starting school

[Guest guest]

<<> Isn't there a rule that waiting until you are

> a little bit older should be allowed (or is that just if you wait and

> then enter at a higher level). Has anyone done >>

I may be wrong here and the law may have changed but I have friends who have a

child that is born on August 31st. she also had meningitis when she was only 6

months old and this set her back a while but when she was due to start school (2

years ago) her mother wanted to be allowed to leave her one year and she was

told this was not possible she simply did not have the choice (even though her

gp actually backed her that it would be better for the child to wait 1 year) but

she ended up starting school the school year that she was " due " to start.. At

the time my friends said that there was a move to change the law on this but I

don't know if this has happened yet (this September it will be 3 years since she

started school and thankfully she is doing fine) but you could ring your local

CAB and ask them they will be able to put your straight on this situation.

Lonnie Phoebe & Eloisa's mama

& expecting a Christmas delivery...

My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what you

start.

So far today, I have finished 2 bags of chips and a Chocolate cake.

I feel better already.

[Guest guest]

<<> Isn't there a rule that waiting until you are

> a little bit older should be allowed (or is that just if you wait and

> then enter at a higher level). Has anyone done >>

I may be wrong here and the law may have changed but I have friends who have a

child that is born on August 31st. she also had meningitis when she was only 6

months old and this set her back a while but when she was due to start school (2

years ago) her mother wanted to be allowed to leave her one year and she was

told this was not possible she simply did not have the choice (even though her

gp actually backed her that it would be better for the child to wait 1 year) but

she ended up starting school the school year that she was " due " to start.. At

the time my friends said that there was a move to change the law on this but I

don't know if this has happened yet (this September it will be 3 years since she

started school and thankfully she is doing fine) but you could ring your local

CAB and ask them they will be able to put your straight on this situation.

Lonnie Phoebe & Eloisa's mama

& expecting a Christmas delivery...

My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what you

start.

So far today, I have finished 2 bags of chips and a Chocolate cake.

I feel better already.

[Guest guest]

> Isn't there a rule that waiting until you are

> a little bit older should be allowed (or is that just if you wait and

> then enter at a higher level). Has anyone done

A friend of mine has done this with her daughter (after a late diagnosis of a

hearing impairment and she was very young for the year) but that was in

Scotland where the rules are probably different.

Lynda

SAHM to (8), (5), Fraser (3), Callum (15/5/00)

Newsletter editor, Mid-Northumberland Branch

Area Rep, Region 7

www.familygarland.co.uk

[Guest guest]

Legally your child does not have to start school until the term AFTER

they are 5, so if you have a summer baby they could miss reception

year and start in Yr 1, if the school are prepared to hold a place for

you that is. There appears to be no negotiation possible on starting

your child in Reception a year " late " . Personally I wouldn't be keen

to start a child at just over 4 in a class of 30 when good nurseries

provide exactly the same learning opportunities but in a much greater

staff to child ratio (Carys is in a class of 8 with three adults).

Our school are fine about her starting part time in January or full

time from summer term but not keen about her not starting until yr 1

as they lose money this way). As she's such a sunny, sociable

character I have no doubt she will be just fine but will probably

defer her place until the January. For Kieran it was a very different

kettle of fish and we very nearly did keep him out of school until

year 1. Having seen Emma move schools twice I have no doubt that they

are more than capable of joining a class late and still making

friends- indeed they change friends hourly at this stage so can't see

the social advantages of them going to school early. Having said that

I do have friends with children in larger playgroups where they all go

off to school together in September and I think in that situation I

wouldn't want my child to feel left behind.

I was chatting to a Norwegian mum on holiday and she was saying that

they don't start until 6 over there and she thought that was too

young. Having seen the struggle that some of the boys in Kieran's

class have had to " conform " to the female teacher's expectations of

what " good " children should do I'm more and more with the school of

thought that says start the girls early and leave the boys as late as

possible.

Lesley

ANT, tr BFC, Mother, Wife, Friend, Mender of Broken Hearts,

Keeper of Secrets, Chauffeur, Cook, Maid, Writer. Overweight, Over

thirty, Over here in Worthing..

