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Help!!! Start school at 4 or 5?

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Comments

  • #32
    Moonbeam
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 19,021 Mod ✭✭✭✭Moonbeam


    All schools set their own entrance criteria.
    I am confused..if she has an August birthday then how is she 4.5?
    It really has nothing to do with academic ability and is down to their social skills and how they deal with people and situations.
    She would be nearly 1 1/2 years younger then some of her class.


  • #33
    uck51js9zml2yt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,268 ✭✭✭✭uck51js9zml2yt


    We are keeping our son out of school till he's 5. Saying that, we had him in montessori from 3.
    We paid for the first year and have this year free. It's done him a world of good.


  • #34
    SamforMayo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,297 ✭✭✭SamforMayo


    ted1 wrote: »
    She was out of nappies at two, she really trained herself skipping the potty and climbing up on to the toilet. My 4.5 year old is starting school in September (aug birthday) but has been in Montessori for 2.5 years. She knows lots of songs ( Bonnie Taylor's turn around is her favourite) she can read and spell and has started doing maths. She knows all the days and moths if the year in Irish and English, I think most the class are at the same standard.

    She'll be starting a Gael scoil so I'm intrested in seen how she gets on when thrown into the deep end

    What was she doing in montessori at barely 2????? What is the big rush to get them out the door?


  • #35
    Nutellayum
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2 ✭Nutellayum


    Hi my daughter will be 4 on may 1st 2015 is this too young to start her off in primary school or should i wIt until shes 5.


  • #36
    byhookorbycrook
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,546 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    You may not have a choice ,depending on the school policy.
    There was a recent thread on this:
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057225285


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  • #37
    Tar.Aldarion
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,116 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tar.Aldarion


    I would always say earlier is best even though my mother waited until I was 5. Better to be learning at an age where people learn most.


  • #38
    mrsbyrne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,228 ✭✭✭mrsbyrne


    My daughter was 4 in the August and she went into Junior Infants in September because she had already had a year in Preschool.
    Of course she was too young and she then repeated JI but it worked out great. She didn't realise she had stayed back and she was benefiting all the time from being in a formal classroom situation.
    I would go ahead and enroll the child and follow the advice of the school if they think she needs to repeat.


  • #39
    byhookorbycrook
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,546 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    Repeating a class is not always possible and the DES frown on a child repeating due to immaturity, I also feel it can impact on a child's self esteem.


  • #40
    SamforMayo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,297 ✭✭✭SamforMayo


    mrsbyrne wrote: »
    My daughter was 4 in the August and she went into Junior Infants in September because she had already had a year in Preschool.
    Of course she was too young and she then repeated JI but it worked out great. She didn't realise she had stayed back and she was benefiting all the time from being in a formal classroom situation.
    I would go ahead and enroll the child and follow the advice of the school if they think she needs to repeat.

    What kind of attitude is that? Schools are not there to provide a babysitting service. Starting a child who has just turned 4 at school is crazy, it has a negative impact on everyone involved including the other children. Repeating may have turned out great for your daughter for many children it is very upsetting and does not correct the fact they started to young.


  • #41
    Newmummy1978
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9 ✭Newmummy1978


    Hi there

    I was wondering if you can offer me some advice please!!!!
    My daughter will be starting junior infants in sep 2015 and I can't decide on which school to send her and I'm getting is stressed about it.
    I have the local catholic school with 4xclasses and 30 in each class. It is 10 mins walk from our house however I'm concerned that there may be some kids from working class families going there that could be a bit rough. I've spoken to a few mins with kids there and they day it's a great school. Then there is a multi denominational school also 10 mins walk and I'm concerned that there will be too many nationalities there and also I know a family who took their child out of the school bec their child wasn't happy there. Both schools seem very big and somewhat impersonal and I'm anxious about my girl starting in such big schools.
    I was considering 2 schools further away in more affluent areas but I'm getting stressed already thinking of the daily commute 30-40 mins drive each way as I work full time from home and then her friends would be further away aswell.
    We have been offered a place in a rural school 20 mins drive from our house and I spoke to the vice principal there and she was very approachable and the parents I spoke to all seem very happy but I'm concerned it may be too far away still to go everyday and the parking is a problem over there.

    Can you offer any advice from your experience what's the best school to go for? I'm so anxious about it all, I can't decide what to do. Help!!!

    CiaraG75 wrote: »
    Hi there,

    I have a good number of years' experience teaching infants and would always, always, always recommend keeping a child of 4 at home, unless their birthday is before the 1st of February. The issue is never whether the child is physically able to go to school. We could argue all day about how we all went to school at 4, and sure aren't we grand... The issue is whether your child will be emotionally ready for school at 4. Is she able to go to the toilet by herself? Can she put her coat on and take it off by herself? Can she sit for 10 minutes with you and concentrate on a jigsaw puzzle or a story? (Not on a DVD - they can all do that, but it doesn't help them at school!) How is her oral language? Can she tell you what is bothering her when she is upset, for example? She will be well able to do all of that when she is 5, so starting school will be a comfortable, easy experience for her. Please don't go by how well she knows her letters and numbers - you may think she will be "bored" in junior infants if you wait until she is 5, and maybe she will. However, I would much prefer that my child was "bored" for a year and able to cope with all that is being asked of her, than struggling all the way through school because she is not emotionally mature enough to handle everything. Please remember that starting school at 4 for our generation was a totally different experience - we were all 4, and the curriculum that we were expected to deal with was much simpler. Also, "staying back" was a common occurrence, and it is very much frowned upon now. There will be children in her class who are a full year older than her, too - sorry, I don't mean to sound negative, but as a teacher I can't stress enough how much easier it is for the children who start at 5 to cope with school. That one year makes a world of difference. I hope this has helped. The best of luck with your decision.


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  • #42
    Newmummy1978
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9 ✭Newmummy1978


    CiaraG75 wrote: »
    Hi there,

    I have a good number of years' experience teaching infants and would always, always, always recommend keeping a child of 4 at home, unless their birthday is before the 1st of February. The issue is never whether the child is physically able to go to school. We could argue all day about how we all went to school at 4, and sure aren't we grand... The issue is whether your child will be emotionally ready for school at 4. Is she able to go to the toilet by herself? Can she put her coat on and take it off by herself? Can she sit for 10 minutes with you and concentrate on a jigsaw puzzle or a story? (Not on a DVD - they can all do that, but it doesn't help them at school!) How is her oral language? Can she tell you what is bothering her when she is upset, for example? She will be well able to do all of that when she is 5, so starting school will be a comfortable, easy experience for her. Please don't go by how well she knows her letters and numbers - you may think she will be "bored" in junior infants if you wait until she is 5, and maybe she will. However, I would much prefer that my child was "bored" for a year and able to cope with all that is being asked of her, than struggling all the way through school because she is not emotionally mature enough to handle everything. Please remember that starting school at 4 for our generation was a totally different experience - we were all 4, and the curriculum that we were expected to deal with was much simpler. Also, "staying back" was a common occurrence, and it is very much frowned upon now. There will be children in her class who are a full year older than her, too - sorry, I don't mean to sound negative, but as a teacher I can't stress enough how much easier it is for the children who start at 5 to cope with school. That one year makes a world of difference. I hope this has helped. The best of luck with your decision.

    Can you pm me?


  • #43
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,373 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Essentially, the biggest influence on a child's education will be the home.

    Not sure what relevance 'many nationalities' has, so we'll close this now as the OP has been asked and answered numerous times.


This discussion has been closed.
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