Starting school at 4 years old

paulineb_2

Some kids arent ready at 4. They struggle and that extra year can make a lot of difference. A relative of mine is a teacher and she says that if kids go too young, it can take them years to catch up.

I went to school at 5, I missed the cut off date to go a year earlier by 2 days. By the time my brother went to school, theres ten years between us and his birthday is 2 days after mine, the cut off date had changed and he went to school at 4. He wasnt ready. He was intelligent but it took him a long time to settle in and hed definitely have benefited from staying that extra year away from school.

Everyone will have different experiences, but I was ready to go to school at 5, some kids arent at 4. Some are, you just need to make a decision and it can be a tough one to call.

Lunar_Eclipse

delain wrote: »

You can defer a year but then your child will start year 1 as an 'outsider' having missed the reception year when a lot of important social stuff goes on.

This in theory, but not in reality at popular schools. The best schools won't save a place for a young child and will have lengthy waiting lists.

Our school did staggered intakes when my girls started and also shorter school days for the younger ones. Autumn born children stayed all day, but Spring and Summer born children left at lunchtime for the first half term of Reception. This was brilliant for DD1 because she found it very tiring.

Don't do anything you're not comfortable with, but know in advance what the potential consequences are.

Lunar_Eclipse

foolofbeans wrote: »

Currently he attends preschool for 3 full days (9 til 3) and loves it but he is very tired.

If he's doing that a year away from starting school, he is probably better prepared than most.

Whilst the form says you MUST apply; clearly you know that's not true. You might opt for private or homeschooling for example.

Having read more of the thread since my earlier reply, I'd apply for school and assess your feelings on it nearer the time.

DigForVictory

It may well be rough on you, but I've seen what our Early Years Unit do & yearned to be that young again. They have a *wonderful* time.

Go and look at schools and explain your concerns. The right school for your lad and you will reassure you & make him eager to be part of it. The new parents will also have plenty to say on the school yard - go & ask!

If he's really not ready at 4, then you & school can have an informed conversation, but now's not the right time to call it.

peachyprice

On the flip side, the first school my daughter went to did staggered intakes, being a summer baby she didn't start reception until the Easter before she was 5.

She then moved schools for the beginning of year 1, that school didn't do staggered intakes, all her year 1 classmates had started the previous September and had a whole school year in reception, she'd had 1 term. She was so far behind them academically, it took at least until the end of year 2 to catch up, she had to work so hard. It's difficult enough for summer babies as it is without holding them back a year.

Alan_T_2

The Scottish system sound marginally fairer where the cut-off date for entering schools is set at the end of February, for a August enrolment. Means that the youngest a child could be would be 4 and a half, though they could equally be aged 5 and a half if their birthday falls on the 1st March. Also the free nursery education of 15 hours a week, with it being delivered in many place in the same building as the school means that kids are way more ready than they were in my day.

DevilsAdvocate1

Slightly different as it was nursery, but I had reasons why I did not want my boys to do nursery every day. The way all the literature was posted made it sound like they had to do the 2.5 hours every day. However, I found out that they could not stop you from sending them less than that. So, during the first week I explained that they would only be doing 3 sessions. There was never any problem with this and by the time I had my third child I think it was fully expected!

My boys are 15, 12 and 8 and are all very sociable and doing well at school. Many people tried to tell me that my boys would miss out by only doing 3 days when everyone else did 5. This has not been the case at all.

Lunar_Eclipse

peachyprice wrote: »

September and had a whole school year in reception, she'd had 1 term. She was so far behind them academically, it took at least until the end of year 2 to catch up, she had to work so hard. It's difficult enough for summer babies as it is without holding them back a year.

So far behind by the end of reception? Wow. How is that even possible? Surely the difference span is just really wide.

Some children will still be figuring out which is their dominant hand and how to read phonetic letters, whilst others are fluent readers and having weekly spelling tests.

specialkthefirst

All children start full time primary school the September term before their 5th birthday

peachyprice

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

So far behind by the end of reception? Wow. How is that even possible? Surely the difference span is just really wide.

Some children will still be figuring out which is their dominant hand and how to read phonetic letters, whilst others are fluent readers and having weekly spelling tests.

Yes, so far behind. I think it was a combination of being a summer baby so she was always going to be behind and missing the first two terms. I was shocked myself, I didn't think it could possibly make that much difference, but there you go.

The school she moved to is a village infant school with small classes and outstanding early years teaching, historically a large % of the children who go there go on to do very well at junior school. Most carry that start through to secondary school too.