Starting school but just 4 days a week?

[busymum]

My eldest daughter who was 4 in June, is starting school in September (state primary) but I would quite like to keep her at home with me and her younger sibling 1 day a week. She has never been in full time childcare and so 5 days could be too much for her and 4 years old still seems quite young, Is anyone else doing this? I briefly mentioned the idea to the teacher who advised me that full time education wasn't compulsory until 5, and we discussed the option of 2 half days. Having given it some more thought a 4 day week would be better all round, for my daughter but also for me and my youngest. Presumable if parents can choose to do some half days before child is 5 years old then a 4 day week would be acceptable to the school?

Has anyone got any experience of this, or maybe you have decided to do something similar? were the school helpful or did the school put up any barriers.

[Renata Hamvas]

This is the first year when primary schools are taking in one main primary intake in September. In previous years, most primary schools in Southwark had two intakes, September (Sept-Feb birthdays) and January (March to August birthdays). Some local authorities split their intake into three, and children joined term by term. As your child has a June birthday, she legally not required to start school until Easter. This means if you wish your daughter could start school in January and stay in Nursery until then, or go part time as you are thinking of doing. As this is the first year, I'm not really sure how schools/parents are going to respond to this. Reception is the linking year between nursery and KS1 it forms part of Early years with Nursery, so classes tend to have a nursery nurse plus teacher.

For those of you with boys.

Boys often don't develop pencil control (development of wrist muscle control) until they are close to aged 5 (around 9 months later than girls, I've been told by a Head of Early Years). So don't worry if your summer birthday son can't write his name and draw recognisable illustrations. This is a new national policy.

Renata

[ladywotlunches]

My son is also a June birthday, but has just turned 5 so started school in January this year (as they still had the 2 intake policy). Last year I had the opposite problem as I really wanted him to start in September as he was so ready. But there was no flexibility that way.

I don't know about 4 days a week, but if the school is happy then try it. All I would say is that if your daughter is the only one in the class not there one day a week, it might break the continuity a bit. At my son's school they do have some specific things to do on certain days (PE, French etc) and it might be a shame if she misses out.

Finally, I would say that my son has loved EVERY SINGLE MINUTE of his first year (he's at Fairlawn). He just got a glowing report, and in the 7 months since January, has learned to read, and his writing is unrecognisable from when he started (when he could just about write his name and letters, but didn't really know how to put them together)

Do what you think is best, but do also take some guidance from the school. In this year I have realised that while I do know my son best, the teachers do this kind of thing year in, year out, and can give an invaluable second opinion which I don't think should be discounted.

Good luck.

[Fuschia]

The school may worry how the funding will work but I think technically it would count in part as a deferred place, for which they should be able to claim

[chantelle]

i think you'll have trouble getting a school to agree with this and they would see it as a persistent absence. i don't think most schools formally offer half days either. good luck though! My son will have just turned 4 for 2012 (late July birthday) but I don't really see a better option than just getting him in with the rest of his class that year.

[Fuschia]

chantelle Wrote:

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> i think you'll have trouble getting a school to

> agree with this and they would see it as a

> persistent absence. i don't think most schools

> formally offer half days either. good luck though!

> My son will have just turned 4 for 2012 (late July

> birthday) but I don't really see a better option

> than just getting him in with the rest of his

> class that year.

Although the school may not have come across it before, I see no reason why it wouldn't be allowed within the rules (part place taken up, part deferred)

[chantelle]

maybe, but they push back even on nursery hours - i.e., you must take up the full 15 hours on five days for three hours a day, and not opt of Fridays for example.

[ladywotlunches]

Although it may technically be possible, I agree with Chantelle that trying for an 'a la carte' approach to school might not be the best option for Busymum's daughter. Probably every other child in her class will be starting on a full time basis, and doing something different at this young age may make her stand out from the crowd when she doesn't want to. My son is always very aware of when children in his class are away - and of those that are sick more than others!!!

BM - you mentioned it would be easier for you to do a 4 day week. Yes the school run takes some getting used to. With a small baby myself I know what you mean about fitting in naps/stuff for them, drop offs and home times. But that's just school life and it will be that way for the next 12 or so years! I think, if there really is no way she can go full time, it would be better for her to defer fully until you feel she is ready to go to school. Maybe while everyone else is still settling in, you could do slightly fewer hours still and spread the settling in over a longer period?

That said, talk to the school about their settling in process. Fairlawn does have a very extended settling in period, over 3 weeks. Again this isn't the most convenient for families, but has resulted in everyone in the class loving school. (or helped anyway).

Edited to say - which school is your daughter going to attend? Someone may be able to help with some specific info ...

[Fuschia]

chantelle Wrote:

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> maybe, but they push back even on nursery hours -

> i.e., you must take up the full 15 hours on five

> days for three hours a day, and not opt of Fridays

> for example.

The nursery provision is different rules though. A school can keep a full time reception place open for your child (deferred entry) and receive funding for it so I see no reason why a part deferment wouldn't be possible

As far as thd nursery grant goes, the mechanism

Is quite different and there is no obligation on a provider to offer flexible provision for that

[Fuschia]

Herts advice - http://www.hertsdirect.org/csfsb/hccsb/469/16607932?view=CSFSBStandard

I am not commenting on whether it's wise ... But it is possible

[cuppa tea]

This is an article you may find interesting

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/schools/best-of-both-worlds-the-new-trend-of-flexischooling-1976414.html

I would say it depends on the school as to whether it's possible or not. I've not looked into it fully though.

I am considering deferring my son's place until he's 5, as he just seems so young for school...especially compared to some of the girls. Also considering home-educating for a year or two, but it's scaring me a bit!

