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What age to start primary

  • 28-10-2020 9:59am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 49


    Hi,

    What age is best to start my child in school? He will turn 1 in December this year. in September 2024 he will be 4.9 months and in September 2025 he will be 5.9 months.

    Is 4.9 months too young, would he be at a disadvantage?


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 13,178 ✭✭✭✭fits


    I have twins who were born early in December. One has special needs. I plan to send him to school when he is 5 Years 9 months. His brother will likely Start next September at 4 years 9 months. I have same questions as you though but he is not entitled to another year of ECCE.


  • Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭glack


    Augustduck wrote: »
    Hi,

    What age is best to start my child in school? He will turn 1 in December this year. in September 2024 he will be 4.9 months and in September 2025 he will be 5.9 months.

    Is 4.9 months too young, would he be at a disadvantage?

    I’m a primary school teacher. In an average classroom, majority of children are generally somewhere between 4 years 6 months and 5 years 8 months. Assuming your child’s development is somewhat typical, I would say he should be ready at 4 years 9 months. Would most likely be in the younger part of the class but very unlikely to be the youngest. It really is impossible to make that judgement so far out though - it really depends on the child! Some are more emotionally mature than others (this is far more relevant to starting school than any perceived academic ability). Also worth noting that all schools have a different dynamic on age so you should look into what age would be average for your child’s school. It may be the case that almost all children are 5 heading to school-in which case I would wait. You just don’t want him to be significantly younger than the norm in his class as that tends to be obvious their entire 8 years in primary.


  • Registered Users Posts: 49 Augustduck


    Thank you for your insight. True, I guess I will have to wait a couple of years before making the decision, interested to hear if there is a big difference in peoples experience about waiting and if he would be considered old to be starting school at nearly 6. Assuming the education system will be the same in his future he would be 17.9 years starting 6th year if he skips 4th year.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,164 ✭✭✭Damien360


    The extra year before starting school makes a big difference in cop on and will help their education significantly. We sent our first at 4 years 6 months and our second at 5 years 10 months. The difference is night and day. First was wild and looked way out of place with his older classmates in actions. Teachers never stopped complaining. Second had the cop on to know how to interact. Golden child in school !


  • Registered Users Posts: 49 Augustduck


    Yes id imagine at that age a year makes a big difference. Thanks. I will have to decide before they begin ECCE.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 198 ✭✭Kathnora


    I am also a primary teacher ...of the elder lemon variety! So, back in the day children started school shortly after their 4th birthday as did my own children and if they were on the young side TY in secondary ensured they were 18 doing the Leaving Cert. How things have changed! I am glad to see children starting school a bit later but I think an average of 5yrs is about right. Most children attend preschool for two years and should be ready for school after that (unless there are specific needs involved). I think 5yrs 9mths is late. At that age my daughter was more than half way through Senior Infants. 4yrs 9mths is a good age, I think. I would be concerned about a child becoming bored and unmotivated if he or she is attending preschool after 4.5/5yrs of age. I also think that you could possibly be keeping the child at the "baby" stage for longer than necessary and the child may not be challenged or stretched to reach their potential at that age. Remember ... the average child did survive school when they started at 4+. Readiness for school has a lot to to with how the child is managed by their parents too. If they are spoiled, indulged, treated like a baby, have everything done for them etc then they won't be ready.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,981 ✭✭✭✭L'prof


    I was 4-4 starting primary school which was a bit young. I was 17 for the entire first year in college. As I’d encourage my children to do transition year I’d have no issue with them starting at that age and turning 18 just before their leaving cert. I don’t think I’d send them any younger though. My two are born in October and December so I’d likely send them when they’re 4-9 and 4-11 and would be turning 19 shortly after starting college. I always look back and wish I had the option of transition year. At the time I couldn’t wait to finish


  • Registered Users Posts: 49 Augustduck


    Thanks, yes I do worry if the pace would be too slow if he was 5.9months but wouldn't like him to be behind either if other kids were older and better prepared, I guess it really depends how ready he is closer to the time


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,178 ✭✭✭✭fits


    Just had both in with speech therapist this afternoon and she recommended I go ahead next September with my typical boy at 4 yr 9 months. She reckons he’d be under stimulated doing another year of ECCE. Each child different though.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    Augustduck wrote: »
    Yes id imagine at that age a year makes a big difference. Thanks. I will have to decide before they begin ECCE.

