Rose recommends all children should start school the September after their fourth birthday!

[mrz]

Recommendation 14 ii

The DCSF should provide information to parents and local authorities about the optimum
conditions, flexibilities and benefits to children of entering reception class in the September immediately after their fourth birthday.

[lavenderbongo]

We have just moved to New Zealand and I am thrilled that my oldest dd will start school on the day of her 5th birthday - as everyone does here. She is currently at kindergarten which is free for 20 hours a week. So she does 5 mornings.
They have a "celebration" when the child is about to turn 5 at kindy and then they actually go to school on their birthday (if poss). So almost every child is really excited about starting school and treated as an individual starting school rather than part of a large group. It much more of an child orientated individual system than in the UK.
But then there are a lot less people here so I am not sure this would be possible in England. However the teachers do manage to cope really well with all the kids starting a different times.

[lingle]

"The DCSF should provide information to parents and local authorities about the optimum
conditions, flexibilities and benefits to children of entering reception class in the September immediately after their fourth birthday."

Highly misleading. There is no advantage. There is a disadvantage as compared with what you ought to be able to do which is start your child in the first class in the term after they turn 5 which is supposed to be the school starting age in this country. Which is what DS2 will be doing (starting reception at 5.0) but as some of you know that's been a battle.

The only "advantage" is, on a statistical level, an advantage as against having Sept+Jan entries. And that is only disadvantageous because the January entry kids are made to feel that they have to "catch up" and are "behind".

[me23]

I'm going to go against the grain here and ask, if you would prefer you child to start in sept rather than jan is it possible? I've just got outcome of our primary school application and dd has got in to our first choice. She is 4 in june so has been allocated a Jan start. However presently she goes to nursery from 9-5 as me and dp wrk full time, and I would rather not be forking out £900 as month for an extra 4 months if I don't have to.

[3littlefrogs]

I think it is very sad that we push four yr olds into school. Even 5 is only just about old enough - 6 would be better IMO.

[SoupDragon]

Reception at DSs school was very much play orientated. No sitting at desks and lots of not-noticing-they-were-actually-learning.

as already said, children here (England) already start the Sept after their 4th birthday.

Whether they are "ready" depends very much on the child. DS1 was fine at 4.7, DS2 was ready at 3.7 and DD could happily go now at 3 (if not before).

[me23]

I agree with soupdragon every child is different also now with eyfs coming in to nursey it seems to be a lot like reception anyway, so I'm struggling to afford to live with these nursery bills we are barely getting by, whereas if dd could go to reception in sept we won't have to pay for childcare anymore. Choice is brilliant for those who have the luxury to be SAHMS.