Summer born baby? Deferral of *reception* place IS possible/a legal right...

[Canteen]

Hi Cactus

No you can defer for a whole year and have your son/daughter start in reception a year later. It's at secondary school the problems start or if you move house.

Sorry if my post was confusing

Cheers

Canteen

[ceebeebee]

I have an August 30th daughter, who is now going into year 4, and is terribly behind. She joined a class of much bigger more advanced reception children, and seemed to decide that she could not compete, so she just got stuck. This is the view of the educational psychologist and the SENCO anyway. If I could have deferred her, I definitely would, although I do know other summer born children who have thrived. It is a massive worry for us, and we have spent thousands on tutoring, assessments etc. I am glad that finally the government is changing its stance, but it will take a long time to filter through the system. I asked our headmistress very recently what she thought, and she had literally never heard of the campaign, or the new policy!

[KM]

Hi all,

I'm absolutely delighted that this has come into place. Sadly my summer born boy missed out on this deferral option, but had we been able to, I *absolutely* would have kept him back a year. My son has just finished year 3, and this has been the first year that he has actually enjoyed school (for enjoyed, I mean he didn't cry everyday at having to go), and we put that down a lot to him having to go to full time school when he was too young and not ready. Although he is friends with all the kids in his class, no matter when their birthdays are, there *is* a huge difference between him and the older children/boys, just because they ARE older (& mostly bigger), they were better at speaking and expressing themselves when they started school so got *heard* more, they got more attention - and that has had a huge impact on how he sees himself and how he is treated, and even how he compares himself to his peers.

He also started in reception in the year that only one point of entry in the September was introduced - a complete waste of time for him - he slept through most of it! I had to collect him from the reading corner where he was fast asleep pretty much everyday during that first term!

...and a note to add, that this does not seem to be the case for the younger girls in his class. School just seems to be much better suited to girls, well to those girls that are able to sit still and listen! MUCH trickier for little boys!

Good luck everyone.

[etta166]

When my son started reception at a 3 form entry school, the older children (sept, oct, nov) birthdays went into one class and the younger ones (July and August) mostly were in a different class. I'm not sure if it was international or just worked out that way, and now that they are going into year 2 they are going to be remixed. The age gap seems not so apparent anymore. I have a March child, so no first hand experience, but this does seem to have helped the younger children to cope with starting school so young and to catch up, both boys and girls.

I still think all children start school too young, and I would love them to all start 2 years later, but I guess there is little hope of that!