repeating reception, is it a good or bad idea ??

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, my daughter is nearly 5 years old and is in reception at a small private school. She has some special needs and is basically delayed in all areas of development by about 14 months. Her main problems are with her speech and understanding of language. She's also not fully toilet trained.
She loves her school and has lots of friends. There are only 9 in her class at the moment. She also has friends in the year below.
The teacher has mentioned that it would be posible for her to repeat reception if needs be. I'm not sure how I feel about this really. I know that she'd be working at her own level, and be with friends of her own mental age. (the girls in her class tend to baby her a bit)I also feel that she shouldn't move on to more advanced things until she's learnt the basics.
Although there are only very small clases, there are no classrom assistants, and there wouldn't be any extra support availabe.
She is one of the tallest in her class at the moment, so she would stand out in the younger class. I also wouldn't know what to say to her to explain why she's repeating reception?
She loves her teacher, so she'd be very happy to stay with her.
I'm not sure what would be for the best to be honest.
Also, I'm wondering we are doing the best thing for her by keeping her in the private school, or would she be better off/ have more help in a state school?
Please let me know what you think.

I personally would worry more about the fact that a private SECONDARY may be reluctant to take an SEN child, as if your DD repeats reception, moves up the school with that year group, then doesn't get into private secondary, she will then have to 'miss' year 7 if she has to go back to state education, and go back to her chronological peer group in year 8, thus missing the first year of secondary where the friendships are made. THAT would be a problem IMO. I personally would insist right now that she stays with her peer group but with more support, as if private education is no longer necessary at some point in the future (for whatever reason) it would be much more problematic for her not to be with the other children her own age.

And LIZS, while I agree that by 7 or 8 a child who is SEN in reception MAY have caught up, there is also the chance (as happened with my DD) that the differences actually become MORE marked by 7 or 8, and the gap between what the SEN child can do compared to her peers is actually GROWING....IME anyway.

There is always a possibility the gap might widen but this seems less likely with the specific diagnosis MLL's dd has (verbal dyspraxia) and her current practical issues around toilet training and dressing whch should soon be addressed. Other indications suggest that she has academic and music potential iirc and, although it is also possible further difficulties could manifest themselves once she has received help for her exisiting problems , 14 months delay is not, in itself, considered significant enough for a statement by many LA's. Afetr all you are talking about a gap only slightly larger than the difference between eldest and youngest in any academic year group (assuming they are "average" for their age) so variance can be wider than this within one class.

Thanks everyone, there sure is a lot to concider. (as usual) I am going to have a look around some more state schools and speek to them about what help she'd recieve. I'm glad she's doing reception at the school she's in as the teacher is so nice and she is getting a lot of indevidual help and support.
The reception class is actually in the nursery building, so if I was going to move her, I'd prefere to do so before she moves across to the junior school, which starts from yr:1.
I will look in to all the options before I make a decision.

I have a friend whoes dd has global delay syndrome. she repeated the reception year and as a consequence has been a year behind through infant school. It has helped her. The children havent thought much about it and she has fitted in fine.

I've read the schools OFSTED report and it says that, although there are no children with statements of SEN's at the moment, there are good systems in place for identifying those who may need extra help, and appropriate curriculum plans are put in place for them.

But bear in mind in an Ofsted report at a private shcool they are only required to look at Early Years provision (as part of the LA funding scheme for under 5's) and rarely go beyond 7. Before making a decision to repeat you need reassurances as to what assistance might be available as your dd progresses up the school, and at what cost. If they cannot or will not discuss this and you allow her to be put behind her peer group as a protem measure, then you may find it difficult to make any move her later on without it affecting her more(ie. having to fast forward a year). dc school is mixed ability but there are still some who leave as school cannot provide for them longer term.

MLL - you had decided to send her to the primary school hadn't you? why the rethink?

personally i don't think it can be good for a child's self-esteem to repeat a year in the same school? they are so self aware at that age -it may do more harm than good?

i think you need more info on the school's SEN provision? they may not have had any identified in the last OFSTED but they do now and pretty sure they have to deal with that? it may involve extra cost though - don't think they are obliged to provide one to one support free ofcharge?

I remember your previous threads. Ime and imo I would have put her in the state. I have name changed from my name then btw.
I would be moving her now in to state. I dont understand tbh your reasons for sending her privately. You got a lot of good advice on why state would have been better.
I would not have her moved down to reception. Any school with 9 children in the class who say they cannot meet her needs within that class clearly cannot deal with sens, really they can't.

I was talking about the ofsted report that goes up to the senior school. It talks about GCSE's etc.
I decided to keep her there for a while, as it's a really lovely school and she has a fantastic relationship with her teacher, who gets the best out of her.
They don't say that they can't meet her needs. They are saying that there is the oppertunity to either repeat reception or to spend some time in yr1 and some in reception. They were just talking about the options.

