School in a years time for youngest grandchild, how can this be???

[Gemini]

I have recently realised that my younger grandson, our baby, will be getting ready to go to school this time next year

His sister and cousin were both October babies, so I had extra time with them. GS2 was born in April. I can't believe we have recently put the cot away and now we are thinking about school!!
I know some of you have had GC start school younger, but it's too soon to my mind!

[Daisy]

Gem - I agree with you - it's too soon from all points of view, especially for children born later in the school year. I seem to remember schools used to have a staggered intake into Reception so the younger children didn't start until say, after Easter. I know this meant they had less time in Reception but they were more like 41/2 than just 4!

I remember when GD1 started aged 4 years and about one week, she had still been having an afternoon nap until a month before when we deliberately stopped it to give her a chance to get used to the school day.

I really believe that children learn through creative play and each goes at their own pace. Expecting them to conform to classroom systems too young must be really hard on them.

[Gemini]

I agree Daisy.
I don't know if it was a temporary thing or just local to here, but when my 2 older DDs started school there were 3 intakes each year. You went at the beginning of the term in which you had your 5th birthday.
DD1, birthday at the end of February started in January. DD2, July birthday, started after Easter. By the time DD3 was ready for school there was only one intake, so she, born at the beginning of May, started in September.

[Daisy]

Yes, it was the same for my DS2, born in April.

When DS1 was that age we lived in a tiny rural village and they were struggling to keep the school open. To keep numbers up they admitted all rising 5s in September, so that meant he started school 2 months after his 4th birthday, which seemed very young at the time!

[Oma]

GS1 being born 10 September was just 4 when he started he was so tiny it didn't seem right , The other 2 being April & July babies were that little bit older ,
They seem still to be babies now , I think 5 was a ideal age to start, keeping them in reception till then would be a better idea .

[Gemini]

I shall just have to make the most of this last year with him, as there may be no more!
Unless GD is doing something after school, which she sometimes is, we can't do any all day activity as we have to set off by 2.30 for school, but we can have mornings and lunches out.

[Daisy]

Yes, if you're picking littlies up from school it can seem a very short day to do shopping or other tasks. I have Cooper on the days I have the girls after school and I either pick them up from school or from DS2's shop. If I pick them up from the shop timing isn't so critical, but when I'm picking up from school I'm usually really early because I don't want GD2 standing there wondering where I am!

[Glammanana]

DD went to school in the September after she was 5 in the July it was the time when there where 3 intakes a year,DS1 went after the xmas he was 5 and DS2 started at 31/2 yrs to prep school as I was working full time and school fees worked out cheaper than nursery fees.
My GGD started after Easter this yr 3 days a week aged 3 in the reception class she seemed so grown up in her uniform she has come on leaps and bounds since she started mixing with other children her age,where does the time go I say.

[Gemini]

Yes, if you're picking littlies up from school it can seem a very short day to do shopping or other tasks. I have Cooper on the days I have the girls after school and I either pick them up from school or from DS2's shop. If I pick them up from the shop timing isn't so critical, but when I'm picking up from school I'm usually really early because I don't want GD2 standing there wondering where I am!

That's true Daisy.
What I was meaning though is that GS2 and I won't have full days to go out together due to school pick up for his sister. Neither other GC had a younger sibling at this age so we had full days together until they started school. Although thinking about it, GS1 did have a while at preschool, so for a couple of terms I collected him from there at 12, instead of having him here all day.

[WeeGranny]

The Easter intake was usually a good way of getting a teaching job if you were only doing supply work. Well that's how I got a permanent job when I moved down South!
To my mind the staggered intakes were much a more sensible way of starting children at school, rather than this 'one size fits all'approach of starting in the year they are 5.But I suppose there was more admin work involved in the old system.
I remember when I was at school, the Infant Mistress ( as they used to be known) gave me a letter to take home to my parents. There was a place available in P 1(Reception) and my brother could have it. So he went through school a year younger than his peers. Still don't know why it was offered to him rather than someone in the correct age range!

[Daisy]

That's true Daisy.
What I was meaning though is that GS2 and I won't have full days to go out together due to school pick up for his sister. Neither other GC had a younger sibling at this age so we had full days together until they started school. Although thinking about it, GS1 did have a while at preschool, so for a couple of terms I collected him from there at 12, instead of having him here all day.

I didn't think of that. I never did regular full days for either GS as theylived too far away, and both GDs started playgroup when they were just turned two - just a couple of hours one or two days a week, but Even when GD2 was a baby there was GD1 to collect etc. Oh dear, it all seems a long time ago now! Time flies.