Has Anyone's Child not got a place at their preferred primary school?

caz2703

I know my son will have the same number of years in education but he'll be 10 or 11 months behind kids that were born in June/July (sorry can't remember the cut off date). I've never actually seen any statistics regarding the age a child starts school and given the state our education system could be in if it gets ruined any further then starting school at 5 could be more beneficial.

I also have a step-daughter who didn't turn 5 until the end of her P1 year and from what I've seen there isn't as much free play as there was when I was in school - or so it seems. I'm gob-smacked what they learn these days especially when in P2 she can accurately describe dinosaurs and life cycles of some animals! Back in my day it was playing in sand pits!!!

I hope all those who were hoping for good news got it and forgive me if I've side-tracked the original topic.

beccam

Didn't get out first choice school

I'm more disappointed for DD as all her wee friends have got in and she was the one decided she wanted to go there, however she did get second choice which is something and it's still a good school....besides she'll only be there until feeding into Strandtown.

As for the cut off/birthday thing....DD has a November birthday which works great as she got 2 yrs in pre school nursery and is neither the youngest or the oldest in the class.
However bump is due on 14th June so he will be one of the youngest in his class and I can only hope he does OK starting school at 4yrs 3mths, however that is a long way off yet!!:)

blueberrypie

caz2703 wrote: »

II've never actually seen any statistics regarding the age a child starts school

There's masses of evidence that starting later results in higher literacy levels, better exam results, all sorts of other good things. I won't sidetrack this thread any more (I hesitated about posting on it in the first place, given that it doesn't affect us LOL) but if you'd like me to point you towards some of the research, pm me :-)

spendaholiceejit

Yeah I am pretty sure I read quite a few Stats last year when my English friends were sending their (then 3 year old August babies) to pre-school/receptions. Also, statistically NI has better exam results at GCSE than the English and Welsh counterparts, so we definitely must be doing something right in terms of the way we run our schools.


Anyway, I have digressed. It's a parent's choice to do what they feel is best at the end of the day.

neveranymoney

Hurrah! Got the letter yesterday, now I've just to wait for the secondary school placement for the other child - two brand new uniforms to buy, the joys!!

Ex-Spendaholic

Beccam, if you don't mind me asking which nursery did your DD get 2 years in? I ask as my own DD is a late October birthday and I have applied for most of the East Belfast nurseries but didn't hold out much hope of getting a place this year. Your daughter having a Nov birthday and getting in has given me hope.

beccam

Ex-Spendaholic wrote: »

Beccam, if you don't mind me asking which nursery did your DD get 2 years in? I ask as my own DD is a late October birthday and I have applied for most of the East Belfast nurseries but didn't hold out much hope of getting a place this year. Your daughter having a Nov birthday and getting in has given me hope.

She got 2 yrs in McArthur nursery (lower Newtownards Road) they take quite a few younger ones each year.

I hadn't actually applied for it, I had been told that Sandbrook in Sydenham would be one to try but didn't get a place there and was offered McArthur instead.

Would highly recommend it, didn't know anything about it before sending DD but she has loved it so much and we've been really pleased through all her time there, will be sad to leave it now!:o

Found out today about lots of people who didn't get their preferred places in the East Belfast area....particularly in the Strandtown feeder primaries (Greenwood, Belmont and Dundela) apparently it came down to the last metre distance from house to school!

Ex-Spendaholic

Thanks Beccam. I didn't put that one on the list - never thought of it. I did put a whole load down and then beneath them wrote that I would consider anywhere in East Belfast.

Thats a real nightmare with the P1 places. Looks like house prices are set to rise then in the area around Strandtown. :eek:

leftieM

blueberrypie wrote: »

There's masses of evidence that starting later results in higher literacy levels, better exam results, all sorts of other good things. I won't sidetrack this thread any more (I hesitated about posting on it in the first place, given that it doesn't affect us LOL) but if you'd like me to point you towards some of the research, pm me :-)

The research, although strongly supporting your argument, is inconclusive as they haven't done any studies within the same country so they can't allow for social and cultural influences. You can't deny that a child from a 'deprived' background might under-attain whether they started school at 4 or 6,whereas as a child from a middle class background might attain whatever the school starting age.
That said I'm with you - 4 is too young to start formal education, particularly for boys. As they say, you can't turn a child on to education by pushing them too early but you can turn them off it.
As for those anxious about primary places - you can put yourself on a list for a place later in the year or reapply for P2. People move all the time and places come up regularly, even in the popular schools.

Enemies.Closer

Anyone got any idea whent the pre-schools letters arrive?