Child not being offered place in Reception

powie69

I'm interested in the comments posted, as my son is currently in Year 2 of school and his birthday is on the 20th August. He is one of the top in his class for reading and writing, and has got lots of friends.
I do not think it really matters when your child's birthday is in the academic year, as long as they are happy and getting any help they need at school.

shimmershelly

An article was on the news the other day about this
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/dec/07/summer-babies-school-policy-report

My youngest was born mid August and my oldest in September with two years in age between them but only one school year.
In my experience it depends completely on the child. My august born child has never struggled, in fact has always been top of his class, in maths especially. He is now being accelerated at senior school which effectively puts him in the same school year as my oldest and they will take their GCSE's at the same time, although he is almost two years younger.
He would have been climbing the walls if he had to wait until 5 to start school, he was ready to start that sort of learning at 4.

tiamai_d

Huh. My DS1 was a September baby and so is one of the oldest in his class. Even at that he really could have done with starting the following year. He didn't really 'get' school till Primary 2. Now he is in P3 and doing very well, but his first 2 years were wasted as he tried to catch up/keep up.

It depends on the child.

ps, he could also count to 20, say the alphabet, knew shapes and colours etc. The school setting just did not suit him. Infact, school put him off writing completely.

Spendless

tiamai- why's your September born son eldest of class when you're in Scotland. Thought they worked on a different intake year (March-Feb).

I agree with it depends on the child. One of the cleverest children in ds's year is an August born girl.
I have a September birthday and resented that I was always suppossed to be 'ahead' of my peers due to being older.

nixinix

katym79 wrote: »

hi, sorry to crash in - but is this true? my DD was born 30 August 07, so of course shes still only 15 months but do you think she will suffer from being the very youngest in the school year? i'm dreading leaving her at the school gates already......!:eek:

My Dh b'day is 30th August and he (now 34) still complains about being the youngest in the school and how he had a year less education than all the others.....he does feel he missed out and his mom was told she was 'cruel' not to have put his birth date as 1st Sep on his birth certificate, by a teacher.

BUT I think if you are ready for this and you make sure your LO is ready and support them they will be fine - my MiL had no idea about this at the time if she had she would have made sure it worked IYSWIM. I wouldn't worry just be pro-active.

MY DH is also dyslexic and so had other issues at school so this might need taking with a pinch of salt!!

tiamai_d

Spendless wrote: »

tiamai- why's your September born son eldest of class when you're in Scotland. Thought they worked on a different intake year (March-Feb).

I agree with it depends on the child. One of the cleverest children in ds's year is an August born girl.
I have a September birthday and resented that I was always suppossed to be 'ahead' of my peers due to being older.

Everyone had the sex at the wrong time of year??? Don't know. Last year he was 4th eldest out of a class of 30odd.

blackcoffee

I think the title of this post has been worded incorrectly ?

In our childrens borough they accept children the school year they are 5. where we live they are accepted full time the year they fall 4. we chose to go out of catchment to send our childen to school, not for that reason however.

I dont understand anyones desire to want to send thier child earlier ? my children are November & December babies, and I have never seen it as holding them back.

A lot of it comes down to how you treat your child at home. one of my sons closest friends is an AUgust baby, his parents have held him back, they treat him like a baby, when my son rode his bike on 2 wheels, they suggested it was 2 soon,when he started football they said the same. However that same child tho probably the brightest child in the class, certainly lacks emotionally in some aspects, he is the youngest of 3, where as my son is the eldest of 3. another August child in my sons class told my son that Father Christmas isnt real !! I was hopping mad !!! she may be young for the year, but having only one other sibling of 17 ... omg !!!!

blackcoffee

ZINXYX wrote: »

Hi,
I was wondering if any one has had an experience like this and how he/she dealt with it.My daughter was born in Oct'05 and because of that she will not be offered a place in reception in Sept 09 because she will not be 4 but 3 yrs and 11months. She did not get a place in Nursery for this same reason.
I feel so frustrated with the system.What can i do? I have been teaching her at home; she counts numbers from 1-20, Alphabets,knows her shapes, colours and a fair bit more.
Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks.

I thought once a child was 3 they qualified for nursery hours, in my childrens case it is the term after they are 3 ? we have multiple inakes though the year, and it is a small school.

if the class is full then you have to wait for the september after as the class may be full, or they may only have one intake. anycase your daughter will definalty have a nursery place sepetember 09 and reception place September 10. i think you have been applying too early.

i

skintchick

missjennipenni wrote: »

People actually avoid having babies in August so that their child is not the youngest in the school year! Older children preform better, so let your DD enjoy another year at home & nursery having fun before sending her to school in 2010, when she will probably do well

Oops. I didn;t know this before getting PG. I wanted a summer baby. Mine is due end of July! Oh well, I went to school early and was top of my class - let's hope Bubba takes after me! :rotfl:

DON79

I have the exact same issue. DS1 born in July and will be the youngest, and he is small and petite (he is in the same size clothes as ds2 who is 14 months younger). I am dreading taking him to school and leaving him.

DS2 born in September and can't get his nursery place til Sept 2010 as the nursery i want them to go to does only one intake per year. My only concern with him is when he will actually stop shuffling about on his bottom and actually walk - he is 15 months old.

So have got both sides - one will be youngest and one will be oldest.

But then my OH was the oldest in his class and I was one of the youngest in mine.