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It is a very personal choice but it’s all about the child’s social skills. It is very likely that many of the children starting will be older than your child and there is a huge difference in the social ability of a 4yr 3mth and a 5yr 3mth, which could easily be the case.
The first few years of school are mainly about enpowering the child emotionally and socially. They will only learn basic reading and numeracy skillls. You should enquire from the school about class size and average age? Ask what is the school policy for your child if you feel he is not coping socially?
My local school wants class sizes of no more than 25 and put a cut off point of May 1st regardless of numbers which is a good idea as it gives you a guide.
I have also been here with a child who made the cut off point by just two days, he is late April but we decided to send him because the class size was only 20 children and I felt he was mature enough to cope with his peers and 20:1 ratio.Beams did you ask the school about break times? My ds’s school has the school yard split into 3 juniors and senior infants in one (but still 120 kids) 1st, 2nd and 3rd in another and then 4th, 5th and 6th in another area… think its a great idea… talk to the school if that is your only worry
Hi there,
I went to a meeting about infants starting in September last night. My ds will be 4yr and 6mths. The infants have a separate playground in our school. The teacher gave an handout on all the things that you should do to make life easy for the child in school – sensible stuff.
There was also a therapist there – she was dead set against sending little boys to school until they were 6 and send little girls any time you want. That the current curriculum of jolly phonics is picked up by girls very quickly but boys do not get the concept until they are 6. I did think it was very odd that a curriculum would be purely of benefit to girls – what about all the maths???
Anyhow, I spoke to my sil – who is a primary teacher for the last 15 – 20 years. She said that this was bs – every child is different both socially and mentally and the decision should be based on your knowledge of your child. The boys excel on the maths side.
My ds will have been in playschool for 1 1/2 yrs. He has wanted to go to "big school" right from the start. He was a bit put out last year when some of his friends moved on. He is a very social little fella and would approach any child to make friends. I have no worries about his acadamic abilities either. He is like a little sponge at the moment and wants to learn and remembers all sorts of weird and wonderful facts.
I have made the decision to send him and am happy with this decision. I would never allow the school to pressure me into sending a child to school. This messing about with the numbers is something that they have always done. You may find at the other end, if their numbers are starting to drop off, that they might also try keeping your child back.
Children also have an additional year in secondary school, which us early starters did not have years ago. So, you may find that your child will actually be nearer to 20 before they finish secondary school. No issues with being too young to go to college.
Gosh – strange therapist ? 😯 IF i was to call it i would say my DS (who is currently 2 and 4 mths) will be well able for school when he is 4 and 9 mths 😀 Its very subjective isnt it really ? At the end of the day its down to us parents to make these important decisions as we know what our children are like and how they may cope in different situations. My mind is at ease now our decision has been made 😀 😀
Strange Therapist is right! I dont agree with what she is saying just going by my 2 boys, ds1 was 5 and 2 months starting school and flies through his phonics and his readers, he would have more of a love for maths and had this from the age of 3 or 4…..
Ds2 is 2.5 he does ALL of ds1 homework, he not only knows the Alphabet but he knows it in the jolly phonics ie the letter sounds and then says a word that starts with that letter sound, so that blows your ones theory that boys wont grasp until 6! I will record ds and put in on facebook as it is just amazing too see someone soo young doing the jolly phonics and going through the readers. Ds1 was a clever child but nothing like this, so i think second kids are much sharper and would be well able for school at a younger age.
Do you have your ones email i’ll send her a clip of ds2 at work….. Oh for the record i dont do any preschool work with ds2 the only thing he does in ds1’s homework, he does pick up alot from programmes like SuperWhy and Team UmizoomiHave a read of this…
http://www.jollylearning.co.uk/MalaysiaCaseStudy_03.pdfYes, I do not agree with anything that she had to say. She had a couple of boys herself – one was apparently not up to much in school – he is in his teens now, so, I am sure he would be horrified to hear his mother talk about him.
I don’t know if it is that the second child is more intelligent or more motivated. My dd is just 2 and wants to look at and do everything that her big brother is doing. They certainly have to be tougher – as the 1st child torments them – so they would be well capable to standing up for themselves come school age.
Well done you little ds – would definately be sending him to school when he is old enough. Though you may find that he gets bored as he already knows all the stuff.
My neighbour was telling me about a little fella that was held back because of this advise on not sending boys until they are 6. He is now the big fella in senior infants, bored as he is older than the others and bullying the smaller ones. So there is really an argument for both sides.
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