School Starting Age

[Laura29]

Hi ladies, can anyone give me some advice or guidance on this or anyone had this happen too?
My little boys birthday is 30th August
He is 3 this August and I put his name down for a local school today to which I was panicked straight away that he will actually start school next year!
He will have turned 4 years old and be starting school 5 days later full time with 5 year olds : (
This really worries me
To look at him now he is still a baby and I just can't imagine my baby at school next year : ( x

 

[Jajis]

My son's birthday is 3 August, so slightly older than yours, but will still only be four years one month when he starts school next year. I cannot get my head around it because like you say, he's still my baby

I've read that you can defer, because legally I don't think they have to start school until the term after they turn five, which for our two would be a year later, but I think how easy it is to do this depends a lot on your local education authority.

Also, you've put him down for a school already?! I thought the primary school applications were done from the November before they start, so I wouldn't be doing it until November this year... unless that varies by location as well? Eeeeek

 

[Laura29]

Thanks hun
My friend who lives in my village told me to get his name down because the places fill up quickly and better to show interest early than later
: ( makes me sad and didn't really want to do it because it's just upset me now thinking of my baby off to school next year : (
X

 

[Serenede]

if your child doesn't start school until Sept 2016 you don't need to fill out the application form until the end of this year and has to be in by 15th Jan 2016. If you submit a form for school entry before Sept/Oct 2015 it will be rejected as your child is not old enough to be considered for a place. You can also defer a place until the following year but most schools will then take your child in to year one and they will miss the foundation year.

 

[Mrs M]

Erm, I'm not actually sure how you have applied for your school position already? You have to do it 1 year before they start, and you have from Sept to mid January.

However, a little reassurance.... my birthday is August 28th and I managed just fine! I was a chartered accountant by the age of 24, so having a late birthday never held me back!

 

[Jajis]

Erm, I'm not actually sure how you have applied for your school position already? You have to do it 1 year before they start, and you have from Sept to mid January.

That's what I thought, I'm dreading it already...

However, a little reassurance.... my birthday is August 28th and I managed just fine! I was a chartered accountant by the age of 24, so having a late birthday never held me back!

Thank you, but sadly my son has the double whammy of an August birthday and being male, so he's doomed to failure... as I've been told (in slightly different words ) several times since my son was born

 

[JJ Mum]

I was a july 23 rd bday and really needed an extra year at school, got good gcse grades a year later from college paid for by my job - was really pleased to have my son in october, others are jan, jan, feb and march!

stupidly Ive fallen preg with a august 28 th dd baby!! I will have to have a section - prob 38/39 weeks so no way i'm going over, but tempting to push for it! Can't believe it!

Guess it depends on the child how they do but it's unfair. I didn't know about the option of delaying them, that sounds mean too as they will be to their peers in the wrong year?

 

[Jajis]

Guess it depends on the child how they do but it's unfair. I didn't know about the option of delaying them, that sounds mean too as they will be to their peers in the wrong year?

Well if we delayed my son a year then he would just be the oldest in his year group rather than one of the youngest, and we'd do it before he started school so he wouldn't know any different.

A girl in my sister's year was held back a year after she had started because her parents decided she needed it (and her birthday was the very last day before the cut off point for the next intake), which I do think might cause upset because all her friends moved up a year and she didn't so had to make new friends etc.

 

[Laura29]

Hi,
I've not filled out any paperwork or anything he just has his name on the list for a call in August / September for us all to go have a look round the school
My friend works at the school and she said it's better to get your name on the list sooner rather than later
Scary really scary : (
Feeling a little better about it having talked to people and having your comments thanks all x

 

[Mrs M]

Are you sure that if you defer they start in reception? I was under the impression they would start in Yr 1. I was given the option to do this for DD, her bday is Dec, and I could have delayed it until the January.

Guess it depends on the child how they do but it's unfair. I didn't know about the option of delaying them, that sounds mean too as they will be to their peers in the wrong year?

Well if we delayed my son a year then he would just be the oldest in his year group rather than one of the youngest, and we'd do it before he started school so he wouldn't know any different.

 

[Jajis]

Are you sure that if you defer they start in reception? I was under the impression they would start in Yr 1. I was given the option to do this for DD, her bday is Dec, and I could have delayed it until the January.

Guess it depends on the child how they do but it's unfair. I didn't know about the option of delaying them, that sounds mean too as they will be to their peers in the wrong year?

Well if we delayed my son a year then he would just be the oldest in his year group rather than one of the youngest, and we'd do it before he started school so he wouldn't know any different.

