4.5 or 5.5 to start school

jlm29

Dolbert wrote: »

I've been thinking about this too, my son is a December baby so will either have to be almost 5 or almost 6 going in. Guess we'll wait and see, it's not for a few years yet.

My boy is a November baby, and he started playschool last year at almost 4. His teacher would say that leaving him until next year would have been a mistake. He was well ready for it, and will be well ready for national school in sept. In general, it seems as though kids with birthdays before Xmas seem to start (playschool) when they're 3 going on 4.

Marz66

BailMeOut wrote: »

the older they start the older they will finish. I believe this is important as 13 - 14 years later they be starting 3rd level at a more mature age and be able to deal with college and/or being away from home a lot better.

There's also repeat leaving / gap year / start a college course and decide don't like it and need to start another course to consider. If they do something like medicine they will be even older coming out of it.

goldlocks10

Hi. Just having this discussion here. My work friend made a very good point.what age will they be starting secondary school? Will they be the young so at 16th have friends that are having 18th birthday party.i have decided two years in pre school. Also with the 2nd free year more children will be older.

Lackey

It's not about how well they are doing at 4/5
If they start at 4/4.5 with kids 5/ 5.5/5,9 years old they will be in 5th year at 16 with 18 year old friends (ty adds the extra year)
17 in 6th year up against 19 year olds in points race
It's the age of kids in school now.

heldel00

I am teaching senior infants this year. There is exactly one full year between the oldest boy and youngest boy - one is April 2009 and the other April 2010. Let me tell you the difference is night and day.
The younger boy is actually more academically able but the older child is just way more socially able. Can deal with being corrected, can be relied on to do a job, can keep their area organised, can play with others without fighting or sulking, can pack their own bag, can put on and zip up his own coat, can open their own Frube (these are the bane of my life!), can peel their own orange, can eat a yogurt without destroying the place, can deal with being told "no"!!! And so on...

Your decision. Only you know your child but I have seen age cropping up time and time again as a child advances up through education system.

Cici14

My daughter started school at 4years and 5months old. She is now 7 and going into second class this September. I really think it depends on each child as to what age they start school. My daughter has never been behind in her work she has always been on par with the oldest and my daughter is the youngest. Socially though my daughter was a bit more shy and sensitive in junior infants like at parties etc but has since gotten over that.

RentDayBlues

Lackey wrote: »

It's not about how well they are doing at 4/5
If they start at 4/4.5 with kids 5/ 5.5/5,9 years old they will be in 5th year at 16 with 18 year old friends (ty adds the extra year)
17 in 6th year up against 19 year olds in points race
It's the age of kids in school now.

I'm not sure age matters in terms of points?

If I look at my February baby, she starts school at 4.5 so allowing for 14 years of school she'll turn 18 the February of her leaving cert year. This I think is a good age, it also means that if she wanted to repeat she'd be just gone 19, not 20!

Lackey

RentDayBlues wrote: »

I'm not sure age matters in terms of points?

If I look at my February baby, she starts school at 4.5 so allowing for 14 years of school she'll turn 18 the February of her leaving cert year. This I think is a good age, it also means that if she wanted to repeat she'd be just gone 19, not 20!

I agree points and grades depend on the child as well as age but there will be students who will be 19 sitting the same exams all over the country
I also thought 4.5 is a good age, its not just about the points, chances are she'll be 16 before even turning 17 in the feb getting invited to niteclubs for 18ths, speaking from experience not judgementally apologies if it comes across otherwise,

RentDayBlues

Lackey wrote: »

I agree points and grades depend on the child as well as age but there will be students who will be 19 sitting the same exams all over the country
I also thought 4.5 is a good age, its not just about the points, chances are she'll be 16 before even turning 17 in the feb getting invited to niteclubs for 18ths, speaking from experience not judgementally apologies if it comes across otherwise,

Not at all. I started school at 5 but only did 13 years as no transition year, so I didn't turn 18 until after my leaving. I get the having older friends, it was never a problem for me. She'll be 18 before she finishes.

Ruddler

Thanks everyone. Looks like he didn't get a place in school this year so the decision might have been made for us. Even though we were leaning towards waiting until next year I feel totally gutted for him that he can't move on with his little friends. He's the only child in playschool that didn't get accepted. There was never a guarantee and we're yards outside the parish boundary.

Hopefully a blessing in disguise and he'll get in next year and be more confident for it.

Moonbeam

I came across this article and found it an interesting read - http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/discussion/school-starting-age-the-evidence

RentDayBlues

Moonbeam wrote: »

I came across this article and found it an interesting read - http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/discussion/school-starting-age-the-evidence

Very good article. It would be great if there was a montessori alternative to infants, so that the parent could decided whether they start at 5 or 7 in formal school.

peckdunn

Both my kids started school at 4 (5 in Nov and Feb) and have had no issues. Most research says the older the better (one even suggested optimum age is 7) as kids are less trouble/more focusses etc.