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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Hackney Secondary Schools and Summer Born Kids

4 replies

Tusa · 04/10/2022 14:24

Hi All, I'd really appreciate your help at a very stressful time. Our daughter is in Year 5 in a Hackney state school. We deferred her entrance back in 2017 as we felt it was right for her development, she's born in late August. She started in Reception in 2018.

Hackney had informed us that we would need to reassess how this worked when she came to secondary school but until recently what that meant was applying to secondary schools when she was in year 6 and asking schools to accept her with her cohort. But their guidance has now changed and they're saying we need to apply for schools this year (as in before the end of October) and at the same time ask the schools we apply to if they will let her reapply next year without skipping a year.

I don't really know where to start - I haven't started seriously looking at the school options, I was going to let them get this term out of the way then start some conversations. I was hoping the fact that she's born in August so will always be the "right age" for anything happening within a school year, will make it an easier decision for the schools.

I'm so confused how this is going to work and I can't get a fast or straight answer out of Hackney. Their reasoning seems to be she should apply this year in case none of the schools will let her reapply next year. But then what? How will they offer her a place for 2023 if she hasn't sat her CAT test? Will she just skip year 6?

Does anyone have any experience of any of this? Any insights into which schools might be amenable?

If it makes a different she's currently in the process of getting assessed for ADHD. We won't have the results before we need to apply but should have it before Christmas.

OP posts:
Ban6 · 04/10/2022 14:32

Sounds bonkers and cruel to expect her to leap from yr 5 and go straight into secondary. Surely you could appeal that - I'm sure there are people on Mumsnet who could help you with that if needs be. What does her current Head Teacher say? Or could you go to some of the secondary school open days and chat to them that way?

Tusa · 04/10/2022 14:46

Yeah, none of it makes much sense. Her current headteacher is frustrated that the council are being so slow and obtuse but hasn't exactly put his foot down in terms of actively trying to support us. I sort of feel like it will work out in the end but that it's going to be way more stressful and time consuming than it should be.

OP posts:
ClioClara · 04/10/2022 14:54

There’s an active Facebook group called flexible admissions for summer born kids and I think a linked one called summer born kids at school. One of those might be a good place to ask about this if you’re on Facebook? You might find people who’ve been through the same faster than here.

Tusa · 04/10/2022 14:56

Thank you! I'll try and track them down.

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