Deferred Entry
Deferred Entry Leafet - Please print this leaflet and keep for future reference.
How will I know what is best for my child?
Children who have their fourth birthday before the end of February are entitled to go to school in August.
What you may not realise is that if your child’s fifth birthday falls after the start of the academic year (end August), he/she is also entitled to wait until the following year.
A child deferring entry to school would begin primary 1 at approximately 5 ½ years rather than 4 ½ years.
Although the Scottish Office does not fund pre-school education for children deferring entry to primary school, Shetland Islands Council has always supported parents who make this decision.
Research has shown time and time again what many teachers have observed; that younger children can struggle in the first stages of a more formal curriculum.
There is no doubt that some children enter school too soon.
Success at the start of schooling fuels the roller coaster of achievement; early inability to manage all the challenges of P1 can result in a lack of confidence and the child may continue to struggle throughout the key stages in their education e.g transition to secondary school, standard grades and higher examinations.
Children are developing faster in the first 5 years of life than at any other time. However they are not all developing at the same rate, nor does any child develop equally across all areas.
The decision to defer entry to school is not a reflection of the child’s learning ability.
Readiness for school depends not only on their actual age, or intellectual skills, but on their physical, social and emotional maturity. Children who have not yet developed all the skills to help them cope with school life may only need a little more time to get there.
Of course we can not say that every under 5-suffers, but we do know that an extra year in pre-school can be critical for the less mature child.As a parent you know your child.
In the pre-school setting, staff have also built up a good picture of your child’s development. They will have observed your child and noted how he/she is progressing towards independence; how he/she manages fine motor tasks; how he/she copes in social situations; and many other skills.
It is important that pre-school staff and parents share their knowledge of each child in order to make the transition to school a positive one.
It is even more important when considering a child who will be among the youngest in the P1 class.
The decision on whether or not to defer
entry to P1 remains with you.