I know you can defer their start so that they are still in the same year group (but that wouldn't help with being the youngest in the year, and would mean everybody else had already made friends before they start), but I've also read that you should be allowed to apply the following year so that they start in reception, just a year later. Apparently at the moment it seems to depend on the area you live in because some areas are happier to accommodate it than others.

 

[Louise2013]

Reading this with interest as we are due a 22nd of August baby.

 

[Laura29]

Yeah I think all schools are different
The local school we want him to go to doesn't have reception they go straight in at YR 1
I know a lady that has twins that will be in my lo's year and they turn 5 on the 3rd September so my LO will be 4 and 4 days old and they will be 5 years old
Just can't get my head round it its bar 4 days a whole years difference that's a whole years brain development
I just fear he will fall behind and it won't be his fault : ( x

 

[inky]

Hi, just wanted to offer a bit of reassurance! My sons birthday is 16th August, and I had all of your worries since pretty much the day I found out I was pregnant! I know it depend son the child but in my sons case it hasn't been a problem at all. He turned 4 last August and started school 3 weeks later. To make matters worse we moved house 5 days before he started so he didn't have the advantage of knowing anyone from nursery either.

Whilst it's obvious that he's younger when you look at him compared to the older ones, his teacher says his work and social skills are excellent and that he's doing very well. He's reading, writing, doing sums, he was in the Christmas play, and has made so many friends he looks forward to going to school every morning, and races into his classroom as soon as we get there.

Being an 'August boy' hasn't doomed him to failure, he's thriving

 

[Louise2013]

Hi, just wanted to offer a bit of reassurance! My sons birthday is 16th August, and I had all of your worries since pretty much the day I found out I was pregnant! I know it depend son the child but in my sons case it hasn't been a problem at all. He turned 4 last August and started school 3 weeks later. To make matters worse we moved house 5 days before he started so he didn't have the advantage of knowing anyone from nursery either.

Whilst it's obvious that he's younger when you look at him compared to the older ones, his teacher says his work and social skills are excellent and that he's doing very well. He's reading, writing, doing sums, he was in the Christmas play, and has made so many friends he looks forward to going to school every morning, and races into his classroom as soon as we get there.

Being an 'August boy' hasn't doomed him to failure, he's thriving

Thanks Inky, that's lovely to hear.

Bizarrely, the early years don't worry me. It's actually when they hit 11/12/13 and the older kids hit puberty sooner; sounds crazy I know as of course that is never guaranteed, but the physical differences for boys can be so intimidating and I just remember the younger year boys in school really struggling. But hey, long way awY yet with plenty of time for me to just accept it! xxxx

 

[JJ Mum]

My age gap will be 21/22 mths between my baby 5 and this august baby 6 due
But they will be just a year apart in school years, the same as two of my older kids with just 13 mths gap, just seems madness!

 

[hayes]

Ho ladies I know this is a bit of an old thread but wanted to just give sum advice if any is useful. I work in childcare. My sil n best friend r both teachers of reception. U can not apply any earlier than allowed by law no school can guarantee a place there shud b no lists it doesn't work Like that. Even attending the school nursery will not guarantee a place.

They don't have start school untill the term I believe before they turn 5 they have no legal rights to start before so it is up to you if u wish them to. I know that the reception teachers understand how hard it is n every individual child n age will b taken I to account.

my friends lo stated last Sept she was only 4 late July. She has attended mist days fall days but sometimes her mum felt she needed a half day or day off that is also allowed n no fine can b given as she isn't legally at school yet. So u can go with the flow a bit. Altho I highly recommended speaking to the schools in your Area about this n talking to them about how they help n encourage the little ones.

My lo will b born in Sept. I find this just as bad as both my nephews r Sept birthdays n one is so ready for school n can't legally go untill he is 5.

It is a minefield depending on birthdays, but u as the parent will always have the last say in ur child n in my opinion most if them r ready because if the nursery hrs that have received before. But go with ur instincts if u think they need more time at home that's fine too.

Hope some of it might have been helpful.

Michelle.x

 

[hayes]

Sorry that shud say after they turn 5 not before!!!

Michelle.x

 

[Hoping for no2]

Hi,
I've not filled out any paperwork or anything he just has his name on the list for a call in August / September for us all to go have a look round the school
My friend works at the school and she said it's better to get your name on the list sooner rather than later
Scary really scary : (
Feeling a little better about it having talked to people and having your comments thanks all x

Do you live in England hon? If so it won't make any difference to have your name down as it's the local authority that allocate school places (not the school) and places are allocated based on the eligibility criteria. You will need to fill out the application form and submit between nov and jan as others have said. X

 

[mummywanabe]

My son will have also just turned 4 when he starts primary school it's daunting but I think he's ready for it, they're very good at adapting to change