If my DS was March born (school start related)

[BloodyDogHairs]

My DS was born March 2012 does that mean he starts P1 august 2016 or 2017? I'm having a total mind blank on this.

He'll be 5.5 and one of the oldest in the year group (barring any Jan/Feb deferred entries)

So will my November 2013 DD start the following year? I woke up this morning and I had it in my head my DS would start next year and he is defo not ready for that.

November 13 would start 2018 - yes.

The cut off is 28th Feb so to start in the August you have to be 4 by 28th Feb of that year - your DD will be 4 by 28th Feb 2018 so will start at 4.5.

Your DS won't be 4 by 28th Feb 2016 so can't start next year - he will therefore be one of the oldest in his year group.

Jan/Feb birthdays can defer and either start at 4 or 5 - totally the parent's choice and legally if a parent decides to defer and the pre-school disagrees and thinks they are ready for P1 there is nothing they can do - they can't force the child to go at 4.5 and they have to provide another year of funded pre-school education. (similarly, if the pre-school thinks a child isn't ready but the parents want to send their DC at 4.5 the school can't turn them down.)

Technically even the November December and September and October kids can also defer - although it's highly unlikely (unless there are special needs) that the LA would fund the extra year at nursery.

Ds (September birthday) is 15 and in S4 but has two friends who are also in S4 who have turned 16 in the last couple of weeks (ie were deferred entry).

I know of one kid who is only a month younger than ds who is in S3 - although to be fair, in his case it's because he came from another country and it made sense for him to go into a younger year.

Yes legally in Scotland children just need to have started school before their 6th birthday so all those months can be deferred at the parent's choice and the school can't do a thing about it. However, an extra year of funded pre-school is not guaranteed the way it is with Jan/Feb birthdays and it has to be agreed with the pre-school/school setting (and often agreed after an ed psych assessment) if it is to happen. I know of a few Oct/Nov birthdays who have been deferred all due to medical grounds (one child was found to have significant hearing difficulties resulting in very delayed speech), but I think it is getting less and less usual now as CfE is supposed to reach children where they are at. (In fact, from what I have been told, Jan/Feb deferrals are also getting less common for the same reason

Thanks dayslikethis