" Believing Oneself to be perfect is often the sign of a delusional

mind! " Star Trek.

Re: Starting school

> <<> Isn't there a rule that waiting until you are

> > a little bit older should be allowed (or is that just if you wait

and

> > then enter at a higher level). Has anyone done >>

>

> I may be wrong here and the law may have changed but I have friends

who have a child that is born on August 31st. she also had meningitis

when she was only 6 months old and this set her back a while but when

she was due to start school (2 years ago) her mother wanted to be

allowed to leave her one year and she was told this was not possible

she simply did not have the choice (even though her gp actually backed

her that it would be better for the child to wait 1 year) but she

ended up starting school the school year that she was " due " to start..

At the time my friends said that there was a move to change the law on

this but I don't know if this has happened yet (this September it will

be 3 years since she started school and thankfully she is doing fine)

but you could ring your local CAB and ask them they will be able to

put your straight on this situation.

> Lonnie Phoebe & Eloisa's mama

> & expecting a Christmas delivery...

[Guest guest]

At 13:24 07/07/2001 +0100, you wrote:

><<> Isn't there a rule that waiting until you are

> > a little bit older should be allowed (or is that just if you wait and

> > then enter at a higher level). Has anyone done >>

When Emma was about 2.5 and started preschool (stop me if you've all heard

this before), I knew she wasn't up to speed on her social skills. I

mentioned it to her Preschool teachers and we discussed holding Emma back

from school a year. Her birthday is mid July and it didn't seem fair that

a child, already struggling with the social niceties, should start school

when she was 4 yrs and 2 months. We kept monitoring the situation and I

discussed it with the primary school. Our options were

a) start Emma when she was 4 years and 2 months, in Reception.

hold her back a year, keep her in preschool (which they were happy to

do) and start her a year later at 5yrs and 2 months but in Year 1.

This sort of defeated the object as I wanted to start Emma in Reception at

5yrs and 2 months but that was the only option i was offered.

We came to a compromise and my aim was to start Emma part way through the

year in Reception, with the cooperation of her preschool and primary school

teachers.

As it was at Easter, she suddenly made a huge leap forward and was becoming

bored with preschool. At that point we had a parents evening with her

preschool teachers and they advised me that Emma would be fine especially

considering the primary school we had a place for.

So Emma started Primary at 4yrs and 2 months, in a class full of young four

year olds. In fact as it turned out the class she went in to were all

under 4 and 6 months, Emma being about halfway along the ages (if that

makes sense).

Now we moved to Cyprus this Easter, and Emma is now in a class of 33

children, mostly much older than herself. She is further behind than any

of them, but we have discussed this with her teacher and it appears they

completed the Autumn term with 19 children in her class, meaning that these

19 are much further advanced than the rest. Emma is, not unexpectedly,

somewhere near the bottom of her class, but taking her age into

consideration (5 next Thursday) her teacher is pleased with her progress.

And I would say that Emma is coping fine actually, bearing in mind she has

had to cope with changes in her routine, bedtime, friends, home, parental

status (i.e. she has both in the same country now). And this is coming

from the mother who was seriously considering home schooling if I couldn't

get my own way with the school and didn't feel Emma was ready for school.

Oh and don't hold your breath but Emma has had dry knickers for a whole

month now (absolutely amazing). I think it was the accident she had on the

school bus that finally did it. And she tells me that children who are 5

don't wear nappies at night - so you never know...

Sieue

--

All quiet here now

[Guest guest]

At 13:24 07/07/2001 +0100, you wrote:

><<> Isn't there a rule that waiting until you are

> > a little bit older should be allowed (or is that just if you wait and

> > then enter at a higher level). Has anyone done >>

When Emma was about 2.5 and started preschool (stop me if you've all heard

this before), I knew she wasn't up to speed on her social skills. I

mentioned it to her Preschool teachers and we discussed holding Emma back

from school a year. Her birthday is mid July and it didn't seem fair that

a child, already struggling with the social niceties, should start school

when she was 4 yrs and 2 months. We kept monitoring the situation and I

discussed it with the primary school. Our options were

a) start Emma when she was 4 years and 2 months, in Reception.

hold her back a year, keep her in preschool (which they were happy to

do) and start her a year later at 5yrs and 2 months but in Year 1.

