You can request a late reception start if you want one as it's really not good to miss reception. But if your request is denied, there's no appeal. So you have to a good supported reason. I have no idea how a child would cope going straight into year 1! I imagine she would need a teaching assistant anyway. I just don't want her to start until I feel like she is capable of doing what is required. They expect so much more from reception kids these days. My son is currently in reception and it baffles me the stuff he learns already! I really don't want her to feel like she had no idea what is going on 🙈 it's so difficult. She is currently 3 but her speech has been assessed at 18 months and other areas of development are 2yrs but some are 4yrs 🤔 but because she doesn't talk its impossible to know how much she understand and takes in. If she learns to talk before then she may be more than capable but how do you know that 🙄 oh god. I knew she was gonna be trouble from pregnancy! 😂

@laura.pm Ah I guess it must've changed since he started school, it has been a few years since he started though. Ah that's bit daft you can't appeal but I'm sure if you've got the paediatrician behind you, you stand a good chance! I agree that so much is expected of them so young! Both of mine have speech delays so completely understand the not being able to know what kind of level of understanding they have, although oldests speech has come on massively since starting school. It's such a massive and hard decision to make because a lot can happen in that year before actually starting school. (Sorry not much help!)

@em90 exactly. A lot can happen in a year. Some people say that school helped their child a lot but I just feel like maybe it will set her backwards. Coz with me son at school she is so eager to learn to read like he is but she can't talk so obviously can't read. And if she's in a class of kids who are doing stuff and she can't.... That's got to have an effect 🤔🤷🏻‍♀️🙈

I wouldn't want her to miss reception. It's so important. I want to defer her entry into reception year. It's so hard to know because you have to decide a year before they start! What if a miracle happens and she becomes ready for school after I have deferred 😂 I checked with admissions at our local council and they told me if deferral is accepted she will be entitled to preschool funding so at least finances won't be an issue in the decision.

Compulsory school age is the term after their 5fh birthday so for Alice it would be April of 2021. But she would be due to start reception in September 2020. When my son started school I could select what term I wanted him to start and if it was full time or part time because before that term after they turn 5 full time school isn't compulsory. However, if you have a legitimate reason that they're not ready for school, you can request to defer and start reception in the September after they were due to start.

@laura.pm, oh right I see! Do whatever you think is best 😊 my middle son starts September and he will be 5 in October. So he’s gonna be one of the oldest with his birthday being end of year x