holding back an academic year

[????'s Mrs]

Does anyone have any experience of holding their child back an academic year? This isn't for a child going into reception, she is already in in school (about to go into year 2). She is a very late August baby and has a statement of Special Educational Needs.

I wondered if anyone could advise whether it is possible to repeat Yr 2 if she needed to? Southwark have been useless in providing information on this, they have just said to contact the school (which I will do). Wondered if I could go armed with any information, when I do contact them, and also interested in feedback if anyone has approached their childs education in this way - positive or negative.

Thanks

[vesti]

Good outlining of the issues here -

http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.32819

My understanding is that such an arrangement has to be agreed by the local authority and as such would probably have to be agreed at your child's annual review and you may need evidence/support from an EP.

You would need to be really clear on what the benefits would be for your child.The summer born argument doesn't usually work as it's a situation many parents and children are in, the reality is there has to be a cut off point.

I don't know that there's much (UK) evidence that being held back a year makes a great deal of difference and it has to be balanced against a child's self esteem (taken out of year group, away from friends and then going in to school every day with knowledge you are in a class where all the other children are younger than you).How will your child feel seeing all their current peers in year 3 when she is year 2 - again?

Most schools would say that a child's needs are catered for by differentiating the curriculum. If a child is unable to access a mainstream school curriculum with a differentiated programme then school may suggest that parents need to explore special school options too.

What is the school's policy on having children out of their chronological year? Is there a place for your child to be able to retake Year 2? Many schools have a policy of NOT taking pupils out of year.

It can get really complicated come Secondary placement. Secondary schools are a lot stricter than primary schools on the whole out of year thing and you may well end up either transferring your child into Year 8 straight from Year 6 or having to think about your child leaving primary school at the end of year 5 to be able to go into year 7 (I worked in Lambeth for years and had a no. of difficult situations with children out of year group on secondary transfer).

Best, Jane

[espelli]

In my experience this decision is made by the Headteacher.

A practical consideration would be whether there is a space in the other class, as legally class sizes in Key Stage 1 are limited to 30 children per teacher.

I've taught children who have spent some time each week in a class in a different year group as the provision in the other class was more suited to the needs of the child, and even with the best will in the world, if a child's needs are significantly different - and particularly if they are social or developmental - the capacity to meet them, even with differentiation is limited in a mainstream classroom. However, these arrangements were with year groups that were more than one year apart (eg Year 3 age child visiting Reception) and they were children who were on the SEN register but who did not have statements.

As your daughter has a statement, and presumably has additional adult support hours within that, it may be worth discussing with the school how spending time in a different year group may help her to achieve her targets - particularly if they are social in nature and if she is operating at a developmentally younger stage than her peers. For example spending time with other children who are at a similar developmental phase can help develop social skills in a way that spending time 1:1 with an adult cannot.

Schools do have the flexibility to do it, but in my experience it takes a brave headteacher who is prepared to explain their decision to the local authority etc.

[????'s Mrs]

Espelli, this is very good advice and I will absolutely look into this option. Thankyou.