Help I need advice from mums who had a July DD starting school

[newtouk]

Hello, I am moving to the UK in May 09 with my two children and I am really confused. My DD is 4 in July and only attends a pre-school three mornings per week. She is very little and is very tired after her days. I have her enroled in a Independent School to start reception in Sept 09. I am worried she wont be able to cope with the days?? ANy one have any advice. I also have a place at a private Nursery that said she could start in Sept and then do Reception in 2010?? Would she be the oldest in the class then ?? Sorry I am confused and now the schools are closed for the Easter break....

I would guess the nursery mean for her to join the reception class at Easter, when she's rising five and more ready to take in what she's taught.

I think in most schools reception is more getting them used to the concept of being at school and the rhythm of how things are done than pushing much formalized learning on them, so she wouldn't miss out.

You could call your LEA (local education authority) for advice while the schools are shut - they're usually very helpful.

She wouldn't be able to start Reception as late as Sept 2010 - it would have to be during the academic year between Sept 09 and August 2010 - she'd go into year 1. Sometimes you can do part-time initially or start in January for younger ones. We did exactly the same , arriving in UK when dd turned 4 in the August . She went to Reception in an independent school that September, full time, and did fine. Can you increase her preschool hours/days now so she is used to 5 sessions as that is what most of her peers will do.

And, depending on where you live and how much competition there is for reception places, you could choose to defer her entry, making her the oldest in her class - but I think you'd have to discuss this with the head teacher and make sure a place was reserved for her.

You have probably already missed the LEA deadline for Reception applications for this September and will then be allocated whatever space is available. The LEA department will be open over Easter to advise. However if you don't take up the independent place you could be liable for a term's fees unless you tell them before next term.

my DS started full time school in the september when he had just turned 4 in the july

he had only ever done 3 days at playgroup since he turned 3
he coped fine

btw he is now 19 and in his final year as an apprentice bricklayer and is looking to do a HND next.
He has always been younger than his classmates and has always been friends with the younger ones in his year

Re. missing the deadline: again, it depends where you're moving to.
Rural schools sometimes don't have all their available places filled, but the LEA might be able to tell you which schools have places in your area.

DDs birthday is July 1st and she was fine. She did the first term as mornings only and went straight into all day after Christmas. Mind you she had been at the school nursery 5 morning a week for a year before that so was very used to it.

She went to bed early when she got in from school - was knackered for a while to be honest - but all my friends kids were too no matter what time of year their birthdays were.

Thanks, we are moving to Wimbledon Park and I know we have missed the deadline for local schools. The lady at the council was quite rude to me even though we only found out we were moving to the UK three weeks ago. Anyway I found a lovely school for the children (my son will have to go into Reception in May even though he just turned 6 due to being behind in school as he is at a German?/English school) however that is another problem. I really like the school and the head and feel as though I should not be taking a place of a local child in the school - even though we plan to live in the UK for the long-term. I am sure the school is used to young children I just feel as though she is missing out on a year of playing. Thanks again.

children in reception in England still fall under the EYFS, which is in theory a play-based curriculum

if she started in sept 2010 she would be oldest in class i dont think lea can do this but private schools can my friends child s birthday is the 31st aug,she is currently in yr 6 at a private school in wimbledon and then she is going to wimbledon high in sept she will then be 12.