sr71

What's the general view on this?

Our kindergarten teacher says our son is ready to start school next year, however he turns 5 in late January. This means he will be one the youngest in that year and obviously that will continue throughout his schooling.

No while I don't have any problem with his ability to learn, or his readiness, I do have a big problem with his age and that he will always be one of the youngest, more so when you consider that many kids, especially boys, are being held back. This could obviously lead to problems later in terms of bullying, confidence etc.

And to make it worse when I rang the school to enquire about enrollment they did say that it would be worth considering having him held back because so many other boys were being held back.

slipshot

Golden question - would love to know an answer but also suspect there is not one.

Our daughter starts school next year and is still 4. A month or more to go yet. However, if we were in the UK she would start this September, and thus we said she will start in Jan, as it makes sense.

In many ways, I think the option of holding kids back a year creates as many issues as it resolves....

Weird Fish

If I had held my son back like many of the other boys in his class he would probably have been one of the smartest kids and get access to all of the extension programmes etc. The holding back of kids in my opinion blurs academic achievement and simply rewards children by giving them "gifted" status for doing work they should have been doing in the first place.

petensue

My daughter was the youngest in her kindy class not turning 5 until she was in pre primary in June.I must admit she acts younger than some of her friends but school work wise seems to depend on the child rather than the age.She is more of the active type!This term they have had a couple of different teachers and she is now at the same level as most of her friends though not looking forward to the old teacher coming back next term.

It is a difficult one but if your son's kindy teacher thinks your son is ready.I think being with slightly older children can be a help to the younger ones.Sue.

sr71

Yes, the problem is that it has blurred things too much, to the point where it can't really be ignored.

Apart from the academic side, there is the sporting side - do you consign your son to be the runt of the class and never being picked or physically able for the top school teams? Or potentially have him enter puberty 12-18 months behind many of his classmates? (Although admittedly the older kids who enter it first also are subject to ribbing)

But then on the other hand it feels like we would be wasting a year and research suggests that younger kids aren't academically disadvantaged by starting school earlier.

Kim67

My daughter was tested for early entry the year she turned 5 (in QLD). Started Grade 1 just after her 5th birthday. She coped fine, but by the time she was going into Grade 5, she was turning 9 and all the girls in her class were turning 10 and 11, we thought the age gap was getting noticeable (especially with girls). We moved states and school so she repeated Grade 4. It wasn't too bad because we moved to Dubai two thirds of the way through that year and she then went into Grade 5. She was still nine and some of the kids in her class up to thirteen. So again there was a bit of a problem with bitchiness - we're moving her to a school now with more age appropriate classes. By youngest started Grade 1 here in Dubai just after her 5th birthday and has excelled (she's doing Grade 3 maths), but when we go back to Australia, she'll be going into an age appropriate class for her own good - she can always just be extended within her age appropriate class.

quoll

I wouldnt hold him back as the cut off date is end April. If he had been late Feb, March or April then yes, by all means if he is a socially immature lad but otherwise he wont be that far off the average age for the year level.

He will have a built in advantage for school sport in Aus because they compete at year of birth levels so a Jan birthday is always going to be a huge advantage.

Wonder why so many Vics are holding their kids back - it isnt happening up here - they usually cant wait to get them into school!

stevemich

If I read it right then your son will turn 5 around the time he starts school at the end of Jan. Kids are allowed in if they turn 5 before the end of June (IIRC), so he will only just be in the "younger" half of the class and around 7 months (maximum) younger than the eldest...

IMO holding back a child should only really be considered if they turn 5 just before the deadline of June, or if they have specific learning troubles.

Broad Shoulders

if he turns 5 in January then he will unlikely be one of the youngest. The cut off dates are from July to June, so he will be smack bang in the middle

sr71

I thought the cutoff was end of April - in which case he would be in the youngest 25-33% in a normal year - however with many parents holding back it does worsen that.

Broad Shoulders

well in QLD it is July 1st to June 30th. It follows the financial year. My son was born on 5th July so he will be oldest in his year, but I would rather he was the youngest than wasting another year at kindy

Kim67

Queensland and Perth by June 30 and also a year older than Victoria if what people are saying is correct. They have to have turned 6 by the end of June in Qld and WA to start Grade 1.

taylor25

My daughter is 5 at the end of march and she will be starting school in January, cant remember what the cut off date was, but just know my daughter makes it..lol

I did want to hold her back as we travel quite alot and this will restrict us, but that would be me being selfish..lol, so i have to let her go, its all she talks about and she cannot wait. She had been going kindy 3 times a week from 9 till 3 and for the last 3 months we have been in Dubai, she has been at summercamp, she just loves children so much and will tell anyone that listens that she is going to big school in january..lol

Kim67

Which state are you going to? And is she entering Grade 1 or full time (non-compulsory) Prep/Preschool or equivalent?

Amazulu

My son is in year 1 and he was born in April, therfore he is the 2nd youngest in his year. He his having no problems at all. His academic results are above average and in reading he is among the top of his class. He's holding his own in sports. Although his ball skills are not great he came 5th in the year 1 cross country - not bad considering some of the boys are nearly a year older than him. He can also stand up for himself. One of the older boys was mucking around and hitting him with a stick. Apparently he got pissed off and clocked the older boy resulting in them both being carpeted by the deputy head but at least he stood up for himself. I think it comes down to the effort you are prepared to put into his schooling. We put in a lot of work at home - reading, spelling, writing, counting, piano etc. I also try and play a lot of games with him and also loads of play wrestling, which he loves.

I think if you put in the effort, he will be fine.