Starting school age

I find it fascinating that my daughter, who starts school here in the U.K. in September when she is only 4 years and 4 months old, would not start in SA until 2 years from now. It would suit her great as she is developmentally delayed, mainly speech/communication/understanding.

my son is nearly 6 and in his second year of school (year 1).

Other states may have been different though and a year earlier than SA though still later than UK.

It is interesting isn't it. I kind of wish we were here when my eldest started school as he was one of the youngest in the year in the UK and was so not ready for school when he started. He was still having afternoon naps right up until a month or two before and we had to wean him off them. There also used to be a lot more flexibility about how long kids spent in reception and when they went in to year one, which I always thought to be a good thing. I think this may have stopped now though but I'm not sure.

I was lucky that when my son started he was ready (even though he was only 4 and a half), he has always been ahead with academic things. Even now he reads school books for age 8.

You can defer 'summer born' children here, and my daughter being in May would be included, however I wouldnt then want her to be the oldest in reception next year as then she's instantly different to the others . If she doesn't make enough progress during reception it's possible they can keep her in it for another year. She also still has naps some times and is not yet potty trained either due to her delays, though she is making progress towards it. We have a few months to go!

I like the way the school intake has them that bit older but since the new system was wheeled out in the last year or two with the cut off being April 30 and the school year beginning in Jan/Feb you do obviously now see a fair number of kids starting school a few months before they will turn 5.

We have family members whose children are both starting school in a couple of weeks, reception aged. One turned 5 in August last year, the other won't turn 5 till mid March this year. I do like that at least all the reception kids will be 5 by the end of April at least.

When it was the new intake each term therefore starting the term after your child turned 5 and then either doing 5 or 6 terms of reception all up or 3 or 4 only, it was lovely but I can understand why they wanted to do away with it in the state school system at least as cost wise and teacher wise for the schools it was expensive. Other reasons also I am sure. Might not like it but its done now. Also it means no longer will there be big age gaps between some of the kids in the same school year.

Private schools still do the staggered intakes if they wish I think.

When we moved over my son was part way through Y1 in the UK. He was put into a brand new reception class in term 4 here and was so bored. He by rights should have remained in reception and done a whole year more of it (so taking him up to a couple of years in reception all up) but we asked to school to assess him as he missed the cut off date by 10 days going by his birthday and they were more than happy to put him into Y1 the following new school year. He's continued to do really well since then and we are very glad he didn't repeat another full year of reception over here.

I like the way the school intake has them that bit older but since the new system was wheeled out in the last year or two with the cut off being April 30 and the school year beginning in Jan/Feb you do obviously now see a fair number of kids starting school a few months before they will turn 5.

 

We have family members whose children are both starting school in a couple of weeks, reception aged. One turned 5 in August last year, the other won't turn 5 till mid March this year. I do like that at least all the reception kids will be 5 by the end of April at least.

 

When it was the new intake each term therefore starting the term after your child turned 5 and then either doing 5 or 6 terms of reception all up or 3 or 4 only, it was lovely but I can understand why they wanted to do away with it in the state school system at least as cost wise and teacher wise for the schools it was expensive. Other reasons also I am sure. Might not like it but its done now. Also it means no longer will there be big age gaps between some of the kids in the same school year.

 

Private schools still do the staggered intakes if they wish I think.

 

When we moved over my son was part way through Y1 in the UK. He was put into a brand new reception class in term 4 here and was so bored. He by rights should have remained in reception and done a whole year more of it (so taking him up to a couple of years in reception all up) but we asked to school to assess him as he missed the cut off date by 10 days going by his birthday and they were more than happy to put him into Y1 the following new school year. He's continued to do really well since then and we are very glad he didn't repeat another full year of reception over here.

yes that's good. My son wouldn't be happy if he had to repeat a year below.