At local state school I know of a girl who started reception with her peers. Had developmental delay. Had one to one support (partly paid I think by her parents), and then repeated reception.

At dd's school a boy is currently with reception (should be in yr 2 with dd and peer group). SEN support being sought and arranged. Not sure whether he will rejoin dd's year, or whether it might be a case of him carrying on with the reception intake through school.

Just wanted to put point across that state schools do not always place children with peer group where SEN are concerned.

If I were you, thinking of your previous threads, I would be moving her to state school.

I'm afraid we've found out the hard way that one good teacher doesn't mean all in the school are. It becomes more difficult the older they get as they have increased contact on a more superficial level with greater number of staff rather than the consistency of one teacher and maybe the odd specialist in pe or music. Unless the SENCO is really on the ball you find yourself having to explain and reexplain to several on an individual basis, which can be very frustrating.

The Y1/reception mix could work, maybe - there are a couple of DC in DS's year who did all their literacy stuff with YR for part or all of Y1 for various reasons - they were with Y1 for other stuff and rejoined the year group fully for Y2 with no noticeable issues.

The more you say, the more it sounds as though the school are thinking of options and are prepared to be flexible to meet your DD's needs - so IIWY I would work with her teacher and the Y1 teacher to decide the best plan for her. The main deadline you are up against, I would imagine, would be for getting her a place elsewhere if you do decide to move her.

I still say a school with 9 in a class should be able to meet her needs with no problems. It's called differentiation and teachers should be able to do this no problems. I have taught in classes of 30 kids on my own with a huge range of intelligence. I don't get why this school can't do it and the fact that they are suggesting moving class rather than doing this would really concern me. They may be really nice and have the best of intentions but that doesnt mean they are doing what is best in the long term for your dd. I would say the more early intervention you can get the better and this will probably best met from a state school.

I think you are right to keep her there for the time being. The school has great advantages with the small class sizes, and she gets on so well with her friends and the teacher. She loves the school and it may cause her a lot of stress to change now. If necessary, it may be easier for her to change after she is a bit older.

Thank you. This is why we've decided to keep her where she is for now. She is settled there and isn't keen on change.
When she had her acessment, it was in a school/nursery setting with adults and children she didn't know. The report came back that she dosn't interact with other children, she plays on her own and crys when she needs help rather than asking.
She is not like this at all at school. She plays with her friends, she is very popular and isn't afraid to ask for help.
I'd worry that at the moment, if she changed schools, she'd go down hill.

MLL - I have just come across another of your threads about the prize-giving ceremony.
In it you say that you had decided to change to a state school in January that has a SL unit attached. Can I ask what made you decide to give up this place and look at others?
Based on what you have said about Lucy's needs this looked like a good option. Was the school lacking in other areas?

IMO I think if you stay where you are you are making it more difficult to change to state at a later date. Your current school sounds very competitive (from other thread) and may not be able to provide Lucy with the support she needs further up the school. If you change to state school now they could have her assessed and support in place by the end of reception. Note - could )

Whatever you decide though, I hope it works out well, it is a tough decision.

I think you are exactly right. A large class where she doesn't know anyone will be very intimidating, and some of the new children may even pick on her. The stress free environment she is now in will help her to flourish. She will develop and grow in confidence where she is now.

WHy are they keeping her behind though? I don't see why her needs can't be met in Y1.

i think that it's a decision only you can make, because you know the school and your daughter better than us!

however, a friend of mine has a little boy who has speech and developmental delays and he has been kept abck and he is absolutely fine.
his mum and dad agreed to it for exactly the reasons you state, he loved the class and his teacher, he needed more time to learn the "basics" before moving up,m and it just allows him to catch up a little bit and be with children who are more on his level. also, he isn't great with change so it's nice to be able to leave him where he is settle4d

they're really pleased with the decision they made (this is a state school btw, so not necessarily a problem if you ever moved back to state education)

i think when it comes to state vs private, private schools can often be quite rigid and results based. whereas state schools are maybe more flexible. that's only in my experience of them though- yours may be different.
if your daughter likes the school and the small class size is good for her then i cant' see any obvious reason to move her, unless you are unsure of other things there?

why don't you ask her if she'd like to stay in the same class for longer? see what she says?

Yes, it's just that I have a huge urge to protect her at the moment. Whenever we go to parks etc, other children are always saying to her "Why do you talk funny?" etc. She is a very sensitive and emotional little girl, and does get upset easily. At the school she's in, the children and staff have known her since she was 2 years old. The children accept her and look out for her, and she has lots of friends. She isn't afraid to stand in front of the class every week to do a show and tell, she really enjoys it in fact.
When her speech has improved enough that everyone can understand her and she's properly toilet trained etc, I think she'll cope with moving schools much better.
I want to do what's best for her at every stage in her development, and right now, I feel she's in the right place.