Do I keep my son back a year?!

[SuzeGreen]

My son has Autism and is 4 in August so is one of the youngest in his class at nursery. He is due to start reception September but compared to the other children in his class including Autistic children he is the smallest and althought he is very academic I think he would struggle. His social skills need a lot more development. His statement is in the process of being written and its summary states he will need to be in an environment where the staff to pupil ratio is high. So im trying to decide do I keep him back a year which Senar have said i can, or do i send him to a resourse based school or continue with my choosen school and see how he gets on. x

If he is happy at nursery and a statement is being written with provision that the nursery will be able to meet - I would keep him back. He is so young to start school irrespective of his SEN. Having said that, you may want to make an appointment to discuss your son with the SENCo at your allocated school - they may be able to best advise you. Also see what the nursery think?

I have had a meeting with the new school and they seem very helpful and i think they would meet his needs as they would get funding for help with him. His nursery are very helpful too and have offered to have him either til Christmas and let him go to reception a little later or keep him for another year until he seems ready and has caught up with the other children.

I asked a psychologist this same question about my ds, also aged four. It's a bit different because we are not in the UK and he has verbal dyspraxia, not ASD. He seems far younger then his peers. His teacher had suggested he stay down a year but the psychologist said that because he is very bright, he should not be held down because this will cause frustration for him.

Exactly it is very difficult to decide. At 4 they are so young, my nursery have suggested he stays until christmas and then starts receiption in the new year. This in theory sounds great so i am swaying towards that thought. My son is very bright but again with the date of his birthday he so still so young compared to the other childrens in his year so a year behind would make him the eldest and therefore still clever and maybe have a head start :/ x