This sort of defeated the object as I wanted to start Emma in Reception at

5yrs and 2 months but that was the only option i was offered.

We came to a compromise and my aim was to start Emma part way through the

year in Reception, with the cooperation of her preschool and primary school

teachers.

As it was at Easter, she suddenly made a huge leap forward and was becoming

bored with preschool. At that point we had a parents evening with her

preschool teachers and they advised me that Emma would be fine especially

considering the primary school we had a place for.

So Emma started Primary at 4yrs and 2 months, in a class full of young four

year olds. In fact as it turned out the class she went in to were all

under 4 and 6 months, Emma being about halfway along the ages (if that

makes sense).

Now we moved to Cyprus this Easter, and Emma is now in a class of 33

children, mostly much older than herself. She is further behind than any

of them, but we have discussed this with her teacher and it appears they

completed the Autumn term with 19 children in her class, meaning that these

19 are much further advanced than the rest. Emma is, not unexpectedly,

somewhere near the bottom of her class, but taking her age into

consideration (5 next Thursday) her teacher is pleased with her progress.

And I would say that Emma is coping fine actually, bearing in mind she has

had to cope with changes in her routine, bedtime, friends, home, parental

status (i.e. she has both in the same country now). And this is coming

from the mother who was seriously considering home schooling if I couldn't

get my own way with the school and didn't feel Emma was ready for school.

Oh and don't hold your breath but Emma has had dry knickers for a whole

month now (absolutely amazing). I think it was the accident she had on the

school bus that finally did it. And she tells me that children who are 5

don't wear nappies at night - so you never know...

Sieue

--

All quiet here now

[Guest guest]

> Legally your child does not have to start school until the term AFTER

> they are 5, so if you have a summer baby they could miss reception

> year and start in Yr 1, if the school are prepared to hold a place for

> you that is.

But of course many schools, especially those which are perceived as " good "

schools and therefore popular, will fill their roll with September starters and

then tell you there is no space for your child to start late. And some

authorities have new starters each term as a matter of course while others have

one intake in September. So much depends on where you live.

> Personally I wouldn't be keen

> to start a child at just over 4 in a class of 30 when good nurseries

> provide exactly the same learning opportunities but in a much greater

> staff to child ratio (Carys is in a class of 8 with three adults).

That isn't the situation here. Fraser is at a state nursery in a class of 24

with one teacher and 2 nursery nurses. When he goes into reception he will be

in a class of 30 with a teacher, one nursery nurse and often a parent helper -

a worse ratio, but not drastically. The learning opportunities are certainly

not the same for us either. At nursery the children just play - structured

much of the time, but often free play - and do " crafty " type activities such as

painting, model making, cooking etc. They do no formal number or letter work

at all until their final term before school and then they just do a bit of

Letterland a couple of times a week. I am quite happy with this but I would be

very concerned about leaving them in this environment for an extra year and

then expecting them to go into a Year 1 class where all the children have had a

full year of " the 3 R's " . Again I suppose it depends on what is available in

your area.

> I'm more and more with the school of

> thought that says start the girls early and leave the boys as late as

> possible.

Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!

Lynda

SAHM to 4 boys, delighted to see the back of them in the mornings :-))

[Guest guest]

> Legally your child does not have to start school until the term AFTER

> they are 5, so if you have a summer baby they could miss reception

> year and start in Yr 1, if the school are prepared to hold a place for

> you that is.

But of course many schools, especially those which are perceived as " good "

schools and therefore popular, will fill their roll with September starters and

then tell you there is no space for your child to start late. And some

authorities have new starters each term as a matter of course while others have

one intake in September. So much depends on where you live.

> Personally I wouldn't be keen

> to start a child at just over 4 in a class of 30 when good nurseries

> provide exactly the same learning opportunities but in a much greater

> staff to child ratio (Carys is in a class of 8 with three adults).

