What age should kids start Primary school?

pete4pool

My son was born on 4th Jan. He will be 4 this January, therefore, he will be just under 4y9m next September. Now I think when we were young and up to a couple of years ago he would be definitely sent to school. But with the change in ECCE last year ( The entry point to ECCE was changed from 3 entry point Jan, Arp, Sep, to one entry point Jan ) it might affect what people will do going forward. We will only start getting free pre-school this month as he missing the entry point of Jan 1st by 3 days. If he was born Dec 31st, we'd have got free ECCE all last year.

So will people with kids born Jan/Feb/Mar be keeping them in pre-school for the second year?

Now we send our son to a creche that has 3 rooms (baby room, toddler room and re-school room) And even though he was not ECCE age, he was in the pre-school room for most of the year. And he will be in it again this year. So we don't think a third year in the same room will be of any benefit to him.

Also, we aren't sure of his development. He is slightly behind what his brother is. His brother was late Nov baby, and we were certain he was ready. With this one we aren't sure.

So, if you have Jan/Feb/Mar baby, do you send them at 4y9m or 5y9m?

Lisha

Daughter is an early April bday and she went to school at 5&6months. Was definitely the right year for her to go.

Each child is different. We in a small country school where kids tend to be 5+ starting. Might be different in bigger schools.

KellyKelly

We are in the Same boat, Our son was Born 16th Jan, This is his first year to do the free ECCE Scheme, he hasn't done Creche , Playschool before. The school have already advised us he does the 2 years, which means he will start Junior Infants at 5year 9 Months.

Its hard to decide now, maybe wait until after the new year to decide, kids are growing and maturing every day.

catrionanic

My son is late Jan. He has done his first year of ECCE and is now going into his second, meaning he will start primary at 5y8m.

I agonised long and hard over this! I got a lot of good advice from primary school teachers that it is best to have them start later than sooner... especially boys. As it happens, all the children in his class are staying on for a second year. The primary school had a January cut-off this year so he would have just got in, but he would have been the very youngest in his class and some children in his class would have been a full year older than him.

Someone once told me to think not just about how the child is now, in terms of their readiness for school, but to think about when they are teenagers and faced with choices about alcohol, drugs, relationships, etc. Would you rather they are the oldest in their peer group or the youngest?

My son is definitely ready for school in terms of academic readiness, however he is a little boy who likes to be running around and playing with friends and I can't see him sitting at a desk for prolonged periods of time. He also gets upset sometimes if one of his friends doesn't want to play with him, so I think the playground games might be a bit much for him yet too. He is also quite small in height so I think he would look tiny compared to all the kids in the class if we had started him at 4!

bee06

I have to opposite problem. End of December birthday so he is starting his 2nd year of ECCE this year. Will be 4 and 8 months starting primary. I worry it’s too young but 5 and 8 months seems quite old especially by the time he’s doing the leaving and would be almost 20 starting college if he does transition year.

Princess Calla

This thread appears nearly every year.

Ours was April baby, did 2 years of ecce scheme so 5 yrs 5 months starting school.

To be honest he probably would have been fine starting the year before but we were thinking teenage years and wanted him in the "older" rather than "younger" part of the peer group. He's also small so he'd definitely be tiny in comparison to his classmates if he started at 4 and 5 months.

There are kids in his class that are a full year younger than him, again that's something I worry about when it comes to teenage years and consent n all that.

The only advice I'd give is look at the big overall picture rather than just the here and now.

The age profile for leaving cert is shifting. 19 will be the norm by the time they get there. To be honest I thought 17 was too young especially if going to college, you'll spend first year miserable not getting in anywhere.

pete4pool

Thanks all for the comments. I had a look for previous threads, but couldn't find anyone from last couple years.

