she be one of the youngest? I guess it depends on how common it is for parents of Jan/Feb b'day DCs to defer entry til they are 5 and a half.

Someone help me work this out please!!

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Aimsmum · 25/09/2008 22:10

Message withdrawn

MintChocAddict · 25/09/2008 22:12

Runs from March of one year to the end of Feb of the next, so theoretically could be one of the younger ones in the year, unless all the rest just happened to be born between December - February!!
I was born in early March and was always the oldest in the class. My DS has a December birthday so will be one of the younger ones.
Don't think it's all that common up here to defer entry (although others on here may prove me wrong) but think it can be done.

Hope that makes sense.

MintChocAddict · 25/09/2008 22:13

Ooop cross posts with Aimsmum!!

Skramble · 25/09/2008 22:15

I would just let nature take its course .

Original poster

MadamAnt · 25/09/2008 22:16

Thank you

So that means that a Nov/Dec birthdayer would be on the younger end, but not likely to be the youngest? They would be 4.9ish when they start school?

(I need things spelled out s.l.o.w.l.y. )

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Original poster

MadamAnt · 25/09/2008 22:18

sorry x-posts. I think I've got it.

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 25/09/2008 22:20

'I have never actually known anyone to defer entry into P1 (and I used to work in a nursery) I don't really think it is that common at all.'

there are 6 children in DD1's nursery (she was retained at stage) who are deferals.

Original poster

MadamAnt · 25/09/2008 22:21

skramble - you're absolutely right. I just fret a bit as my nephew (Aug birthday in English school system) really struggled for the first couple of years. It affected his self-esteem, and (in an ideal world) I'd like to avoid that for my DCs iykwim.

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Original poster

MadamAnt · 25/09/2008 22:22

Oh really expat? Hmmm. I suppose it's one of those luck of the draw things...

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colie · 26/09/2008 00:33

Hi
You have probably worked it out for yourself now anyhow.

The difference in the starting school age between Scotland and England really affected me and my family.

I lived in Scotland and was expecting my dd born June 2002 to start school in Aug 2007. Moved to England in June 2006 and discovered she should be starting school in 2006 in England and not 2007 as she would have done in Scotland.

The difference is kids can start school in England literally just 4 and a couple of days. Whereas the youngest a child will start school in Scotland is 4 and a half.

If a child is 4 before the end of February then they will start school in August in Scotland. If a child is 4 before the end of August then they will start school in Sept in England.
So, the cut off date in Scotland is last day of feb and cut off date in England is last day in August.

I have a couple of friends in Glasgow who have held their Feb born children back a year. They felt they weren't ready for school. I don't think they faced any difficulty in doing this, they have lead me to believe it is quite common.

Just reread your post and realise you understand the age difference between england and scotland. I'm too tired now to change my post.

Aimsmum · 26/09/2008 10:18

Message withdrawn

clayre · 26/09/2008 10:23

dd is a feb birthday and she started P1 in august at 5.6 and shes coping great and was really ready for it, she went to the nursery that was part of her primary school and they advised me not to put her at 4 and a half, infact none of the 4 and a half year olds went to primary school they all stayed at nursery

iloverosycheeks · 26/09/2008 10:36

DS is a January birthday and they way I have understand it is that a Jan or Feb birthday gives you tthe option to send at 4 1/2 and 5 1/2, not that the child is 'kept back'. I also believe that it is quite common to send DC at 5 1/2 and that most people decide on advice from the nursery teacher as to what would be best for their child.
I have already been advised by close friend who is primary school teacher that as as a very boisterous, energetic child, DS would be better waiting until 5 1/2, nothing to do with academic ability more to do with ability to sit still!
i went to school when I just turned four and it was not a benefit to me.

Original poster

MadamAnt · 26/09/2008 20:55

Thanks colie

Helpful to hear all your stories. Thanks.

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pointydog · 26/09/2008 21:01

loads of children are deferred in Scotland. And I do mean loads. Anyone who wants to in Borders and Lothians, at least.

pointydog · 26/09/2008 21:02

In the Borders I know of a good few Nov/Dec cchildren whose parents have deferred their start date.

saltire · 26/09/2008 21:05

My DSes started school in the Scottish system and ar enow in teh English system. it's dire and they are really struggling. DS1 would be in P6 in Scotland and he is Yr6 here, he really struggles and find the work ahrd, they seem to have a different way of doing everything. he used to love school , but cries his eyes out over his homework and doesn't want to go every single day.
DS2 is a Jan birthday and he wa sone of the youngest in his Scottish school. I don't think it mad ea difference at the time, but it ahs here, where he is not youngest, but middle age bracket.

midnightexpress · 26/09/2008 21:12

Interesting thread. I have a Nov ds1 and a Jan ds2 who will be (if I don't defer either of them) in consecutive years at school. Not v keen on the idea of separating them by two years, and in fact it looks like ds1 would actually be the one who would struggle most with a too-early start, which would put them in the same school year (ie if I deferred him and not ds2). So all a bit confusing. Will sit and wait and see how they are in a year or so when I need to start making decisions, but reading this with interest.

Wallace · 26/09/2008 21:13

I think deferring children is becoming increasing common.

Also it is not just jan/fed birthdays that can defer, it is any child who has not turned 5 by the start of the school year in August.

AMumInScotland · 26/09/2008 21:20

The difference with the Jan/Feb birthdays is that some areas will automatically fund another nursery year for them, but not for older deferred children unless there are specific reasons. So it can be more expensive to defer if they are not Jan/Feb which may make it a trickier decision for some families.

pointydog · 26/09/2008 21:29

That's true, MIS. You should also consider the advice given by your dc's nursery teacher or it could be tricky.

AMumInScotland · 26/09/2008 21:40

Back when I went to school, hardly anyone deferred. When DS started (now nearly 15) there were 2 boys with Jan/Feb birthdays who had deferred, and two who had not. That was a very small sample obviously, but would make it 50% for Jan/Feb, and presumably lower for Sep to Dec birthdays.

It's worth remembering that with the Scottish system even the youngest in the year will start a bit older than in England. So they will still be the youngest in their year but they will be much more ready for school.

pointydog · 26/09/2008 21:41

yes, it has become popular to defer

RaggedRobin · 26/09/2008 22:11

my ds is a dec birthday. he just misses automatic entitlement to an extra year of nursery if i decide to defer him. his language is delayed at the moment, so i am sending him to a school nursery in the hope that i can discuss deferred entry with his nursery teacher when the time comes.

as far as i know, the extra year of nursery is at the lea's discretion for dec birthdays, so i'm assuming i'd have to make a good case.

Original poster

MadamAnt · 27/09/2008 09:32

Thanks - this is very helpful info!

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