School refusing deferring reception place

Consult our experts on 11 Plus appeals or any other type of school appeal

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

School refusing deferring reception place

Post by sherry_d »

My friend's daughter was born end of July and she wrote to the school she was due to start that she wishes to defer entry until the child turns 5. She has just had a meeting with the Headteacher who has told her that he wont keep the place as its up to him to decide to keep the place open or not. She thought it was now law that they have to keep the place but Headteacher is threatening to give the place to someone and he needs to hear asap what date she will be starting. Is this right? If there is law that he has to keep the place is there any chance of a link to the document please?. I looked at the Kent Council Website and couldnt find much information. Its a heavily oversubscribed school and so my friend is really worried now that they could give the place to someone.
Impossible is Nothing.
Chocolatey Mum
Posts: 99
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:49 pm

Re: School refusing deferring reception place

Post by Chocolatey Mum »

I'm no expert but I thought the law regarding starting full time education relates the term following their 5th birthday but not that the school have to hold a place. What I think I mean is - she is not breaking the law by keeping her at home until she is 5.
The school probably want the space filled and are not obliged to hold one open. Probably down to money - usually is!
The LEA are obliged to find her a place when the child is 5 but it could be anywhere!
This is just my understanding of the system not gospel .
Hope someone comes along with a more info soon.
Alex
Posts: 1097
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: School refusing deferring reception place

Post by Alex »

Here is the relevant bit of the School Admissions Code:

Deferred entry to primary schools
2.69 Admission authorities must allow parents of children who are offered a place at the school before they are of compulsory school age to defer their child’s entry until later in the school year. Where entry is deferred, admission authorities must hold the place for that child and not offer it to another child. The parent would not however be able to defer entry beyond the beginning of the term after the child’s fifth birthday, nor beyond the academic year for which the original application was accepted. This must be made clear in the admission arrangements for the school.


So it is possible to defer until the last term of the school year but not through until the next school year.

The link to the School Admissions Code through the DfE website is:

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adm ... egulations" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Blitz
Posts: 874
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 3:58 pm

Re: School refusing deferring reception place

Post by Blitz »

I have parents who have deferred entry until after Easter. Their children are 5 in June and July. One parent wanted to defer until the term after they were 5, eg Sept 2012, but school is not legally obliged to keep the place open for them. The LEA advised that they must start school 2 weeks before the end of the summer term to ensure their place is kept. The parents decided to start part-time at Easter and full-time after Whit half term as a compromise. I would suggest they check with the LEA on the actual rules of deferring entry.
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Re: School refusing deferring reception place

Post by sherry_d »

Thank you all. My friend thought that since the law says a child has to start a term after her 5th birthday which will be Sept 2012 for her DD, the school could hold a place until then.

The Head is very unhappy that she is deferring entry so he really pushed hard for her to start first in January at least and then April latest. She stood her ground and said she could let her start after half term in June. The Head then asked her to write a letter asap as to what day she wants her to start but still wouldn't confirm if place would be kept. The passage you quoted Alex will be very useful for her to include in the letter to the Head.

Its such a shame that the Head is really trying to blackmail her. He suggested her daughter will probably be in the bottom table when she starts because other kids will be ahead of her. She isnt just keeping her at home, she does three day at a Montessori preschool and the other days she just does bit and bobs with her.

She is now planning on drafting a letter to the Head with June start date and a quoting the Admissions quote as a reminder to the Head and cc it to Kent County Council. Hopefully the Head will see sense in it.
Impossible is Nothing.
Alex
Posts: 1097
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Lincolnshire

Re: School refusing deferring reception place

Post by Alex »

sherry_d wrote:
Its such a shame that the Head is really trying to blackmail her.
To be fair to the Head he is probably not just being "difficult" for the sake of it. Whilst the law supports parents who want to defer entry it has financial implications for the school - they still have to employ the same teacher and support staff but have lost the per capita funding for the child. If lots of parents defer the school can end up with a serious cash shortfall.
He suggested her daughter will probably be in the bottom table when she starts because other kids will be ahead of her. She isnt just keeping her at home, she does three day at a Montessori preschool and the other days she just does bit and bobs with her.
There are lots of arguments for and against deferring entry and I think the parent usually can work out what is best for their child, but it is worth knowing exactly what the Foundation years curriculum is covering so that the child is not missing out on any areas that their peers are experiencing.
mitasol
Posts: 2756
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:59 am

Re: School refusing deferring reception place

Post by mitasol »

Hi Sherry,

I would also have your friend contact the LEA to ensure she has followed all the correct procedure for deferring until later in the year.
drummer
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 5:47 pm
Location: South Bucks

Re: School refusing deferring reception place

Post by drummer »

I believe that the head count (or bums-on-seats) count takes place in January - In other words that the schools gets it's money based on the number of kids in January so if the child isn't there in by then the school will lose that funding
drummer
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 5:47 pm
Location: South Bucks

Re: School refusing deferring reception place

Post by drummer »

Is there a particular reason why your friend wishes to defer entry? The Reception curriculum is very play based and is much more about 'school readiness' than school (book learning). It could be a real mistake to miss out on. The move into Y1 can be a very big shock by comparison.

My quiet 'homebody' DD is also end July birthday and really blossomed in Reception.

Could I suggest watching the excellent programme by Channel 4, The Secret Life of the Classroom http://www.channel4.com/programmes/secr ... ssroom/4od" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
tonbridgemum
Posts: 421
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:46 pm

Re: School refusing deferring reception place

Post by tonbridgemum »

Erm, I tend to agree there should be a really good reason to defer...
Your friends child could miss out on building valuable relationships with peers and only spending a few weeks in year R (just when they are winding down and the teacher has begun to prepare for her next new intake in september...) would not be the best start in her school life (IMHO)
I work in a Preschool and although we follow the EYFS there is a limit to how much we will do with the children..prefering to concentrate on preparing them for school socially and physically, so even though your friends child will still attend a nursery they will not necessarily be doing age related activities because we arent meant to be teaching school age children :oops:
Anyway, we dont know the circumstances and i know it wasnt what you asked for intitially! sorry!
Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now