What age do they start school?

[oxfordshirecm]

Hi I was wondering if someone could help sort this out in my mind please...

I have a dd that's currently 28 months (was born may 2011) was thinking she would start nursery sept 2014 then school sept 2015 so she will be 4 years and 3 months.

My friends dd is 34 months (was born October 2010) so she will start nursery jan 2014 (first term after she turns 3) then starts school sept 2015 as well so she will be nearly five.

Is this right? Just hard to believe they would be in the same year at school?

[munch149]

The dates they were both born mean they will be in the same school year so think that's right

[lisbet]

Yep. In my child's class there is one child born in September 2006 and another born in August 2007 and yet they are in the same class!

[oxfordshirecm]

Gosh that is very scary and makes me panic a little - thought I would have a little longer before she went to school lol x

[AgentTink]

My own little girl had her 4th birthday 2 weeks ago, she now starts school next Wednesday , yet my Friend who had her little one in the September before I had even got pregnant, well her son is 5 in 2 weeks times and they are in the same class. Feels really strange

[charlottenash]

The way I work it out, if children are born within the same school year eg: (sept 2012-august2013) they will be in the same class. My son is almost 5 and starts school in sept, but his friend has just had her 4th bday party and is in the same class!

[adedwards68]

Most schools take them in the sept of the school year that they turn 5. When my older kids started school they always started the term they turned 5. So one of them had 3 terms in reception, one 2 terms and the other only 1 term

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[clareelizabeth1]

I have known a lot of teachers that plan their pregnancy s so they have them at the start of the school year as it means they are that much older and often cope slightly better.

I was a July baby and definitely not ready to go to school when they wanted me to. A lot of changes happen in a year when children are young. I think schools should be half year intakes instead of full year intakes because of this.

[munch149]

I have known a lot of teachers that plan their pregnancy s so they have them at the start of the school year as it means they are that much older and often cope slightly better.

I was a July baby and definitely not ready to go to school when they wanted me to. A lot of changes happen in a year when children are young. I think schools should be half year intakes instead of full year intakes because of this.

Nursery takes them at different times throughout the year don't they? Maybe reception classes should do this too

[FloraDora]

Interesting document around this subject. Rather long but if you read the intro and conclusion you get an idea of the dilemmas educationalists have in this world of constant assessment.

I have a Sept born child and a summer birth ( I wasn't a well planned teacher!) My summer birth son says the worst thing is when you reach 18 and all your mates have ID and can go for a drink after training and you have to wait nearly a year to join them!

[FloraDora]

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload.../DFE-RR017.pdf

Sorry !

[little chickee]

Remember they do not have to go to school at just turned 4. You can defer them until the following year.

[AgentTink]

Remember they do not have to go to school at just turned 4. You can defer them until the following year.

Me and my partner did look into this, however I feel that we would then be putting her at a further disadvantage as she would have to start school in Yr 1 when the rest of the class would have had a full yr of getting used the school day, and how the rountines work, and everybody would have made their own little friends already. It really has not been a easy decision, and it is so hard to decide which way to go.

We have decided to send her full time come next week, however our little girl is getting reffered for possible dyspraxia and speech and language problems at the present time, and if these reports come back as there being any problems we will then revisit what is best for her. We have alreay talked to the school and they are willing to work with us, and have suggested that if needs be we could have a shorter week if this is what is deemed best, and build up all the year to full time

[CLL]

My son has just had his fifth birthday and is the youngest out of 90 children in his year. Academically he was ready for school and has never struggled but emotionally he wasn't ready. He has had 1 year in nursery and 1 year in reception and he is only just starting to accept going. I like others looked into deferring him for a year but as you can not drop back a year it seemed pointless. There is generally a knowledge gap between September and summer born children and as a former teacher most of our students (not all) who struggled were summer born.

[SJ35]

My daughter was due on 15 th August but didn't arrive til 1st September so is the oldest in her class. It's her 6th birthday on Sunday and then she's starting year one on Tuesday.
It was one of her best friends birthdays this week and she was just turning 5 but is actually ahead of my daughter in reading books. X

[FussyElmo]

I think its down to the child as well. Dd2 was a June baby but more than ready for school academically and emotionally.
Already bring classed as one of the "more able" which I hate as she still is only 5.

Ds1 was a July baby and like your dd Agent tink speech problems and dyspraxia (this wasn't dianogised till he was older). However he enjoyed rimary school emotionally and dealt with change a lot better than some older children. Secondary school is being more of a challenge for him

[loocyloo]

I planned 2 September babies, but lost them both. I now have 2 april babies, both of whom are very able and doing very well at school, as well as socially and emotionally. my friends son is an October babe and really struggles.

I think for some children when their birthday is can have an effect on their learning ( I know another a child who says with a whine ( whenever anything is slightly hard ) '' but i'm a summer baby '' ) but for others it is not an issue.

[AgentTink]

Good to know FussyElmo that your DS1 enjoyed school. I would definately say emotionally my daughter is ready to go, and she is a very bright little spark, but when she does have struggles (such as drawing pictures, or getting into her clothes) she gets so disheartened and so terribly upset, that it breaks my heart because she tries so hard and wants everything to be just so.

She cant wait to go to school as all her pre-school friends are in her same class, and she has not enjoyed being at home with the "babies" over the 6 weeks, luckily for us my 2 mindees sleep for 2 hours every afternoon and i dont work Fridays so these times have been mum and daughter special time so i know she will cope emotionally, but i just worry about some of her other issues, but am just thankful that we may get help for them sooner rather than later x

[FussyElmo]

Good to know FussyElmo that your DS1 enjoyed school. I would definately say emotionally my daughter is ready to go, and she is a very bright little spark, but when she does have struggles (such as drawing pictures, or getting into her clothes) she gets so disheartened and so terribly upset, that it breaks my heart because she tries so hard and wants everything to be just so.

She cant wait to go to school as all her pre-school friends are in her same class, and she has not enjoyed being at home with the "babies" over the 6 weeks, luckily for us my 2 mindees sleep for 2 hours every afternoon and i dont work Fridays so these times have been mum and daughter special time so i know she will cope emotionally, but i just worry about some of her other issues, but am just thankful that we may get help for them sooner rather than later x

Ds wasn't diagnosed till the end of year 3 beginning of year 4 it was an eventful summer holidays :-) When he got to see the occupational therapist she actually asked me how I had taught him to tie his school tie. Because we had practised for 2 years and we never gave up.

Hes 12 now struggling a bit at secondary school with his organisation and certain subjects. English, art is never going to be a strong subject. But is holding his own in pe, graphic, product design. He will get there in his own way and I have no doubt your dd will do too

[maisiemog]

My dd is 5 in two weeks time and starts school next week. My nephew will be 4 on Friday and also starts school this year! Mad! She's more than ready but he will struggle!