    Just to note- I’m pretty sure you can’t decide which two years he does ecce. It goes by age. So if you’re planning on him starting school at 5 and 9 mo, you’ll have to pay for the year before of preschool, even if he’s only availed of one year.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 19,549 ✭✭✭✭Cyrus


    ive often heard it said you will never regret starting them in school a little older but you may regret starting them a little younger, although your case 4 and 9 months is probably fine imo.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    I have a November and December baby. Both started at 4 and 8/9 months with no issues. They’re not the youngest in the class. It seems that anyone with a birthday up to around February started at 4, and after that they waited. But I’m sure it varies from place to place


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,178 ✭✭✭✭fits


    jlm29 wrote: »
    Just to note- I’m pretty sure you can’t decide which two years he does ecce. It goes by age. So if you’re planning on him starting school at 5 and 9 mo, you’ll have to pay for the year before of preschool, even if he’s only availed of one year.

    This is the case. I queried it as my babies came early they were due in January. but they said there could be no exception made for typical boy. My other boy should get the exemption with no issues I hope.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,077 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    I would send him in September 2024 he’ll be just under 5 then. You know best though, if you feel he isn’t ready. If you wait the extra year he will be the oldest in his class most likely


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭heldel00


    My girls is an early Jan baby. She is not attending preschool this year because 31st Dec is the cut off point to start the following Sept (a big mistake the government is making but what's new!)
    She will be starting at 4 yrs 9 months. The issue is really with April May June babies as they are usually too young, in my professional opinion, and are not ready. Even March can be very dependent on the individual child.
    I teach 4th 5th this year. Oldest child in 5th will be 12 in March and and youngest in 4th will be 10, also March. We have to avoid any discussion of Santy because of age diff.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,178 ✭✭✭✭fits


    The ECCE cut off thing is ridiculous. Why don’t they let parents make up their own minds? My friends child was due before ours but born a month after. So he’s probably doing another ECCE year. My typical boy is flying now but wasn’t toilet trained this time last year so missed out on last years ECCE. 2 yr 9 month is very young to start preschool for many.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    fits wrote: »
    The ECCE cut off thing is ridiculous. Why don’t they let parents make up their own minds? My friends child was due before ours but born a month after. So he’s probably doing another ECCE year. My typical boy is flying now but wasn’t toilet trained this time last year so missed out on last years ECCE. 2 yr 9 month is very young to start preschool for many.

    Yes. It’s mad. I know a few with jan babies who paid for the first year of ecce. My second boy couldn’t do the first year either because he wasn’t trained. Every child is so different, parents should be able to decide


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,729 ✭✭✭Millem


    Assuming school starts on the 1st of September a January child will either be 4/5 years and 8 months or 4/5 years and 7ish months.

    Fits I waited till my January son was 5 years and 7.5 months. At the time my husband thought it was a mistake as he is a bright boy who is very sporty. He agrees now it was absolutely the decision as I can only describe the yard as the Wild Wild West.
    He is now in Senior Infants. I think there are only 4 or 5 kids in his class who didn’t take the extra year of the ECCE. I do have the birthday list somewhere! In the last few weeks his GAA and Rugby team split them into the the year the were born. Some of the boys have left as they would now have to play with Junior Infants others have reregistered and basically changed their date of birth as they want to be with their friends.

    In the other Senior Infant class the youngest is a December baby.

    OP I would follow the ECCE age for your child so send them at 4 years and 8 and something months. You know your child best though. Repeating a year seems to be next to impossible.

    My son did 3 years of preschool as will my middle child and (hopefully if there is a spot) my youngest. The Montesorri teacher is phenomenal and I never had any worries they would get bored.


  • Registered Users Posts: 337 ✭✭Murple


    Augustduck wrote: »
    Hi,

    What age is best to start my child in school? He will turn 1 in December this year. in September 2024 he will be 4.9 months and in September 2025 he will be 5.9 months.

    Is 4.9 months too young, would he be at a disadvantage?

