Primary school - what age? I'm confused

[alieh]

My son was 2 in December (born Dec '08). I just went in to Goodrich to collect a form to apply for a nursery place for him and they mentioned that they are dropping their January intake, and just having the September intake.

They said that because of the change in intake he wouldn't be eligible for a nursery place until Sep 2012 and then would start reception in Sept 2013. I must have had it wrong, because I thought he would start reception in Sept 2012 (i.e. 2 months before his 4th birthday).

Am I missing something or did I have it wrong all along that he would start reception just before he was 4? It only matters because I was counting on having less childcare costs as of Sept 2012 but it sounds like this won't happen until Sept 2013 (eek!).

[clux]

My daughter started reception when she was 4 and a half but that was when they had a Jan intake. Her birthday is end of July so with just a Sept intake she would have started in the Sept after her 4th Birthday. As far as I know Reception has always been for 4 year olds, not 3 year olds.

[Pickle]

Hi Alieh,

They start in reception after their 4th birthday. My son is just starting at Goodrich nursery next week and he'll be 4 in a few weeks time - he then starts reception in September.

P x

[pebbles]

If there is just a Sept intake then you start reception the school year that you turn 5 so therefore there will be some children there who will be 5 days after starting but also others that would have only just turned 4 - ie August birthdays. But basically, yes, your son will start reception 2 months before he turns 5.

I'm not a knowledge on this but i'm pretty sure that once your son turns 3 the Government will pay towards 15 hours childcare?? Someone else will give you more info on this but this may well be the cutting down the costs that you were looking for.

[dollydaydream]

Hi Alieh, I think Goodrich are correct, he will start nursery in September 2012 after his 3rd birthday, which is 3 dec 11 start nursery sept 12. My son was 3 in August and then started nursery in the sept but some children were 4 in the sept and my son seems to be catching up ever since. The school year starts from 1st sept - 31st Aug.

Hope this helps you.

[alieh]

Got it! Thanks. I misunderstood. I think it was the January intake thing that messed me up.

So nursery in Sept 2012 (two months before he turns 4), reception in Sept 2013 (two months before he turns 5). All contingent on getting a space of course!

Best start setting aside money for an extra year of childcare then....oops.

[craigy]

you are eligible for some childcare funding from the government the term after they turn 3 until they start reception.. it is 15 hours a week but the actual cash value of it is difficult to determine as it is different with each nursery... am sure someone else can give you more info on that..

[alieh]

Thanks, I will look into the 15 hours entitlement.

[ludoscotts]

If he is in private childcare before he starts reception(i.e a nursery where you pay monthly fees) you will get money off the fees to the equivalent of 15 hrs per week. Think its around ?395 3 times a year. the money will be paid direct to your nursery and it will be knocked off the fees.

some nurseries take throughout the year. my daughter goes to dulwichvillage pre-school. they take children from 2 years old, its only open term time but they take children throughout the year when then have spaces so jan, after easter, after summer and half terms. you pay fees until the beginning of the term after they turn 3. At that point they will get 15 hrs paid for and anything over the 15 hrs you will be invoiced for by the nursery.

so if you didnt want to wait until he was almost 4 you could think about one of these types of nurseries.

If has the principals as school nurseries, hours and the holidays are all the same so your child can get used to the way a school would run but you wont have to wait until they are nearly 4.

We sent our daughter for 2 afternoons a week to let her get used to it and she just started for 3 full days this week. We felt going from totally being with me to going to 3 full days which hard on her and this has worked perfectly.

She turned 3 at the end of nov so we paid for 1 term of 2 sessions a week(which cost ?212) and now that she is 3 she gets 6 sessions paid for by the government which is perfect.She has 3 days at nursery and 4 days off and by the time she goes to school and moves up to 5 full days she will fine.

well worth considering doing something along these lines as she has slotted straight into 3 full days this week and seemed to be loving it.