Starting school earlier? 10 November 2014 at 9:53PM in MoneySaving mums 16 replies 3.4K views

omas

Hi, my DD2 was born on 3rd of September 2011, so she missed admission cut off date for 2015/2016 by three days. Is it possible she will start reception class in 2015 or do I have to wait to 2016. My DD1 was born on 26/12/2005 and she started school in September 2009, so she wasn't 4 years old yet. Now I tried to apply online for a school place, but been told she is to young. Is there any way around, like talk to school/council or what else can I do?
Thanks

Spendless

omas wrote: »

Hi, my DD2 was born on 3rd of September 2011, so she missed admission cut off date for 2015/2016 by three days. Is it possible she will start reception class in 2015 or do I have to wait to 2016. My DD1 was born on 26/12/2005 and she started school in September 2009, so she wasn't 4 years old yet. Now I tried to apply online for a school place, but been told she is to young. Is there any way around, like talk to school/council or what else can I do?
Thanks

Were you living in a different area of the UK with DD1? Also when you talk about 'school' do you mean Nursery or Reception year?

Your DD2 should start school September 2016, as that will be the September following her 4th birthday.

In many places your DD1 would have started full time school in Sept 2010 which would have also been the September following her 4th birthday. I am aware that there's some areas of Wales where they do go full time the September following their 3rd birthday, though it is still classed as nursery and not reception. If you don't live in an area that offers this, I am unsure why your eldest would have gone to f-time school aged 3.

notanewuser

Spendless wrote: »

Were you living in a different area of the UK with DD1? Also when you talk about 'school' do you mean Nursery or Reception year?

Your DD2 should start school September 2016, as that will be the September following her 4th birthday.

In many places your DD1 would have started full time school in Sept 2010 which would have also been the September following her 4th birthday. I am aware that there's some areas of Wales where they do go full time the September following their 3rd birthday, though it is still classed as nursery and not reception. If you don't live in an area that offers this, I am unsure why your eldest would have gone to f-time school aged 3.

They go full time from their 3rd birthday in some schools here (South Wales valleys.). It's too young.
Some schools have a January intakes but DD's didn't (October birthday) so she's just gone. She was 6 weeks off her 4th birthday.

It's usually nursery from the term/September after their 4th birthday and reception from the term following their 5th birthday.

michbright

Having had 2 summer babies and 1 autumn baby, I would say to let her go when she's older. My DD born in October started Reception when she was almost five, settled in quicker and started learning quicker than her younger sisters did. My DD2 started Reception just after she turned 4 (born end of July) and only really started to show her full potential in Year 2. She's now in Year 4 and seems to have caught up but it's not been easy for her. DD3 (born end of June) is still getting there in Year 1. Those extra few months really make a difference.

sulphate

If you do have to wait the "extra" year, whilst it might be a pain for you, it may be beneficial for your daughter long-term. It's quite widely accepted that summer born children sometimes struggle in the early years when they first start school. Obviously, that's not to say that September babies will definitely do better than August babies but your daughter may well be oldest in the class and you may find this puts her at a slight advantage.

[Deleted User]

We've got a Sept 6th baby (2011 also..) and we're expecting him to start in the nursery attached to his future reception school next september, with 'proper' school starting in 2016.

On the plus side, the eldest in the year do seem at a considerable advantage for the first few years.

Janepig

notanewuser wrote: »

They go full time from their 3rd birthday in some schools here (South Wales valleys.). It's too young.
Some schools have a January intakes but DD's didn't (October birthday) so she's just gone. She was 6 weeks off her 4th birthday.

It's usually nursery from the term/September after their 4th birthday and reception from the term following their 5th birthday.

Mine started full time the September after their third birthdays (April and December). Nursery class attached to their primary school. I disagree that it was too early . I guess it might be for some and not for others.

Reception class starts the September after they're four, and year 1 starts the September after they're five so legally a child could skip nursery and reception and start school in year 1 (and yes I know they don't legally have to go to school at all!).

Jx

cr1mson

I wouldn't be rushing to send my child to school but appreciate circumstances may mean you have to. #2 was born in January which means here in Scotland she could go at 4.5 or 5.5. After speaking to a variety of people we chose to send her at 5.5.

mumps

My first went at 4 years 10 months, second at 4 years 9 months, third at 8 years 9 months and 4th at 7 years 8 months. I think the later the better and wish I had kept them all at home till 8 or 9.

They all went to grammar school, all went to university, all got firsts, two have post grad qualifications, just wanted to add that in case anyone thought they would lose out by being at home longer. In the end they all did well but the younger two had more of a childhood and lots of fun with mum.

gayleygoo

It depends on the school and what the class is like, but younger children may struggle with academic school. A P.1. class that has lots of play, crafts and less formal learning may suit a younger child more.

In N.Ireland, summer babies start school at age 5, the rest at age 4. My August-born daughter was very much ready for school when she started at age 5, and has never had any trouble with the workload. My end-of March born DS is one of the youngest in his class and it broke my heart to peel him off my legs sending him to school, I don't think he was ready. He has accepted it, but I think the learning curve is huge for his age - they don't do any learn-by-playing, like they did in nursery.

Anyway, to get back to the OP's actual question, it might be possible to get a place if the school is not over-subscribed. Children who legally are supposed to start school will always get preference though. If you think she is ready for school and would actually benefit from it a year early (although many studies show that children who start later, around age 7 even, tend to do better in the long term), you could try to prove that to the council.

NoAngel

My DD was born on 1st sept and I wondered the same thing but I've been advised that they are generally at an advantage to wait the 'extra' year.