    I think he’d be a very good age starting in 2024. It also allows for him being able to do 4th year and if necessary repeat his LC and get to college before he turns 30!!!
    Tracking his age through primary may help as it’s not just about JI. If he starts at 5y9, he will turn 7 in his first term of SI, 9 in his first term of 2nd class and will be 13 for more than 6 months of 6th class.
    I’ve heard that often used phrase about regretting sending a child younger but never regretting sending them older and to be honest it’s nonsense. It may be relevant if considering sending a child a few weeks after their 4th birthday vs after their 5th but I’ve taught quite a number of children who were definitely too old for class they are in. Also, the older children often find 6th class very difficult as they have outgrown primary school.
    Of course if a child has an additional need such as a significant speech difficulty, learning or behaviour need or has experienced a trauma, then an extra year before starting school may be needed but in general, 4y 9 is absolutely perfect for starting school.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,890 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    Wait and see what the general age profile of the ECCE class, and the ones moving to JI are.

    I think 2014 was the first year where kids were entitled to get 2 years of ECCE.My first is a 2014 baby and is in Senior Infants, She was 6 in June,so she was 5 and 2 months going in to Junior Infants.She is probably towards the younger end of the class....they mainly started to turn 5 in their second ECCE year in her class.A few stragglers turned 6 there in late August/September.I think the age profile of kids IS a little bit older going in now.Personally I am all for waiting but I appreciate Dec/Jan are slightly awkward months in that way.It generally isn't academic ability by the way, it is social and emotional skills that are the issue.My April and May babies will not be starting school until they are 5.

    You could possibly accept the school place for 4 and 9 mths and defer til the following year if you feel he isn't ready.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,355 ✭✭✭pooch90


    I've taught senior infants for almost a decade. I would always encourage parents to keep them the extra year before starting, particularly boys.

    My eldest will be turning 5 this January and starting primary school the following September.
    He is well able for the academic side of school, I've been doing bits and pieces and he can do some 1st class content but maturity wise I know he wouldn't get the best from school. His fine motor skills aren't well developed yet and I know I've made the right decision.
    He was 2 weeks over the ECCE cut off date.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,178 ✭✭✭✭fits


    pooch90 wrote: »
    I've taught senior infants for almost a decade. I would always encourage parents to keep them the extra year before starting, particularly boys.

    My eldest will be turning 5 this January and starting primary school the following September.
    He is well able for the academic side of school, I've been doing bits and pieces and he can do some 1st class content but maturity wise I know he wouldn't get the best from school. His fine motor skills aren't well developed yet and I know I've made the right decision.
    He was 2 weeks over the ECCE cut off date.

    If his birthday was dec 31 would you still keep him the extra year?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,355 ✭✭✭pooch90


    I probably would tbh.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,890 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    I do know a few December babies fits, turned 5 last year and this year - parents are holding/held them back to start school at 5 and 10 months, just paying for the second half of the ECCE year.It is creeping in a bit more I think, not as unusual as it used to be.Still very much up to you though really, to see what you think.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,729 ✭✭✭Millem


    Fits will both of your boys go to the same school?


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,178 ✭✭✭✭fits


    That's the plan at present. However its hard for us to objectively judge what would suit the boy with special needs better. I guess the psychological reports will help us to make a decision. He's coping well in mainstream pre-school. He has a significant speech delay among other things.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,466 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    Primary teacher here too with 30 years of experience (eek.) Making enormous generalizations, boys tend to be more immature socially and are usually better off starting a little later. Given the choice, I'd wait. You can often pick out the boys who started quite early and a good start is so important for any child.
    That said, the boy might be fine, but given the choice, I'd wait.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭heldel00


    ^^^ but a December boy ByHook??? I've never considered Dec DOB too early to start?


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,638 ✭✭✭andekwarhola


    We've 2 boys and we waited the year for them to start. In terms of my own boys, I'd wholly echo the view that starting when they did meant they were a bit more mature and socially ready for school but it depends on the child I guess.

    I think it's good - IMO obviously - for kids to be a bit older when in secondary and leaving secondary too.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,751 ✭✭✭mirrorwall14


    Late jan boy here now in senior infants. He started at 4 on the advice of montessori and the creche we moved to in April of that year. I’ve always worried it was the wrong call but the primary teachers tell me he is doing great. Mum of his best friend had late feb boy, second child. She held him back and totally regretted it as he was bored. He’s fine now in JI. I think ultimately we all worry TBH


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