Repeating a year at secondary (after absence for illness)

[sunonthetrees]

It is looking probable that DS will miss a year, or even more than a year, of school, due to illness. Some of this time will have been spent at hospital school, and his home school have provided a bit of outreach teaching, but it’s not the same as being at school.

It seems to me that the best thing for him, given that he’s summer born and has never found school all that easy, might very well be to stay back a year. Is this likely to be possible? Are there future problems I need to be aware of before advocating for this?

sounds sensible
talk to the school

I think the school might have issues with this because when they report their results at the end of yr 11 they will have to include DS even though he will be in yr10 so it lowers their average grades. It sounds a good idea for your DS but you need to ask the school. Also, how does DS feel about being a year lower than his friends? When it looked as if our DS might miss yr12 he was quite determined that he wouldn’t go back to the same school but would go to a 6th form college.

What year is he in and how ill is he? You might want to consider asking for something slightly different than conventional school. For example, two of my DDs now go to a 14-19 transition centre that focuses on getting them the qualifications they need for their next step in education.

I'd do this if it could be combined with changing school. It would be awful for him to be in the yeargroup lower than his former classmates

State schools don't like this.

They have to report gcse results by age and so are very against repeating a year.

It tend to lead to massive social problems as well, the child has to make new friends while his old ones are still around.

Not a good idea at the same school,

There are two children that I know of at my secondary school who are in the year below their age. One repeated a year in primary school and one joined the school in the year below their age after extended absence, so it is definitely possible. The social question of staying in the same school with younger classmates is a good one though.

My friend’s son has just restarted y12 for similar reasons. It’s definitely possible, and he and the parents were confident it was the best approach for him. He had, however, joined the 6th form from another school which may make it a bit easier (ie he didn’t already have long established friendships in his original Y12 group).

He got ill in yr 7 and may well not return until yr 9. Hadn’t formed very strong friendships - had only been at school for 2 terms.

ugh re results reporting. Talk about tail wagging dog.

are there going to be issues later on - sixth form/university?? I am wondering if there are issues I’m not anticipating…

DD2 is out of year. She had a horrendous year 10, ended up out of school from Christmas to the end of the year. She joined a new school in year 11, and was decelerated to year 10. That school didn't work out, and so she's had a year out on an EOTAS package for what was now her year 11 (old year 12). Now she's starting year 12 (old year 13) at a 14-19 transition centre that specifically focuses on the aspirations of the young person and what they need to get to where they want to be. She'll have a bespoke timetable that all gears towards her future hopes.

There's a possible issue at sixth form level, which is that schools only get funding for sixth formers aged 16-19. The chances are that will not be an issue, but if he starts off on his A-levels and then changes his mind about subjects, he would not have the option others would have, to start year 12 over again the next year. If it's possible he will have future recurrences of bad health, the same problem would apply - he would not be able to take an extra year over his A-levels.
(I do wonder whether this rule will be changed, given that it has become easier for summer-born children to defer starting school.)

We always have several out of age group kids in our school, but until sixth form very rare to have “dropped” a year in our school. Though if you say he does have much of a peer group then that shouldn’t be an issue. I would definitely push for him to be allowed to do this.

the issues are the school might not like it, and the potential issue around losing a years funding at post 16. Sounds like he should have an EHCP? If he does, the post 16 issue doesn’t apply. The school are going to be the trickier bit - but that said if he’s missed eighteen months or more, I can’t imagine it makes any sense for him to go straight back. Can you start conversations with school about dropping back now, so if they aren’t keen you have plenty of time to argue?

It is possible I've taught several out of year students, some it was very successful did the trick and they thrived others it failed the went back into year 11 having not done year 10 and it was a bit of a disaster.

Those it didn't work well for suddenly hit puberty, grew and were clearly out of year, had emotional and behavioural issues caused by abuse / trauma / extremely vulnerable and didn't want to remain at school a second longer than they had to. Others had additional academic needs, had been home educated unsuccessfully ( it can work brilliantly but not in this case as they had been taught content incorrectly) and was over school and wanted to leave, had decided that they would never get more than a three at GCSE so why stay to fail.

In your circumstance though, with an eager and willing to engage child impacted by poor health it will be a success if they are onboard with it, so much relies on the students own attitude to learning

We have a student repeating year 11 as she missed most of last year due to illness. This is a state comprehensive and the second time this has happened so it definitely is possible.

Thank you all. You have given me the courage to (plan to) broach this. I think it would be hard for him, but quite possibly less hard than going back to the same group, a year on.

How academic and motivated is he? My daughter missed most of years 7-9 for health reasons and reintegrated in year 10 at the start of GCSEs. Obviously a very difficult time, and you have my sympathies, but from a purely academic point of view, it was completely fine. A decent chunk of what is covered during, say, years 7-8 isn't necessary to progress, she kept up broadly in key topics (e.g. maths) using materials in the online classroom, and she is now doing one GCSE less than her classmates, but otherwise completely unaffected. However in her case, she is naturally academic, was adamant she didn't want to drop back a year and was able to do some work herself, and I do appreciate everyone's circumstances are different. I just wanted to flag that it might not be necessary for him to drop back. Wishing you all the best with the health and educational challenges you are facing.

Thank you. He’s a funny mix - highly motivated in some subjects, but also very dyslexic, can’t spell, issues w attention. I think school will say it’s not necessary on academic grounds (prob right), but missing another huge chunk of social and growing up time, after all the Covid losses, feels really wrong…

I think it depends very much on the young person and the school. A friend of one of my DCs has repeated a year at the same school and it's gone fairly smoothly as far as I can tell. He's had cancer so missed more or less a whole year and came back part time even when he did return. I think it was tough at first but school have been extremely supportive and he settled into their new year group quite quickly, got a very respectable set of GCSEs and is now in 6th form and as far as I know, is thriving.
DC's friend wanted the familiarity of their old school, teachers he knew and who knew him, a familiar environment etc more than he was bothered about being in the year below his original cohort. Others may feel the opposite and I don't think either I right or wrong.
How supportive the school is is probably very important. DC's friend and his parents have been happy with the support they've had which has made a huge difference. They've had pupils in similar situations before which probably helps.
I'd talk to the school and sound them out and also explore what other options there might be if either they're not helpful or your DC decides they'd prefer a change. I hope you find a successful solution.

It was a definite no from the school my daughter had attended , we had had a tutor( 3 hrs per week) from the home school for ill children service and that was seen as comparable to being at school .

@Floralnomad interesting… he will have had quite a lot of hospital school time so they may say similar. I think it’s still worth the ask tho. Were you happy w the outcome for your DD?

Hi OP, I think like other posters have said it really depends on your child and his friendships and his school. We have an excellent remote learning service in my Borough for children recovering or sick at home. You may not.
And the 16 plus aspect may matter as funding is given as 16 to 19 years old. I think I would advise staying in the correct year if he can start GCSEs he will be on a more or less level playing field.
Reading is the massive difference I see between GCSE students, the ones with higher reading ages can learn faster no matter where they started from. I think your lad may need some help there. And I can't recommend audio books enough for dyslexic students. All the vocabulary all the content non of the reading!

Talk to the school, there is provision in the admissions code to educate outside normal age group - not just for summer borns. Medical issue, children joining from another country etc where they would benefit from going back a year. Yes, some schools/academies may push back (often when they have not done it before and don't understand the legislation), but they can do it so push if it's what you feel is best for your child. Hope all works out for you.