summer babies and school

[nattysilv]

Hi there

I am just wanting other preliminary views.. What rights do mums have if they feel their summer born babies are not ready for school at just 4? Can we defer reception for a year (and still go into reception class a year later - you can do this in Scotland and Ireland)? Can we push for part time for the year? I know the Rose report came out which seemed to be happy for summer babies going to school at just 4 - but I am not (whilst realising that he may want to go at four when it comes to the time)!

I have a bee in my bonnet that he will have to start school so young (he is July born). He is not even two yeat, so its a way off, but I am want get clear what the current state of play is, or will be in a couple of years.

Why is virtually every other european country starting kids older, and we seem to be pushing them to start younger (I know childcare costs can come into it)... I know some parents and kids will be happy to start art just 4... but what about those of us who are not.. Do we have a voice/choice?

Cheers in advance..

Yes beezmum, we are both talking about starting children in reception at 5.0.

That is what my child will do in Bradford this September. He will start in reception at 5.0 for his own good, the good of his peers and the good of the taxpayers who would otherwise have been funding one-to-one support for a delayed child in an inappropriate year group.

mitochondria, yes, this flexibility is a great selling point for the independent sector (though the boys' school near me were totally blinkered - said I couldn't year-defer DS2 because it would affect his 11+. This at a time when we had far bigger problems to think about....).

It is all a bit mad, isn't it? DD1 starts school this Sept and is a June baby but several weeks prem.

Her language and social skills are I would say above average, but her numbers, listening, attention and motor skills are not quite as good as her friends who are Sept/ Oct/ Nov children (which is what you'd expect). She is also small for her age, so the autumn children look like giants

With this in mind, I've just been working through some very basic workbooks (ours are sold at our local Library but ELC do a selection too) which are at the moment working on pre-handwriting skills / pen control etc. all with the aim of just pulling up those things a little before the start of school.

We've also been playing the Orchard Toys Shopping List game, Mummy Says (our version of Simon Says) and various other games to work on attention, listening, patience! and working memory - all of which are important when a lot of the teaching going on is done verbally.

I am sure that your dd and ds are both going to be very strong at some things which will make the transition to school easier.

Our school system is what it is. It doesn't mean you necessarily agree with it or that it's going to be right for every child, but my perspective is that I will do my best to make sure that dd1 is roughly where she needs to be when she starts and then just get on with it

We did toy with putting off school for a year but figured that if dd1 was behind if she starts reception this Sept, she will be even more behind if she goes straight into year 1 (and I have to go back to work so can't home ed).

Not sure about the concept of starting reception a year later - we always thought, in the way that kids do, there was something wrong with the one child who was 'held back' a year and so no-one wanted to be friends!

whoamireally, your daughter sounds as though she will thrive as a summer-born

yes, I worry about the "held back" thing but am very much hoping it won't be an issue for DS2 because there has never been a question of him being in any other year group. I think it would be different if he had struggled along till 8 or 9 then gone down a year - or if his birthday was anything other than late August.

I think, however, that I might have his birthday parties ten days late each year...........just to minimise the explanations!

It's less than 100 times smaller than the concerns I'd have had had he been forced to start early. I saw the headmistress for a transition meeting yesterday and they concluded that he's ready to go this September but that I was wise to insist on not sending him last year.

This is a favourite topic of mine!

DS1 was born on 27th August. He was a month premature, so should have been a September baby. We live in Leicestershire.

A year or so before he was due to start school I began my campaign. I wrote to the education authority, my MP, and the school, explaining my concerns that he would be too young to start school at the scheduled time.

I established that my options were as follows:-

1. Start in Sept, a few days after his 4th birthday
2. Defer for a term
3. Defer for a year, but then go straight into year 1 rather than reception.
4. Half days for a term were at discretion of school - my school refused.

I chose to defer for a term, and it was definitely the right decision. In September he was nowhere near ready, it would have felt like cruelty to send him to school. By January he was much better. He copes with it, and actually enjoys it - he's totally shattered at the end of the day though, and his behaviour at home is consequently appalling. But he likes school, and I'm certain he wouldn't have done in September.

I still think it's totally outrageous that parents aren't allowed more freedom to choose when their children start.

One thing I will say though - ignore all those people who tell you he'll never catch up, and that friendships will have already been formed etc. It's rubbish! Children in reception have such varying abilities anyway, so it's ridiculous to suggest that being a term behind in jolly phonics will set them apart from the rest of the class. And as far as friendships are concerned, reception kids have so little concept of time - I'd be surprised if any of them remember now that my DS started a term later than the rest of them.

I didn't realise how lucky we were with DD (4.8) She's just had her first term of school.

The school deferes entry for all spring/ summer borns untill the January which also had the benifit of DD being one of the eldest in Pres-school (helped her confidence massively).

We had the choice between our village school and the next one along. I chose to go further as the later start date was a big bonus for me. Both of my other DD's are also summer born and I hope that the double entry continues although by then they will have seen much more of school with DD being there it will be less of an issue (I hope!!!!)

As an aside she has only been there a term and is now reading, (got assessed again today and moved a couple more levels) so although they are only "getting used to school" alot more actual learning takes place.

If you can't start in the January I would go with half days (I know another mum who did this even with a January start as her DD was not ready).

Good Luck it's minefield out there!