Would anyone like to speculate about the August P1 intake?

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I know we're all completely up in the air.

Am I right in thinking that the deferment legislation changed recently? I would be very tempted to defer my Nov. baby if that was now allowed- or is it likely for this to be overruled if too many parents do it?

It's always been allowed

Why would more people do it now? I’m not sure when you need to put the request in by though. It looks like in 2009 16% of November born children deferred.
www.gov.scot/publications/growing-up-scotland-early-experiences-primary-school/pages/4/

I think the only thing that wasn't automatic was getting nursery paid for for another year.

can Be deferred but will only get nursery funding if can prove child not ready
Most teachers I know who had DC in that position deferred

Yes- I'm sure that the legislation changed and now the nursery funding is automatic for that year. We wouldn't be able to afford private nursery fees.

I am concerned that if (say) 50% of children now say they are deferring, instead of 16%, there won't be enough nursery places to accommodate them all.

I'm worried about DS going straight into school from months of being on his own. The school he will be going to talk a lot about playing but my nephew is in P2 and I think it's actually far more formal- he said that they are only allowed to the home corner and the building blocks at Golden Time.

I didn't think the proposal re automatic funding had been fully implemented,good to hear it has
I can see there could be an efffect on numbers
I suppose it would depend on individual nurseries

Is it not too late? When we had to decide about deferring they asked for the decision by Christmas. There is a risk that they will have given away all the local nursery places now (if he’s in a state nursery). Although it depends if your area has already got the 1140 hours sorted, the government has just removed the requirement to do this come august. Our area is in chaos with nursery so could probably add one back in.

Our school does lots of play in p1 but more structured in P2. Also, according to my dc2 they “never get to play” but my dc1 says that’s rubbish (and he’s right!), so I wouldn’t take what your nephew says too seriously.

All the kids will be in the same position so they’ll make allowances accordingly I’m sure.

Looking at what’s come home for P1 learning during lockdown, they do approx 3 half hour learning sessions a day (reading/writing/numbers) and the rest is either structured or unstructured “play” (could be drawing, listening to a story, PE, crafts, indoor-outdoor play, golden time etc). I know all of those things involve learning too eg fine motor control but they don’t feel like formal lessons for the kids.

It was never something I thought about seriously so quite possibly I am too late now :(

All the kids will be in the same position so they’ll make allowances accordingly I’m sure.

I hope so. The 'play time' I think is very structured. I'm doing my best at home but I feel so worried he's missing out on all the social playtime and complete choice that he would get at nursery.

In fact, I think it's the social aspect that's worrying me the most. He's not had to share with anyone for weeks now, months by the time he went to school.

You are too late to defer now. My son is going into P1 in August, I am concerned at how he will do if they go straight in to full days. He is not great with big changes. The schools will probably have no idea at this point either. But, they will all be in the same boat, so your son won't be behind in anything. Play based learning is the basis of P1, it will not be all day at a desk though. I've been asking primary teachers I know how it all works, I'm a secondary teacher myself and we are looking at how to work transitions for P7 to S1 after the holidays.

He could be learning to share with you OP? Appreciate it's not the same as a peer but could at least keep up some of the social niceties. If he is currently in private nursery, I guess there is a chance they could be back before school starts?

Also remember that most DC not in private nursery will have had 7 weeks off before starting school in a normal year so there will always be a need for a bit of relearning social skills anyway. Hopefully he will at least have had a chance to get to the park etc before August. Well we live in hope anyway.

A November child would need a reason, and back up from professionals - well no, you can defer anyway but unless the panel agree you wouldn't get another year of free early years education

I work in early years and primary 1 and wasn't aware the automatic nursery had actually been implemented

Your Council website should tell you what their policy for deferral is. Most Councils updated their policies just before enrolment week to state that deferrals for any child born from September onwards would be funded, in line updated guidance from the government.

I think lots of parents will now worry that their child won't be ready for P1 in August, and whilst everyone is in the same boat some children will clearly be more affected by the current lack of nursery provision than others. I think it's worth asking whether you can make a late application given the circumstances - but be aware that there won't be many decisions being made one way or the other right now in any case. Indeed your application might just go into a big pile along with the others and will be considered alongside them!

If you don't ask, it's a no anyway

Remember if your dc starts p1 and it doesn’t go well, you still have options - home schooling, flexi schooling (reduced time at school), seeing if you can get a p1 place to redo p1 at a different school next August.

We were in a similar situation and with hindsight we should have insisted on deferral but remember it isn’t unsalvageable.

Think about the reasons for your concerns about readiness and make sure you have thought about any referrals to specialists that might give you more insight.

On the whole, maybe you’re not sure about the school more than your dc? Schools differ in how much they’ve gone for play based early primary.

Sorry to derail the thread but @bookishtartlet can I ask how you think they’ll be planning to do P7-S1 transition?

DD is due to start S1 in August and is quite nervous!

@gracielooloo my DD is the same. She’s devastated at missing all the end of P7 fun. They were due to have their residential on the 23rd March so just missed out.

@cazzyg, that’s rubbish, DD’s class had their residential last September so at least they didn’t miss out on that.

I feel really sorry for all the P7s, it’s a really flat ending to primary!

Think about the reasons for your concerns about readiness and make sure you have thought about any referrals to specialists that might give you more insight

It's this huge gap in his socialisation that has me concerned. He's been loving nursery and I have no concerns apart from this.

On the whole, maybe you’re not sure about the school more than your dc? Schools differ in how much they’ve gone for play based early primary.

It's our catchment, family are there, most people are happy, so in general I'm happy. I've nothing to do with education and I'm absolutely not claiming I know anything about it, but as an adult looking in, the whole play-in-school does baffle me a little bit. It seems very tightly controlled for 'playtime'.

Deferral wasn't made legislation and so Far East Lothian seem to have declined every deferral for non automatic ones judging by the deferral Scotland Facebook page.

My Ds was due to leave S6 next week. None of the usual breakfast, ceilidh or prom(and the hotel who cancelled are refusing to refund our money. 🤬) His sister left 2 years ago and had a lot of support in the leaving high school and going to uni/college/work transition and they've not been able to have that either.

Not sure how transition can be replaced but I'm sure schools are now looking at it with the confirmation of longer lockdown.