He's going to be either the oldest or youngest in his class, so its one extreme or the other. I haven't really thought about the later years, but think about it now, it doesn't concern me too much. I agree that doing the leaving older might be better (I was 19). But if sending him at 4y9m, he'll be 18y6m doing the leaving. Even in today I don't see an issue with that. Also we live in an estate where there are a wide range of ages. Most kids hang around with other kids 1 or 2 years older and younger than them after school. So just putting him into a class isn't going to restrict him to only having friends of that age. But I agree, its something we should look at more.

The main reason why we are thinking about sending him at 4y9m, is that he will be 3 years in the pre-school room in the creche, I am concerned that he won't develop as much having been there that long. We might consider switching him to another pre-school (a fedder pre-school to the primary he will go to) So that a change of environment might be good. But that will be hard due to our work schedules.

There is also a bit of expectation from family and friends who don't have young kids. They think sending him at 5y9m is way too old and are shocked that we will. There is 3 years 1 and a half months between him and his brother, and if we don't send him, there will be 4 years difference in school.

But from the replies it looks like more and more people sending them to school later and not earlier.

JimmyVik

I think starting they should be over 5 years old.

Any younger than that starting and they just arent emotionally able for school.

I know we all started at 4, but looking back, it was too young to start school.

BettyBlue22

Legally children have to be four or older, and must have started school by 6. After that, it's up to you.

shesty

My first was born in 2014 and I think that was the first year entitled to 2 years free ECCE.

My second started school this week.An April baby, at 5 years and almost 5 months.The age profile of her class is that they will all be 5 by December of JI, and in fact some will be turning 6 in late Dec.The class will all start to turn 6 in Jan.All except for 1 child, who will turn 5 next March.

January is a really tricky month.Generally I think it's no problem, but when you realise that people ARE sending their kids later, then it can become a problem.Honestly do not worry about extended family because this later start has only really become a thing in the last 4 -5 years I think, so family would have no idea of it.I know a good few now who didn't start til 5 and 8 months and they were fine in the preschool.If you were worried you could start him in GAA or something extracurricular closer to 5, as an extra little challenge for him, as it all counts towards growing and learning to socialise.Do NOT worry about the academic side right now if you keep him an another year.They will all start at the same place in JI, it will all come in plenty of time.

The real reason to start later is because the older the child is the more developed the child is intellectually. This is clear year on year in the early years of child development. If a child is considered less able then this sticks with him or her through the education system.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/08/18/544483397/oldest-kids-in-class-do-better-even-through-college?t=1630141146569

fits

December twins here born early. One is starting on Tuesday and the other next September. A tough decision.

starlady1

First of all, forget about expectations from family and friends who don't have young kids. It's none of their business even though they mean well. This is your decision.

You need to consider whether you want your child to be one of the youngest in their class or one of the oldest. It may not bother you at all.

Every child is different. Next summer consider if your child is ready for school or not, alot will change between now and then. Talk to the pre school and see what they think. Look at how independent your child is ie. can they manage to put on, take off and hang up their coat. Open a lunchbox, eat their lunch and put it away. How are they socially, do they mix well with other children. It's very early to be deciding now your child will be very different in 12 months time. No harm to be thinking about it though. See how this year in pre school goes.

airy fairy

I've early Match and April babies, (summer ones too). Started both when they had turned 5.+.

If I had started them at 4+ they wouldn't have been emotionally ready for school, the yard especially. And then putting on coats, lunchbox opening etc. I found they were just more able to cope.

My early March one was ahead academically, reading earlier than the class etc but teacher gave extra work. I'd prefer her to be ahead than struggling though.

I know of people with kids struggling with immaturity in junior infants because they've gone at 4.

There's also the other side of school you've to factor in aswell. What age will they be alongside peers. My older kids have friends that are year behind and things like socialising is curtailed if too young. Also going to college at nearer to 19 means a more mature approach to study in my experience.

Don't depend on school to hold them back a year in the future if problems arise such as maturity, or if learning problems are discovered. It takes a lot for a school to hold a child back nowadays.

Don't depend on transition year in school to hold them back.

I often hear of parents say their kid is well able, the know their colours etc, but it's not all about academics, that's only a small part of school for a long time.