That isn't the situation here. Fraser is at a state nursery in a class of 24

with one teacher and 2 nursery nurses. When he goes into reception he will be

in a class of 30 with a teacher, one nursery nurse and often a parent helper -

a worse ratio, but not drastically. The learning opportunities are certainly

not the same for us either. At nursery the children just play - structured

much of the time, but often free play - and do " crafty " type activities such as

painting, model making, cooking etc. They do no formal number or letter work

at all until their final term before school and then they just do a bit of

Letterland a couple of times a week. I am quite happy with this but I would be

very concerned about leaving them in this environment for an extra year and

then expecting them to go into a Year 1 class where all the children have had a

full year of " the 3 R's " . Again I suppose it depends on what is available in

your area.

> I'm more and more with the school of

> thought that says start the girls early and leave the boys as late as

> possible.

Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!

Lynda

SAHM to 4 boys, delighted to see the back of them in the mornings :-))

[Guest guest]

As I understand it, from my sister who is a primary deputy head, a school cannot

refuse to defer a place for a year *if they are the closest school to you*. If

there is another school geographically closer to you, they can.

I think the trick is to apply for a place in September, get accepted and then

tell the school you are deferring for a year. Haven't tried it myself, so can't

say if it works, but could be worth a try ;o)

Alison

But of course many schools, especially those which are perceived as " good "

schools and therefore popular, will fill their roll with September starters

and

then tell you there is no space for your child to start late. And some

authorities have new starters each term as a matter of course while others

have

one intake in September. So much depends on where you live.

[Guest guest]

As I understand it, from my sister who is a primary deputy head, a school cannot

refuse to defer a place for a year *if they are the closest school to you*. If

there is another school geographically closer to you, they can.

I think the trick is to apply for a place in September, get accepted and then

tell the school you are deferring for a year. Haven't tried it myself, so can't

say if it works, but could be worth a try ;o)

Alison

But of course many schools, especially those which are perceived as " good "

schools and therefore popular, will fill their roll with September starters

and

then tell you there is no space for your child to start late. And some

authorities have new starters each term as a matter of course while others

have

one intake in September. So much depends on where you live.

[Guest guest]

Oh I wasn't suggesting they knocked around at home ))

>

> > I'm more and more with the school of

> > thought that says start the girls early and leave the boys as late

as

> > possible.

>

> Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!

>

> Lynda

> SAHM to 4 boys, delighted to see the back of them in the mornings

:-))

>

[Guest guest]

I started at 4 but was never ahead of my year group so maybe they kept

me in juniors an extra year (tiny village school and no real " classes "

so I wouldn't have noticed. I was like this too, taught myself to

read was doing work with the " leavers " ie the ones doing 11 plus when

I was 8. The system just doesn't have the flexibility these days, I

think most schools have trouble just managing " normal " admissions

without trying to accommodate those who want their children to start

early or late. Shame really.

To: nct-coffee >

Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 12:23 PM

Subject: Starting School

> Debbie wrote:

> but at around age of 8 was getting bored in school,

> not sleeping etc., and my parents believed it was due to my finding

things

> too easy at school (can't remember myself :-)) - my Dad is a teacher

so I

> suppose had some experience in these things. Anyway, the upshot is

that I

> was moved ahead a year - and stayed that way for the rest of my

school life.

> So got O's at 14, A's at 16, degree at 19 (well nearly 15, 17 and

20) etc.

>

> Me too, was so bored I got a bit disruptive, and had a crummy

teacher who couldn't spell as well as me and I kept putting my hand up

and sarcastically saying 'Please sir, you don't spell it like that...'

Mind I had a reading age of 14 or 15 at age 7, having learnt to read a

book on my own by about 3, so got moved up a year and was in the top 3

of the year above but it was harder to be No 1 and stay there (in the

days when it was considered good to be competitive and graded).

Stayed that way till I left school. I was going to Uni after working

a year, but the money was too good, still not got there....

>

> There were a couple of others in my year that were moved up too, and

I think it was a relatively common practise in those days.

