Reception or Year 1. Any advice please .

[newtouk]

Hello, we are moving to the UK in May from Switzerland. My son has been attending a bi-lingual English/German school which he really likes. The issue is that he is a April born child and is currently in a Reception Class. When we move in May children his age will be in Year 1.We have a place for him at a lovely Private school but we are unsure which grade he should be. Is it more important to be with his peers, to be able to socially interact with children his own age or be with the younger children who he will be academically on his level. My son is a happy, bright boy who loves to learn but I am unsure if missing a whole year of school will be too hard. We will have the Summer holidays to help him try to catch up with the other children.The Head of school is quite flexible but I would like some advice before I plead which year he should be in. Any advice?

Well, I'm really no expert at this at all - but at that young age does it really matter? What are they going to be learning, algebra? It seems more natural for him to be with his peers - otherwise he might be a year behind all through his school life. I'm sure the teachers will look after him in Year One.

Thanks, PuppyMonkey he loves his friends here that are the same age and he seems very happy, but at school (we choose the younger group due to the Language issue) he seems quite bored and has little in common with some of them that are alot younger. I am worried some of the children in the Reception class will be 16 months younger than him and he will have difficulty settling in.

I would put him in the correct class for his age - Y1. At this stage he should catch up quickly and I think the social interaction is more important anyway...