Deeec

I think no child should start school before their 5th birthday ( except in they are a Sept/Oct/Nov date of birth). I started my eldest at 4.5 - shes the youngest in the class and always seems that little bit behind her peers. I regret not holding her back another year. My second girl was just gone 5 starting and the difference has been unbelievable both socially and learning wise. My third will be 5 and 7 months starting school and hes not even going to be the oldest in his class. There is no advantage to starting a child in school below 5 - the more mature they are the better it goes and they are also more mature leaving school which isnt a bad thing.

byhookorbycrook

Primary teacher here with a few decades of experience. As a sweeping generalization, boys tend to more immature at that age, so ideally , I’d aim for him to start when he is 5. But that comes with the caveat that there are always exceptions and you know your child best .

pooch90

Primary teacher and momma of a Jan 18th boy.

He just started primary this week at 5 & 8 Months. Absolutely delighted we kept him the extra year. The difference is unreal. Over the past few weeks he has actually shown an interest in colouring/drawing/spelling etc. Last year he wouldn't touch any of it (always commented on by the creche how much he hated pencil work!). Emotionally he is finding it tough so god only knows how he would have been at just 4. Our next boy is a year younger (4 since March) and happy he will also be 5 starting.

I’m a primary teacher and I started myself at 4 and 3 months. To some people they can’t believe that I was so young. I also skipped TY and ended up doing my leaving at 16. I took a year break and went to college at 18. A few of us were 18, and we had our heads screwed on more than some of the college party animal crowd in their 20s. It did me no harm, obviously these days TY is a bigger deal so if doing that, starting school at 4 won’t do any harm as they’ll be still going to college / work at 18

From a teachers point of view, 4 can be young for infants but if the child is ready, has hit their milestones and they can read etc, no point leaving them bored in pre school either.

On the point of ‘no child should start school before their 5th birthday’, I have to laugh. Maturity doesn’t always go hand in hand with age. Some of the most “immature” personalities I’ve taught have come from the older students. It’s not an exact measure. At the end of the day, as a parent, you know you’re own child, don’t necessarily take the stereotypes as gospel, there’s no right answer.

I found 16/17 a good age to do the leaving because drink and nights out hadn’t become a distraction. I can’t imagine a 19 year old sitting in 6th year doing their leaving with all the distractions that being the legal age becomes.

Most kids are 5, and some close to 6. Can be a big difference between 4.5 and 5.5 in a child.

One of ours bday was similar to yours OP and we kept them until they were 5. Best thing we ever did.

Outkast_IRE

In general 5 is the youngest i would allow a child to start primary school. But like anything else there must be exceptions , i would not be holding back a 4 year old if they had hit all their expected milestones for starting primary.

If i did start my child at 4 though , i would not let them start college till 18 for their own sake. College at that age does involve socialising and going out for a drink.

airy fairy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117843798#Comment_117843798

Slightly ridiculous to want a kid to do the leaving cert early because they won't be distracted with drink and nights out! Think for one second how the child would feel, all the friends heading out and you have purposely sent your child to school early just so you want them to steer clear of drink!!

And in college being 16/17, not being able to talk to a lecturer because of age, not to mention parents consent needed for the on campus nurse and having to stay at home when the rest of the class go to the pub.

Seriously? You think that's ok?

You speak from a teachers point of view, what about a parents view though?

noplacehere

We agonised on this with a January birthday boy. However preschool told us to go ahead and now going into rang 1 I have no more niggling worries. He was ready. He is a quiet boy, but that’s his personality the same as my own. He has made firm friends in the class and he is happy

Anto17

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058205910/what-age-should-kids-start-primary-school

Hi, legally a child of 4 years old can be send to primary school. But, in my opinion, it is best to start your kid's schooling from 5 years. It is only then they would be mentally and emotionally prepared for studying new things. If necessary you could try sending your child to pre-schools for better indulging with students.

byhookorbycrook

This surfaces quite often, see a previous discussion:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058126309/what-age-to-start-primary#latest