Would you defer school entry for one year in my situation.

Caleb11

My son has just turned 4 (born November) and is due to start school next year (2016).

Currently I live in England but will be moving home to scotland in the new year. In England he would be one of the oldest in the year (babies born sept 2011 - August 2012 start next year) by the way the school year works, in scotland he would be one of the youngest in the year (babies born March 2011-feb 2012 start next year)

I have the option to defer his school entry to 2017 possibly as babies born Sept-feb can defer their child starting by one year. They would start with the primary 1s the following year.

He is settled in a nuraery and has a few freinds and a strong English accent. i have a scottish accent as would his school friends in scotland. I've no doubt he would lose the accent in time but it just gives you some backgrohnd.

I have a house in Scotland I am going to try to sell next year and buy a new house at some point in a better location (or rent my house out if I can't sell it and rent a house in the better location) so that I am in the catchment area for the better school. the house is not in a good area and the schools are definetly not the ones I want to send my son to - especially the high schools that they feed into. The two highschools are the two worst out of about 20/25 schools in the council area.

If I defer his school entry until 2017 then he would be able to get settled into a new nursery near the school I want him to go to. I would be able to buy a house/rent a house near the school I want him to go to. He would hopefully meet new friends to go school with. He might lose his accent so less likely to be singled out. And he would be the oldest in his year.

So what would you do?

Lily-Rose_3

I think kiddies of that age are very adaptable, and I can't see any need to defer his starting school.

I think it could be detrimental to him actually.

I mean, there is also a possibility that your move may be delayed/not go ahead.

I wouldn't do it. Just let him start school when he's meant to. re; the accent, kids of 4-5 are not going to notice anyone's accent. My little nephew didn't even notice/acknowledge that a lad who started his class in September was black! (Or didn't care. ) At that age colour and accent and class simply doesn't matter. Shame that doesn't last for many!

peachyprice

Absolutely not. It can take years and a lot of hard work to make up for the missed year in reception.

The first school my daughter went to had 3 intakes a year, September, Christmas and Easter, being a summer baby (July 31st) she didn't start until the Easter. She then started a new school in Yr1, this school only had one intake a year in September, she was so far behind the rest of the children who had already had a full school year to her one term. By the end of KS1 she was still behind, by the end of KS2 she'd just about caught up but nowhere near her potential.

It's easy to say 'oh they don't do much in reception' but they lay the foundations to learning in a way that just doesn't happen in nursery.

If I'd know then how much hard work it was going to be for my daughter I never would have sent het to her first school with an Easter intake, in fact very few schools do that now because it is such hard worl for the children to catch up.

christineperseus

If you have him in a different year - it will cause problems in secondary school when playing football/rugby and if you join a club he will be in a different age group to his peers.

Caleb11

It seems to be different in Scotland. It's actually quite common for younger kids to hold off until the following year to start school. They don't have reception. It is only primary one. He wouldn't actually miss any school years at all.

They only start at one time - all children start in August. He would simply start August 2017 and would go into primary 1. If he starts in August 2016 he would still go into primary 1.

He wouldn't miss any school years. Only delay it.

The information online States -

"In Scotland, the school year begins in mid-August. Any single school year group consists of children born between the beginning of March in one year and the end of February the following year. Children born between March and August start school in the August of, or following, their fifth birthday. Those born between September and February start school in the August prior to their fifth birthday. As such, children in Scotland usually start school between the ages of 4.5 and 5.5 years old.

However, parents of children born between September and December can request to defer their child's entry to the following August."

Lily-Rose_3

Caleb11 wrote: »

It seems to be different in Scotland. It's actually quite common for younger kids to hold off until the following year to start school. They don't have reception. It is only primary one. He wouldn't actually miss any school years at all.

They only start at one time - all children start in August. He would simply start August 2017 and would go into primary 1. If he starts in August 2016 he would still go into primary 1.

He wouldn't miss any school years. Only delay it.

The information online States -

"In Scotland, the school year begins in mid-August. Any single school year group consists of children born between the beginning of March in one year and the end of February the following year. Children born between March and August start school in the August of, or following, their fifth birthday. Those born between September and February start school in the August prior to their fifth birthday. As such, children in Scotland usually start school between the ages of 4.5 and 5.5 years old.

However, parents of children born between September and December can request to defer their child's entry to the following August."

Nevertheless, don't do it. Just don't. It will affect his education and his progress; possibly for years. Possibly for his whole school life. Why would you want him to be a year behind?

Don't do it.

Also, if you're deferring it til August, that is virtually an academic year behind.

Caleb11

It would limit his progress? Why would that be? He would actually be in front in my opinion. He would be one of the oldest in the class so hopefully his performance would show this. He wouldn't need to catch up with anyone or anything.

He wouldn't be a year behind at all. It's the option of one of the youngest vs one of the oldest in the class.

skattykatty

It sounds like deferring is what you want. So do it.

From what I understand from your explanation, it won't make any difference. He's not missing a school year and, from what is commonly accepted, older children do better than younger ones overall.

I don't think 'accent' is an issue at that age at all. Anyway, if you're already in Scotland for a while before he starts school, his accent will probably have changed already.

Do what feels right for you and your son.

GwylimT

Educated in Wales intake is different, my son was a June baby so I held him back and he started reception when he was four (normal age three at Welsh medium schools), so he was also a year older in his secondary school.

It greatly effected his progress as he simply wouldn't have coped with just turning three and started school, so his progress was very good. He is now a doctor in an A&E department.

Our daughter was born 1st September so being schooled in England she was five when she started reception, our youngest is an August baby so he will be starting a year late when he is five.

Counting_Pennies_2

My daughter is an August baby.


I campaigned for deferrals when she was at pre school, but sadly this has come too late.


The only way I could defer was for her to miss Reception and start in Year 1.


She is massively behind her peers. If I had the chance and deferrals were offered enabling her to start reception the year later I would have done so.


Only you know your child.

Mojisola

Caleb11 wrote: »

It would limit his progress? Why would that be? He would actually be in front in my opinion. He would be one of the oldest in the class so hopefully his performance would show this. He wouldn't need to catch up with anyone or anything.

I would hold him back as long as the nursery he is going to is still stimulating him.

We start children in formal education far too early in the UK.