School starting age, please advise

pinetree

Hi My son was born the middle of april (quite a few years ago now) but he started school in the january this was the norm at the school to have 2 intakes a year, I would ask the school their advice, all the best

hcb42

Has it not always been the case that kids start school in the Sep of the school year in which they turn five.

Mine and siblings birthdays are all in April, and we all started at 4yrs 4.5 months, although of course the youngest in the class might have only been 4yrs and 1-2 weeks by the time they start in Sep, if their birthday is last day of Aug.

Personally I would let her start - in case something happens with the house move.

pleasedelete

pinetree wrote: »

Hi My son was born the middle of april (quite a few years ago now) but he started school in the january this was the norm at the school to have 2 intakes a year, I would ask the school their advice, all the best

The single point of entry to reception is a new national requirement for all LAs in England. Lots of Las had 1,2or 3 entries. The standard entry in England has now changed to September but you can apply to defer.

A school is not the admitting authority. The LA is. The school may advise on the social aspects of deferring (the school loses financially as they have to hold a place but don't get the funding) but only the LA can discuss and advise on tne place and admission.

FBaby

Whether the LA rules around when reception children start the year, they should have registered for a place the previous school year, so it looks like OP missed this.

OP, I can see your point in leaving your daughter at nursery until you move, so she doesn't have to change schools in year. Just one thing to consider, make sure that there are places available where you intend for her to go as if they have already allocated 30 places for reception children, they could very well turn down a request for Y1 on the basis that the classes are already full.

I made that mistake. Instead of requesting a place in Feb for a year 3 place in the following september after we'd moved, I waited until May (as I wanted him to finish year at previous school). Even though we live only .5 miles from the school, we were turned down because all 35 places had been allocated, including to children who live much further than us. As a result, he now has to go to a school a mile away. No point in appealing, the school has done nothing wrong. He is on the waiting list, but there are 8 children in front of him, which means 8 children living even closer who also didn't get a place there (no need to say we've given up on the chances of him going there, but thankfully, we are fairly happy with the other school allocated but for the fact that it is more of a logistic problem).

nannytone_2

pleasedelete wrote: »

That is no longer the case. Historically LAS had up to 3 points on entry.

Nationally it has now moved to what is known as the single point of entry. This is in September.

Places are now offered from September. You can apply to have the place deferred up until the point at which the child is of statutory school age. Deferment is not necessarily automatic.

this definately isnt the case. In Barnsley they start the feb - aug kids in january. my daughters in laws have a child who was 4 in may, and they have been told the start date is after the xmas holidays. no choice.

Macro_3

Whether it is the policy in the area to start the younger children in September or January, you could have a problem with admissions. The application deadlines were in January for both, so you may have to accept a place at whatever primiary school has a vacancy. Even if you defer until the following September (ie, the term after she turns 5) she would only get a place if they have one - and if the school you prefer is a popular one, they may also be operating a waiting list.

pleasedelete

I have just looked on Barnsley website. They have a single point of September entry for September 2011 anD a process to apply to defer.

Some trust, voluntary aided schools and academies have their own admissions arrangements however this should include September entry.

This was government policy change following the rose review.

spartacusthe1st

moneypanicker wrote: »

I don't understand how you didn't know!

Do you not chat to other parents at the nursery? Surely most of her friends will be leaving to go to school do you want her being in a nursery with children that have just turned 3 when she could be at school with children her own age.

The problem you will have now is that reception places will have already been allocated. It depends on where you live but around this area reception places are at a premium and hardly anyone gets their first choice. They are also restricted with numbers so you can't just get slotted into a school.

If you can get a space at a school i think its up to the school whether they keep the place open to year 1 and legally reception class isn't compulsary...but.... although kids come and go and no doubt she will fit in but the other kids will have been at school for a year learning maths, learning to read and write. Will the nursery be able to provide the input she needs to ensure that she will not be behind in year 1?

My daughter is just about to finish reception class and there are a lot of children in her class that are younger than your daughter would be many are not 5 until august and they are doing the same as everyone else.

same here my daughter will be 5 in august and she started school last september she is one of the youngest in her clas but she was definately ready for school,this time last year i never would have though my 4 year old would be reading and writing before she is 5!:T

Soniclord

Mummy_Jo wrote: »

I think you may be right. My little girl is starting school this September too and we too live out of catchment. I drive them to their school. Is that an option for you? - It may be worth thinking about so that your little girl can settle in easily and quickly.

FIRSTLY,

Sorry for the late replies to EVERYONE.. I don't get any spare time till stupid o'clock in the morning lately. So please bear with me as I've answered almost all the people who replied in this 1 massive post!

Hi Jo,

Thanks for replying, unfortunately driving to school isn't an option, and just out of interest have you managed to get your little girl into a school outside of your catchment area then??

apples1 wrote: »

From the age you have given for your daughter she would be eligible to start school in Sept. It's amazing that you have only just been made aware of this. You should have received a letter last year asking you to select your preference of school. These are chased if not returned. Did you not receive one at all?

I know legally you dont have to put them in school until 5yrs but I imagine nursery funding (your 15hrs per week) would cease between now & then if you didn't.

I agree that it's amazing that we have only just been made aware of it! Basically we lived at our old house (in the village we want to move back to) for almost 2 years and in that time received no such letter asking us to select our preference of school. Nor did we get any such letter chasing up the letter we didn't receive. Very strange indeed.

As for the nursery funding (the 15 hours per week) I don't know if that would stop but I'm going to ring the council admissions department today regarding why I didn't get a letter about which school would be our preference.

pleasedelete wrote: »

You can continue the 15 hours funding which would continue until the end of the term in which she is 5. As she was born in May this would be until the end of of the Summer term.

