Move down a school year

[Blomme]

Hello, has anyone had succ with moving a summer born child down a year? If so, how did you do it? I think my child would fit in much better both academically and socially in the year below. He was with some children from the year below in the bubbles after lock down and he thrived.

For a child who has already started school it is unlikely the school and LA would agree. If DS has an EHCP you could try to get it written in there.

How old is your DC? Is this primary or secondary? Does your DC have an EHCP? Is it specialist of mainstream? As AReallyUsefulEngine says, it is difficult once a child has actually started school. It can be complicated. For example if it's MS primary, that could mean the DC wouldn't leave until they were 12 and then it could be difficult to get a secondary to take them into YR7.

If it's secondary then there are issues with them then potentially not finishing until 17 or 19. (Although I believe this can be done, especially with an EHCP in place.)

If your DS is struggling, and they don't have an EHCP, it might be worth considering applying for a needs assessment. That should show where your DS's strengths and challenges are. Do you feel the school are doing enough to support him?

Thanks for the replies. DC is in primary (year 2) and has an EHCP, plus summer born. I'm wondering if it would be possible if he changed school and if anyone has done that successfully? All I hear from the school is how DC will struggle next year both academically and socially, but no alternative has been suggested. It's very frustrating as at least 3 children in the class are a year older (a year 'behind').

If you can get it written into the EHCP, either via getting the LA to agree or appealing if necessary, a change of school doesn’t need to happen - unless of course you want to move.

However, have you considered if moving down a year will actually help longer term and the gap won’t widen again? Given the range of development in schools, a child whose school are concerned they won’t cope socially or academically in their chronological year are probably delayed enough to struggle in the year below. Have you considered specialist provision?

I have considered specialist provision but DC is neither ASD diagnosed (for a school with ASD unit attached) nor learning delayed in the official sense (at least 1 year behind expectation). DC has has lessened the gap over the past 2 years but is still playing catch up. I think he just needs a kinder, smaller environment but that doesn't seem possible.

If DS is academically less than a year behind ARE I think you would struggle to get being placed out of chronological year group agreed. And it doesn’t really fit with the school suggesting he will struggle academically next year as that is within the normal range you would expect within a class.

You don’t need to have an ASD diagnosis or be academically behind for specialist provision. Alternatively do you have any mainstream independents within travelling distance that might work?

We don't have any independent schools nearby that aren't 'hothouses' also we'd struggle to pay the fees. I did find one (froebal school) which looked great, but it's too far and too expensive.
I fear they mean that he won't fit in on the social side. But they did say academic too...

Doesn’t solve the not suitable for other reasons, but you wouldn’t need to pay the fees for mainstream independent, it can be named in the EHCP so the LA pay. It’s the same for independent specialist if you haven’t looked at those.