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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

Do I keep ds back?

19 replies

gottasmile · 20/01/2010 21:25

Hi,

I'm in Canada at the moment but will be moving to London this summer.

My ds turned 6 in December, so I think he would be in Yr1 in England? My query is if anyone thinks I should make him repeat yr 1 in September?

His reading is good and he is good at maths, but he isn't as mature as some of the other kids in his class. I've heard that the education system in England is quite advanced, so this combined with the fact that he's a December child has got me thinking about whether I should keep him back a year.

Grateful for any points of view. Thanks

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compo · 20/01/2010 21:26

No I wouldn't

the school you get him into will advise further but he will want to be with those his age

the teqacher may be able to help you keep up over the summer before he starts

thisisyesterday · 20/01/2010 21:28

i wouldn't keep him back, and in fact, i think you would find that most state schools would not want to keep him back either (they aren't keen on such things at all!!!)

i wouldn't say the education system is advanced form what i've seen of it

Original poster

gottasmile · 20/01/2010 21:36

Thanks for the advice. I'm glad you don't feel that the education system is advanced, I'd hate for ds to feel like he's way behind in everything. Thanks again!

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MumNWLondon · 20/01/2010 23:43

a december child will be one of the oldest in the year in england (september children the oldest, august the youngest).

if he is good at reading and maths he will be fine next year in Y2.

as others mentioned state schools would not let him stay back anyway.

there is a HUGE range of reading in DD's year 1 class from those who can read anything to those who can only manage books with 5-8 words per page.

Original poster

gottasmile · 21/01/2010 00:55

So if he was born December 2003, what year would he go into in September? Yr 2?

OP posts:

nooka · 21/01/2010 03:19

The formal education system in the UK starts earlier, and I think that's why there is an assumption that English kids must be ahead. We moved the other way (UK to Canada) and my children (then 8 and 9) were not way ahead. The different break point made quite a difference (in the UK we go Sept-Sept not Jan-Dec) so in the UK my dd went from being virtually the eldest to being one of the younger children, whilst my son went from being younger to being older, but in the year below. At six I wouldn't have thought it would make much difference, and doubt you'd be offered the choice, as you child will be amongst the older children in his class, not the youngest as he has been in Canada - that might make a big difference.

Runoutofideas · 21/01/2010 09:37

Yes he would start in year 2 this September.

smee · 21/01/2010 09:43

You're right with that date of birth he'll go into Yr2 in September 2010. Schools in the UK do start kids reading earlier than in many other countries, but if he's reading already am sure he'll be fine. If he was here now he would be in yr1 and many are only just getting to grips with reading, so he sounds like he'll fit easily. Where are you moving to? You might have a problem in that a lot of local authorities won't let you apply for a place until you're resident (ie proof of address is needed). So if you're not here until the summer, you might find it tough to get an autumn place. Unless you're private - I know nothing about that but I'd guess it's different.

MaggieNilAonSneachta · 21/01/2010 09:47

I know I should start my own thread, so sorry, but how does the british system cope with having children of such differing abilities in the same class? Do they have loads of resource and Learning support hours available?

When my son starts, he'll be five and a half. There will be children ranging from 4+3 months to 5 and 7 months.

He wouldn't have been ready at four and a half. If I were still living in the UK I'd be chewing my nails down to my elbow worrying about him at school.

weegiemum · 21/01/2010 09:50

The formal education system in England starts earlier.

I see that the OP is moving to London, therefore that is appropriate.

But please don't make UK = England. My 2 older children began formal education in Scotland at age 5.6, my younger at 4.8. The education systems are very different (and I am glad of it).

smee · 21/01/2010 09:55

Maggie I don't quite get how you work out the age range. If he's five and a half when he starts (September - so the start of the academic year in England?) then that means some in his year will be about to turn 6, others won't until August the following year. So at five and a half your son would be in the middle.

resources varies dependent hugely on where the school is/ the type of school, but most state primaries seem to have 30 children per class, one designated teacher and one teaching assistant per class. Hope that helps.

MaggieNilAonSneachta · 21/01/2010 09:58

ah right, sorry weegiemum, scottish system more like system in ireland i think.

i know it wouldn't have bothered me to send my dd to school at just four. but since coming back here, I literally shudder realising that i would have to send my son to school this september if we were in england still. he is a baby.

i wonder how well supported children like my son would be, when they start school jsut because they're 4. not because they are ready...

I don't want to depress the OP. My son is a special case! he did have global developmental delays. the gap narrows all the time though.

weegiemum · 21/01/2010 10:07

Maggie - yes the Scottish system is different - kids are admitted depending on the calendar year they were born in, not academic. So no-one starts school before 4.6 years. If your kids are born in Jan or Feb, you can choose to send them at 4 or 5 - most people these days choose the older start, at least the ones I know.

My dd2 had to start to August after she was 4 - in the previous Nov - she seemed so young - and I do feel she hasn't done as well as the others did! One of the reasons I kept mine back was to improve their language in nursery as they all go to Gaelic school.

So I can ask with confidence (after talking to dd1) - don't you have any snow?

MaggieNilAonSneachta · 21/01/2010 11:05

ha ha! that's right, no snow!! it seemed to go on for weeks though. i was maggieSnowWoman for WEEKS on MN but finally now, the only sign of the snow woman is the carrot in the garden.

People here (especially the mums of boys) seem to choose the later start. Which I totally understand now my own son is 4. I was appalled when I first returned to Ireland from England. I thought it was lazy and weird. (that was easy to think when I had a daughter who met all her milestones).
Mind you, when my daughter is 15 she will no doubt be in a classroom full of 16 year old boys, so I will have to get back to you in 8 years! I may have changed my mind about the whole set up then!

MaggieNilAonSneachta · 21/01/2010 11:09

Smee, sorry I didn't see your post. My son's bd is April, so if we'd stayed in England, he'd be starting school this september. That would put him in the youngest 25% of the age range.

In Ireland where we are now the cut off is actually June, so he would be even younger in comparison to the other children! So I decided to wait til he is 5 and a half. The school just said 'ok'. Which was a big change from what I was used to, my first child having started school in England at 4. (which i was completely happy about).

hope that makes sense. now.

smee · 21/01/2010 11:12

It does! My son's end of May birthday, but fortunately where we are they did a January intake, so he started a few months short of 5. I did worry about it, but it was just like nursery, so totally play based. I'd have hated it if it had been more formal as some schools are.

Rollmops · 21/01/2010 18:56

Education system and advanced.... mwahhaahhhaaaaa
Not even wishful thinking I'm afraid.

Original poster

gottasmile · 21/01/2010 20:48

Thanks for all the replies. It sounds like ds will be in yr 2 then. I think the Canadian system is quite good, so am hoping he'll cope fine.

As for where we'll live, it's up to us. I'd like to live out of London if possible, but haven't figured out where yet.

Will it be difficult to get him placed into a school? How early do you have to register? If I come over at the end of June, do you think that will give me enough time?
Sorry for all the non related questions!

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Original poster

gottasmile · 21/01/2010 20:51

And thanks for the info Nooka. Much appreciated. I'm glad that ds will be one of the oldest in his class. I felt that he wasn't coping with the socialisation well, the other kids led him a lot, so this will help him I think.

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