[katgod]

Obviously everyone has different views as to what's best for their child. But I would strongly recommend going to look at the school again, and talking to parents who have children coming to the end of reception. Reception really is pretty gentle. Most schools allow reception children free access to the outside. There are no desks in the way you probably remember. Children move freely from one activity to another. They maybe spend half an hour on reading and writing each day, the rest is learning through play. To be honest I am/was a sceptic about learning through play, but it works, they learn by osmosis somehow. Your 4 year old will not be stuck at a desk for 7 hours. He or she will be playing in the sandpit/wendy house/on climbing frame/with water/lego/paint learning loads and having a lot of fun. I would think very carefully about depriving my child of all that, plus the new friendships that they will make.

[cuppa tea]

"I would think very carefully about depriving my child of all that, plus the new friendships that they will make."

I don't think I would really consider a child spending time at home as 'depriving' them. It depends what it's like at home...

[katgod]

Will have to agree to disagree. Our home is fine thanks, with lots of books and toys and love. But keeping my 4 year old at home would be depriving her of the different range of activities and experiences and viewpoints she can get at school.

[cuppa tea]

Yes it's a minefield this discussion. The OP was only talking about 1 day at home a week. I can understand that. A four year old is not going to miss out by staying home 1 day a week. I suppose it depends on where your viewpoint is, like you say. I think that kids learn a lot more on a 1 to 1, rather than in a class of 30 kids per 1 teacher and a couple of class room assistants. 4 years just seems really young to me. My son is socially not ready for it. Who is he going to learn these things from?....other 4 year olds who are also socially not very adept?

I am sure your home is lovely. I didn't mean to imply a criticism. It's just that you can make your home as equally as stimulating as a classroom, with the benefit of the kids having total freedom. Any 'freedom' in a classroom, is unfortunately an illusion.

[ladywotlunches]

My son is on his last day in reception, and it has been a revelation for me, he's done so much growing up in just a few months. All of it enjoyable. Yes they do get bumps and knocks, and pushed around sometimes (and viceversa!), but I think its part of the journey of growing up. Social skills can be learnt in the classroom from other 4 and 5 year olds - indeed, like any kind of language, they will be picked up quicker by being immersed in the environment rather than just taught the theory.

The OP, I think, wanted to know thoughts on an 80% week at school, rather than deferring completely, which is a different decision. My thoughts are based on seeing the relationships emerge at school, and that's why I said I think its probably better to go completely full time, rather than just take one day at week off.

One final thing. The school starting system, with joiners essentially in September (with variations by term along the way) has been the same way in the UK for as long as I can remember. We have all grown up just fine. My other half is a late August birthday, went to school when he was 4 and a few days, and left when he was still 15. He did vocational training, went on to get a degree, post grad qualification (which is more than me he delights in telling me!) and is doing very well in a professional career. He had no problems at school (other than his birthday being in the holidays when everyone was away!). There does have to be a cut off at some date.

My second child is a September birthday, which at first I thought was lovely as it's seen as 'good' to be old in your class. But now I wish she'd been a bit earlier - I've got a whole extra year of her at home, and I know she'll be desperate to go to school as she'll see her brother going every day!! :))

[Fuschia]

ladywotlunches Wrote:

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>

> One final thing. The school starting system, with

> joiners essentially in September (with variations

> by term along the way) has been the same way in

> the UK for as long as I can remember.

Actually, 2011 is the FIRST year of a new system where there is no January intake for Summer born children.

[JessM]

Why don't you just see how it goes? There's no point worrying too much about it now. If she seems to struggle then you can try the 4 day week, but she might enjoy it and want to go every day! You can't really tell before she starts. By all means make plans, but don't set them in stone. Think of the 4-day week as a contingency plan for if she can't cope with a full week, and be prepared to be flexible.

My son is still 3, he'll be 4 in August, and he's starting in Spetember too. I am way more worried about it than him, he can't wait!!

[ladywotlunches]

Yes, that's what I meant by "variations by term along the way". And not all LEAs have had this option. Fact is, if you have a child in September, it is long established they will be the oldest in the year. If they are born in August, they will be the youngest. What I'm saying is that it has been like this for a LONG time, and it all comes out in the wash. There really isn't much point in adding to the anguish that goes with being a parent by worrying too much about something that just is.

[ladywotlunches]

Great advice JessM - I think that's the way to go. And don't worry too much about your son. If he's keen already, he's going to love it!

[Belle]

It is (or was in my day anyway) different in Scotland (just in regards to the cut off point mentioned above). Cut off point when I was at school was end of Feb (school term started a little earlier than here, in Aug). This always struck me as v sensible as meant everybody was at least 4.5. Though completely accept some are more ready than others - my husband was like your's, ladywotlunches, literally just 4 when he started school and always says how it did him no harm - yet I can imagine other characters, e.g. my brother or even my little boy, would not necessarily have coped so well with starting at that age. I think ultimately these decisions need to take into account the individual child.

[Moos]

Completely agree with lwotl, Belle & others. My brother & I are July kids, never crossed our minds that we should consider ourselves at a disadvantage. Our August cousin on the other hand was held back a year (I think aged about 8?) and his mother said it was a great decision for his confidence, happiness & academic achievement. We're all now adults, relatively compos mentis and holding down jobs.

[Fuschia]

Although there is solid and consistent evidence that Summer born children underachieve compared with other children (and the effect is still noticeable even at gcse age!) I think the Rose review which led to the new dongle point of entry might have concluded that the effect would be reduced by giving the children the same amount of education, rather than admitting January or Easter

The age of school admission snd initial curriculum remains controversial if you compare the uk with scandanavian countries ...

[Moos]

Dongle point of entry?

[Belle]

Fuschia have you be iphoned again? ;-) think poss F meant 'single' point of entry, Moos.