>

> Miranda

> www.twinkleontheweb.co.uk

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I started at 4 but was never ahead of my year group so maybe they kept

me in juniors an extra year (tiny village school and no real " classes "

so I wouldn't have noticed. I was like this too, taught myself to

read was doing work with the " leavers " ie the ones doing 11 plus when

I was 8. The system just doesn't have the flexibility these days, I

think most schools have trouble just managing " normal " admissions

without trying to accommodate those who want their children to start

early or late. Shame really.

To: nct-coffee >

Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 12:23 PM

Subject: Starting School

> Debbie wrote:

> but at around age of 8 was getting bored in school,

> not sleeping etc., and my parents believed it was due to my finding

things

> too easy at school (can't remember myself :-)) - my Dad is a teacher

so I

> suppose had some experience in these things. Anyway, the upshot is

that I

> was moved ahead a year - and stayed that way for the rest of my

school life.

> So got O's at 14, A's at 16, degree at 19 (well nearly 15, 17 and

20) etc.

>

> Me too, was so bored I got a bit disruptive, and had a crummy

teacher who couldn't spell as well as me and I kept putting my hand up

and sarcastically saying 'Please sir, you don't spell it like that...'

Mind I had a reading age of 14 or 15 at age 7, having learnt to read a

book on my own by about 3, so got moved up a year and was in the top 3

of the year above but it was harder to be No 1 and stay there (in the

days when it was considered good to be competitive and graded).

Stayed that way till I left school. I was going to Uni after working

a year, but the money was too good, still not got there....

>

> There were a couple of others in my year that were moved up too, and

I think it was a relatively common practise in those days.

>

> Miranda

> www.twinkleontheweb.co.uk

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Miranda wrote

There were a couple of others in my year that were moved up too, and

I think it was a relatively common practise in those days.

> >>>>>>>>>>>>.

I was moved up at junior school and took and passed my 11+ early. I

was an October baby so went from one of the eldest in my class to one

of the youngest. I hated grammer school and could not wait to leave

at the Easter when I was 16 having taken my O-levels the year before.

I am waiting for DS1's school report which should come out next week

to see how he is getting on. He is the top reader in their class and

only has 6 more boxes to go before he had finished the whole reading

scheme. As the scheme is supposed to go on to year 6 and he is year

2 I am always concerned that he may find the work too easy. It has

not yet been a problem.

Next year he will be in a class with the Year 4's (yrs 3+4 together)

so will always be able to work with the year 4's.

Trisha

SAHM to 3 boys

[Guest guest]

Miranda wrote

There were a couple of others in my year that were moved up too, and

I think it was a relatively common practise in those days.

> >>>>>>>>>>>>.

I was moved up at junior school and took and passed my 11+ early. I

was an October baby so went from one of the eldest in my class to one

of the youngest. I hated grammer school and could not wait to leave

at the Easter when I was 16 having taken my O-levels the year before.

I am waiting for DS1's school report which should come out next week

to see how he is getting on. He is the top reader in their class and

only has 6 more boxes to go before he had finished the whole reading

scheme. As the scheme is supposed to go on to year 6 and he is year

2 I am always concerned that he may find the work too easy. It has

not yet been a problem.

Next year he will be in a class with the Year 4's (yrs 3+4 together)

so will always be able to work with the year 4's.

Trisha

SAHM to 3 boys

[Guest guest]

wrote:

> I can't help thinking that it would still be better to have more

than

> one intake a year. I live in Cambs where all children start in Sept,

> whereas not far away in Essex my nephews and nieces have an

> intake at the start of each term.>>>>>>>>>

I asked this at our school and was told that it was far better for

the children to have a full year in the Reception class.

As it happens DS2 (5th birthday last Friday) did settle well into

school and age for age (rather than achedemic year times) achieves

just about the same. It is just that he cannot be bothered to make

the effort to do good work.

Trisha

SAHM to 3 boys

[Guest guest]

wrote:

> I can't help thinking that it would still be better to have more

than

> one intake a year. I live in Cambs where all children start in Sept,

> whereas not far away in Essex my nephews and nieces have an

> intake at the start of each term.>>>>>>>>>

I asked this at our school and was told that it was far better for

the children to have a full year in the Reception class.

As it happens DS2 (5th birthday last Friday) did settle well into

school and age for age (rather than achedemic year times) achieves

just about the same. It is just that he cannot be bothered to make

the effort to do good work.

