Any info on typical ages for starting school locally?

grudgehugger

Hi, our oldest is coming up to primary school age and over the next 6 months or so, we need to decide whether to start him in Sep 2015 or Sep 2016.

His birthday is early March, so he'll just over four and a half in Sep 2015.

Most likely he will go to St. Pats in Greystones, however that's not 100%.

I'm looking for any information from local parents who have young kids with a birthday at that time of year to get a sense for what the age profile in Junior Infants in Greystones generally is.

Any local info on what common practice is in the schools around Greystones would be great. This post is somewhat prompted by us being swayed from our original view (send him @ 4, it did us no harm) to a different view (it'll be better for him not to be one of the youngest in the class) but then getting some info that suggested he'd be 3 months or more older than the rest of the kids in his class if he didn't go until 2016

Anyhow, congrats if you've read this far All info welcomed

RosieJoe

All ours started at between 4 & 5. At the moment there are no issues but we've been told it affects them more when they get to secondary school so we'll have to wait and see. I've been told that being the oldest in the class is probably better than being the youngest but that is a choice others have made.

Have you their names down at all in the school? As the waiting list might determine if they start next year or the year after.

sinkadinka

Hi there, my daughters birthday is mid Feb and we started her when she was four and a half. She is the youngest in her class and the majority of the boys in her class were all five when they started. Initially in the junior years we had no problems but as she gets older I do notice she hasn't the confidence that some of her "older" friends have. Academically she is fine but socially I think she lacks self confidence which we are working very hard on !! However I do think it depends on the child, could you check with the school as to what the average age is starting in Jnr Infs. Good luck with your decision.

Serrano13

Hi Grudgehugger

You should check the admissions policy for each of the schools you are interested in. St Patrick's has a cut off date so children have to be at least 4 years old by the 1st May of the year of entry. This would make your child one of the younger ones if starting in Sept 2015.

All the local schools have been massively oversubscribed for the last few years. If your child is not baptised CoI it is unlikely they will get a place in St Patrick's. Likewise, they would need to be baptised RC to get a place in Kevin's, Brigid's or Laurence's. EDucate Together operates a waiting list system and the Gaelscoil gives priority to children who have attended a Naoinara.

One of my kids started school at 4 (June birthday), is now in first class and getting on really well. However, as the previous poster said, it really depends on the child.

grudgehugger

Thanks everyone for the replies so far.

Child is baptised CoI so are hopeful on a place in St Patrick's.

Still not certain but we're thinking it'd be best for our child to have another year.

Our worry is could starting infants at 5 with a March birthday make him stand out as too old in his class?

The replies so far are mainly of kids starting younger.

Anyone out there who started their child locally at around 5 and a half?

2011

I hear that St. Patrick's is a good school but there is one hell of a waiting list.
Mine was born in February, started elsewhere at 4 and is doing well.

Poco

hi there,

I have a nephew that started school at 5 1/2..... he is in secondary school now and will be very old leaving school....

Primary school wasn't a problem until it got to 5th and 6th class.... he got bored and started acting out...

In secondary school he was bullied a bit because he was older than the rest.

He is in leaving cert year and I don't see him been anymore ready than teenagers younger than him as they have been is peers and influencers.

Car2318

My daughter started at 4 and 10 months with majority of the kids around same age. My son is 4 in May and we would like him to start in Sept 2015 but this is unlikely as cut off date is 30 April.
Our angle is that he is in full time creche since 7mths so more than mature....now!
He would be one of the youngest but its when they are 12/13 & 17/18 that it really matters in my opinion. If transition year still exists in 10 yrs time and is compulsory then he wil be old sitting the leaving.
Boys more immature too and needy (or at least mine is)
Basically the school will take the decision out of our hands! Not a bad thing either.

eigrod

Just something to bear in mind if a child starts school very young - they will most likely not be able to play team sports in the locality with the majority of their classmates - they will have to wait a year and play with those in the class below them.

The local soccer club (and possibly rugby club - I'm not sure) go on the year they are born.

grudgehugger

eigrod wrote: »

they will most likely not be able to play team sports in the locality with the majority of their classmates.

Hi Eigrod, this is exactly the type of info I'm looking for. One question, when you say with the majority of their classmates, do you think many kids born between January and end April start school @ five? This is really at the heart of my question...

If we send our kid (birthday early March) to school at five, will he stand out as odd because he is the oldest in his class by 3-4 months and a year or so older than some kids in his class, or will there be older children in his class and his age will be relatively normal and unremarkable... ?

eigrod

grudgehugger wrote: »

Hi Eigrod, this is exactly the type of info I'm looking for. One question, when you say with the majority of their classmates, do you think many kids born between January and end April start school @ five? This is really at the heart of my question...

If we send our kid (birthday early March) to school at five, will he stand out as odd because he is the oldest in his class by 3-4 months and a year or so older than some kids in his class, or will there be older children in his class and his age will be relatively normal and unremarkable... ?

I suppose I'm only one voice and wouldn't for a minute speak for everyone, but I think probaby 70% of the kids in both my kids classes were born in the same year as them (my kids were born in May and started school aged 5 and 4 months). They are probably in the top 20 percentile age-wise in the class.

You really have to weigh up whether you yourself would prefer them to be among the more mature (at 5) or less mature (age 4) among the class.

Of course some schools may not accept them until they are 5 (or only accept age 4 when there are still spaces left) - you might want to ring the schools to discuss further.

mrbrianj

Call the school. They are the experts in this field.

Their rules might make the decision for you.

grudgehugger

mrbrianj wrote: »

Call the school. They are the experts in this field.

Their rules might make the decision for you.

Understood and will be doing so, just trying to gather as much info as we can.