School readiness

Normal to worry, especially when we have summer borns! You can consider deferring or delaying their start, if you feel that it would be beneficial? Also, school readiness isn’t often what lots of people assume it to be- I see lots of parents getting children to sit down at tables and fill in workbooks, teaching phonics etc. Great if your child loves that, but that’s not what makes them truly school ready and it’s not necessary in order to start school and thrive. I was a reception teacher for a long time and I’ve only ever had a very small number of children that truly weren’t ready for school. Do you have any specific concerns?

Yes definitely worried. I had planned not to send her next year but having spoken to pre school they were very against me doing that 😩 Also going through an autism assessment. She's not anywhere near potty trained, her communication isn't great etc.

I hope to delay my sons start at school. Facing some push back but hopefully will find a compromise. My son is great with words and that is hiding his struggles with basic everyday transitions. Nursery are only just noticing what I've been seeing for ages. Happy to chat and share experiences 😀

My little girl will absolutely love school and nursery have said she would be ready to start now. But then I fully understand the otherside as just turning 4 seems really young to be starting school

I know my daughter will do great but since she’s started pre school I’ve got the anxiety of her starting as some of the children she will be going up with already seem that much older compared to her being August born 🥺

@Chloe no particular concerns I just feel she’s so young and it makes me feel sad that we will no longer spend days together playing and out exploring. She’s in preschool 3 full days but I feel 5 days a week just feels so much. She’s quite independent but can be so emotional/senditive like if she gets told no by an adult or a child isn’t nice to her she gets so upset which I know can be normal but it makes me feel she’s not emotionally ready if that makes sense

We’re absolutely deferring school for another year, there are now studies that show summer babies always stay behind & as a mid-august baby myself I always felt emotionally very behind all the other kids. There are Facebook groups for flexible schooling for summer born kids, we’ll be doing flexible schooling & deferring. Kids in Scandinavia & Germany don’t start school till 6-7 & do so much better than kids here.

@Claire absolutely! It makes complete sense! Likewise my son is a very sensitive little soul and I do worry most about his emotional resilience!

I think my little boy will be ready because he’s slotted into preschool so well already. I used to be a TA for about 7 years and honestly can’t remember teaching a summer born baby that struggled any more than any other kids. It really does vary from child to child though. Ultimately you know your baby better than anyone and there is still a long time to go yet so they might surprise you 😊

I feel like my son will be ready for school come next September (he is very social, loves playing with children and talking to adult, very aware of the surroundings, can speak well in two languages, fully potty trained for many months, etc) but I still want to wait a year and send him to Reception after he turns 5. Just to give him another year to play and grow, and let him take all important school exams in senior school with an extra year of maturity

It’s a worry but they’ve got a whole year of growing to do still so not thinking about it too much yet!

When deferring you need to look into it carefully cos some local authorities won't hold them back a year and will place them in year 1 and if the school you wanted doesn't have places the following year in year 1 you won't get that school. Also when applying for senior school they could place them in year 8 instead of year 7.

@Nikki is completely right there, I don’t think this is talked about enough. There is no guarantee that your child will be put in reception when they join, in my area the standard process is straight into year 1. When it comes to secondary, again they may be put straight into year 8. It’s not a very joined up process in the U.K.

I was as my son still has a speech delay and is awaiting autism assessment etc but I decided to send him to nursery this year in the same school he will be with next year and the same class friends etc. the first 2-3 weeks he hated it and I was thinking about pulling him out as he’s the youngest in his class etc but now he loves it! He’s coming along leaps and bounds and is now even speaking to me in Welsh as well as English (live in wales) he only goes for 2.5 hours a day so it does worry me next year he’ll be going for the whole 6 hours but I’m sure we will cross that bridge when it arrives! Nursery has deffo helped him (and me!)

@Rosie what is flexible schooling? Do all schools allow deferring x