Trisha

SAHM to 3 boys

[Guest guest]

Sadly this is changing now - our village school (Essex) used to do 3

intakes (one each term), but last Sept was the first year it was all

or nothing and everyone had to start in Sept.

You can delay, but then they do not guarantee a place will be

available when you want it. I don't think many people are prepared to

take that chance so they have to over a barrel really.

Fortunately it won't actually effect my DS as he would start in Sept

anyway.

Todman

Treasurer, Stansted Branch (R5)

Mum to , 3½

> I live in Cambs where all children start in Sept,

> whereas not far away in Essex my nephews and nieces have an

> intake at the start of each term.

>

> Love

[Guest guest]

Sadly this is changing now - our village school (Essex) used to do 3

intakes (one each term), but last Sept was the first year it was all

or nothing and everyone had to start in Sept.

You can delay, but then they do not guarantee a place will be

available when you want it. I don't think many people are prepared to

take that chance so they have to over a barrel really.

Fortunately it won't actually effect my DS as he would start in Sept

anyway.

Todman

Treasurer, Stansted Branch (R5)

Mum to , 3½

> I live in Cambs where all children start in Sept,

> whereas not far away in Essex my nephews and nieces have an

> intake at the start of each term.

>

> Love

[Guest guest]

Sadly this is changing now - our village school (Essex) used to do 3

intakes (one each term), but last Sept was the first year it was all

or nothing and everyone had to start in Sept.

You can delay, but then they do not guarantee a place will be

available when you want it. I don't think many people are prepared to

take that chance so they have to over a barrel really.

Fortunately it won't actually effect my DS as he would start in Sept

anyway.

Todman

Treasurer, Stansted Branch (R5)

Mum to , 3½

> I live in Cambs where all children start in Sept,

> whereas not far away in Essex my nephews and nieces have an

> intake at the start of each term.

>

> Love

[Guest guest]

> I started at 4 but was never ahead of my year group so maybe they

kept

> me in juniors an extra year (tiny village school and no real

" classes "

> so I wouldn't have noticed<<

My sister was just 2 weeks off of being 5 when she started school

(23rd Sept birthday) and did 3 yrs in infants, I started at 5yrs 4

mths (being a May birthday) so only did 2 yrs infants. I guess that

was the way it was done back then. Don't think it made a lot of

difference the fact that she did one year more than me, mind you, she

did get more O levels than me, hmmmmmm..........................

Lorraine

Mum to 10, Natasha 8, 5, ph 3

[Guest guest]

Well the time is finally here. Eilish start's 'big girl' school on Monday. her

cough is better and she's doing well. I'm really hoping that she won't be hit

with something straight away, being in a class of 25 odd kid's. What can you

do though, have to let them live their life. She is so looking forward to it.

I on the other hand am worried and looking forward to it at the same time.

Liam 8 wocf & Eilish 4.11 wcf

[Guest guest]

Best wishes from me to you .......and I know that she will just love it!!

once you get used to it, you will love it. All the fun things she will do &

learn....they love to learn & see new things. best to you all

LOVE & HUGS, grandmomBEv

starting school

Well the time is finally here. Eilish start's 'big girl' school on Monday.

her cough is better and she's doing well. I'm really hoping that she won't

be hit with something straight away, being in a class of 25 odd kid's.

What can you do though, have to let them live their life. She is so looking

forward to it. I on the other hand am worried and looking forward to it at

the same time.

Liam 8 wocf & Eilish 4.11 wcf

[Guest guest]

Best wishes from me to you .......and I know that she will just love it!!

once you get used to it, you will love it. All the fun things she will do &

learn....they love to learn & see new things. best to you all

LOVE & HUGS, grandmomBEv

starting school

Well the time is finally here. Eilish start's 'big girl' school on Monday.

her cough is better and she's doing well. I'm really hoping that she won't

be hit with something straight away, being in a class of 25 odd kid's.

What can you do though, have to let them live their life. She is so looking

forward to it. I on the other hand am worried and looking forward to it at

the same time.

Liam 8 wocf & Eilish 4.11 wcf