She would not be with peers in nursery as almost all parents elect for a reception class place. The nursery would have to complete an EYFS profile statutory assessment for her in the Summer term. The
LA would support and moderate this.

This funding you say will continue, re: you mention it would continue until the end of the term in which she is 5, so presumably that would be the end of this Summer?? Or would it be next Summer?

Also we would have elected for our child to go to school as well but it's now getting towards the end of July and apparently we should have registered a place in school for her way back in January this year correct?

Also what is a EYFS assessment?

moneypanicker wrote: »

I don't understand how you didn't know!

Well it's obvious, nobody told us! And before you ask no I didn't think to look it up what with not having experience in such matters.

moneypanicker wrote: »

Do you not chat to other parents at the nursery? Surely most of her friends will be leaving to go to school do you want her being in a nursery with children that have just turned 3 when she could be at school with children her own age.

Actually no I don't chat with other parents at the nursery, and from what I've seen none of the other parents chat to each other either? I simply dropped my daughter at nursery, left, then went back picked her up and that was that.

moneypanicker wrote: »

The problem you will have now is that reception places will have already been allocated.

That I agree is a problem. I will be ringing my Local Authority today to find out what to do now and to find out why I received no letter, nor any reminder letters!

moneypanicker wrote: »

Although kids come and go and no doubt she will fit in but the other kids will have been at school for a year learning maths, learning to read and write.

My daughter can already read and write. She would just get better at it in a school.. As for learning Maths, I did that at school and quite frankly was damn good at it, soooo if she didn't get a place I would make certain she wouldn't be behind.

moneypanicker wrote: »

Will the nursery be able to provide the input she needs to ensure that she will not be behind in year 1?

Maybe, maybe not? But I would ensure she will not be behind.

pleasedelete wrote: »

Just to clarify the last poster. The Reception year is statutory school age (and so compulsory to attend or make other home Ed provision) depending on tne birth date of the child.

Sorry but I'm slightly confused, what is Reception year? Is that basically the 'introductory' year for schools? And if so you said it's compulsory yes? So that means no child can stay in nursery till their 5 years old? Because compulsory means they have to start it. The birthdate of my child is the middle of May 2007 so she will be 5 next May. Does that make any difference to anything as I really don't know?

I'm just looking for clarification on all these things.

pleasedelete wrote: »

The legal school age is the term after the child becomes 5. For some children that will be January and for others not until the next September.

The term after my child becomes 5 is September 2012 then?? Or January 2011? Sorry for sounding so thick when it comes to all of this.

pinetree wrote: »

Hi My son was born the middle of april (quite a few years ago now) but he started school in the january this was the norm at the school to have 2 intakes a year, I would ask the school their advice, all the best

Okay, thanks for replying.

And just to let others know, where we moved to in February this year, there is only 1 school (in our 'catchment' area) and by all accounts it's a shockingly bad school! Just wish we'd have stayed where we are going to be moving back to in the next couple of months!

hcb42 wrote: »

Personally I would let her start - in case something happens with the house move.

I will be contacting my Local Authority later today. But nothing will happen to stop us moving as we will make it happen 1 way or another. There isn't a shortage of houses for rent in the village we want to move back to as it's a fairly big village.

FBaby wrote: »

Whether the LA rules around when reception children start the year, they should have registered for a place the previous school year, so it looks like OP missed this.

I did indeed miss that, as we never received any letters informing us about it, nor did I think to look what with not having experience of such things.

FBaby wrote: »

OP, I can see your point in leaving your daughter at nursery until you move, so she doesn't have to change schools in year. Just one thing to consider, make sure that there are places available where you intend for her to go as if they have already allocated 30 places for reception children, they could very well turn down a request for Y1 on the basis that the classes are already full.

I'll bear that in mind. Thank you.

nannytone wrote: »

this definately isnt the case. In Barnsley they start the feb - aug kids in january. my daughters in laws have a child who was 4 in may, and they have been told the start date is after the xmas holidays. no choice.

Really? So because my child was born in May and will be 5 next May, she would only be able to start in January next year?? I live in Doncaster by the way, not far from Barnsley.

Macro wrote: »

Whether it is the policy in the area to start the younger children in September or January, you could have a problem with admissions. The application deadlines were in January for both, so you may have to accept a place at whatever primiary school has a vacancy.

True, I could have a problem with admissions. As like you say the deadline was January!

As for accepting a place at whatever primary school has a vacancy. That most certainly won't happen. If it's a sh*t school then I'll simply home school my daughter as the only school in my 'catchment' area is by all accounts a very very poor school, one smack bang in the middle of a council estate filled with the scum of the earth, and you can guarantee their kids go there. Not kids I want my child mixing with might I add.

If indeed I can get my child into a good school (albeit at VERY short notice) then I will do that.


And for all concerned (who've replied so far) I found this website http://www.childcaredirectory.co.uk/funding3-4.htm which says,

It is up to parents to decide what kind of early education, if any, is right for their child. By law, children are not required to attend any educational setting until the term after their fifth birthday. The grant is only available until your child starts school.

So what is the term after my childs fifth birthday? Presumably that would be September 2012 wouldn't it? And it also says the grant is only available until my child starts school so 'IF' my child stayed in nursery till she's 5 then the funding would continue??

bestpud

Funding will continue up to the end of the summer term so you are covered if they don't start until September 2012.

I believe there is lots of scare mongering about children missing out from joining school later, but it works fine for many children. Some suggest it is more damaging to send them earlier, so it depends which angle you go for really. I really wouldn't worry either way.

Your problem will be finding a place now, as you know.

Good luck with it.