What Happens When A Child Reaches 5?

[Guest Spiral]

Can anyone help?

 

We have a child who is going to be 5 soon. Dad refuses for the child to go to their local school as he doesn't like it and all of the other schools are full. This leaves a difficult situation with us where we have no way of ensuring this child is on target (other than our LA advisor who doesn't seem to have time to advise on individual achievements).

 

I explained that their child should be in full time ed by their fifth birthday, Dad has hinted that they feel the system states they will still be able to send their child to us if they chose to pay and try to home ed as well.

 

I've never had such an argumentative parent and they are'nt listening at all, despite my explaining we won't be insired etc, etc.............help!!!!!

 

What a struggle!!!

 

Spiral

[Cait]

There is a system called education otherwise which provides information for parents who choose to home educate their child. It may be worth looking into this

[Fredbear]

I think the law states for England that a child does not legally have to attend school until the term after their fifth birthday, but i'm sure someone more knowlegeable will be along soon to advise.

Are the parents working with the local authority to resolve his admission into school, or are they considering home schooling them altogether.

[finleysmaid]

they can indeed keep their children with you until the term after their fifth birthday (so i would assume easter from what you have said) ...i am unsure as to whether they could then complete their reception year at your setting...this might be possible if the LEA were in agreement ...though they would still have to follow eyfs curriculum...they could then opt to home school which again needs to be organised with the lea so that they know what their intentions are...most of our parents who do this are ofsted inspected (though i think this may be optional??)

you could get advice from the admissions team. Following the eyfs for reception will require you to do the childs profile and enter this data at the end of the year . We often have children who are in their reception year.

[catma]

I believe the child would have to be in statutory education ie school or otherwise educated at home once they reach the start of the term after their 5th birthday. The completion of the EYFSP in nursery is only applicable if the child reaches their 5th birthday in the summer term. They then go straight into year 1 as their chronological academic year group.

 

Maybe you should contact your local admissions team at the LA for info. Or your Families Information service??

 

Cx

[Sharky]

What ages are stated on your registration? If you are registered up to and including 5 years old you would be insured, but otherwise he would just have to accept that you cannot keep his child once they become 5.

[finleysmaid]

What ages are stated on your registration? If you are registered up to and including 5 years old you would be insured, but otherwise he would just have to accept that you cannot keep his child once they become 5.

you can get permission for ofsted for a variation on this if dad wanted him to stay till easter...we did this when a child was moving abroad and the parents didn't want him to start the local school for a term.(catma is of course right( as usual) about the compulsory school age unless the child has a significant sen need and then there may be exceptions)

[Guest]

Hi Spiral, How are you?

 

If everything is fine with LA, Ofsted, Insurance, what do you think, in your professional opinion, would be best for this child?

 

Do you think the child would still benefit with preschool provision compared to Primary? or is he/she really ready to move on?

 

Has the child voiced any thoughts about whether he/she is looking forward to going to school (or not) etc?

 

I learnt on a TV programme the other day that children who are home schooled don't have to follow the NC.

 

You mention the father has difficulty in listening, is argumentative and it's all a struggle, how do you think these negatives could be turned into positives?

 

If you are happy for the child to remain at preschool, have enough places etc I would suggest that you ask Ofsted's advice, as the registering body it is from them you need the information as to whether the child can attend or not. I don't think the LA would come into it unless they were funding the child's place.

 

Interesting situation, keep us informed how it pans out.

 

Peggy

[lashes2508]

I agree with Peggy , we had children who deferred as they did not get into their parents school of choice - out of the 5 who returned to preschool - 3 benefitted but 2 were more than ready and had unfortunately had the build up in the summer of going to school for it all to fall apart, the blame did not really lay with parents. is was the LA and admissions system as many of the children could not attend their siblings school. Admittedly one set of parents were adamant that their child would not attend an alternative school as they felt it was not up to scratch, a difficult situation but one i hope you can attend too to benfit all - keep us updated

[catma]

you can get permission for ofsted for a variation on this if dad wanted him to stay till easter...we did this when a child was moving abroad and the parents didn't want him to start the local school for a term.(catma is of course right( as usual) about the compulsory school age unless the child has a significant sen need and then there may be exceptions)

 

Not sure that's wholly true, but thanks for the vote of confidence!!!

 

Cx

[catma]

it was the LA and admissions system as many of the children could not attend their siblings school.

 

Unfortunately there is never a guarantee that you will get your first preference school, even if you have siblings. from memory the DfE admissions code criteria put SEN, LAC and several other vulnerable groups above siblings. Attendance at the school nursery is no guarantee either. Unfortunately it's not just about choice but meeting the needs of many different children as best can be done with a limited resource, ie school places. Classes of over 30 would become the norm if everyone got to just pick with no parameters to limit intakes.

 

This is not to say that mistakes don't happen as clearly they do but there can often be particular reasons for why children get preference which will obviously have a knock on effect down the criteria.

 

cx

[Guest Spiral]

Thank you to everyone for your responses.

 

It's a hugely difficult situation, which has left all of the staff feeling very concerned for the child - we are struggling to provide a higher level of education and meet the needs of the other children, its a difficult balance.

 

Dad is just adamant that the child won't go elsewhere and his strong attitude reflects upon his own experiences, but the school has changed vastly.

 

My LA advisor has stated that the child should be leaving in March, but I think dad will be argueing it out and trying his best to keep the child with us - I have been pretty frank with dad and explained that when the child reaches 5, unless they are to home educate, they will be told which school their child will attend.

 

I do understand dad's concerns, but also feel for the child. I can't envisage this parent being able to home ed at a good level - othrwise I'd be a little more relaxed!

 

Will keep you all informed,

 

Spiral x

[finleysmaid]

Do you think Dad is holding out hoping that he will get what he wants if he makes a fuss? or do you really think he will follow through with the home schooling? Home education for this age group is more common than you would expect (though there are no official figures!) and there are lots of home schooling groups...perhaps investigate these for him if he chooses this route. Do you really feel that this Father is unable to provide, why?and is there support from others in the Family(Mum etc??) Can he work and support this child?If you home school at this age you only need to complete about 10 hours per week!(because it's one to one) However much we might agree or disagree with his dicision i do think it is his right to choose and our job to support that decision.

I can see from your post that you are concerned...(always a sign of a good practitioner IMO!) are there other things worrying you about this situation, or is it just Dad's stubborn streak that is causing the issues?

[mundia]

I think you will need to keep iterating to dad that you cannot have the child after the term following his 5th birthday. When I was a children centre teacher, I had many unplaced 5 year olds, all of whom were waiting for appeals to get into their school of choice. All just refused to send their child elsewhere, some won their appeals, some said they would home school, some reluctantly went elsewhere. Do you have a CC you can link him with?

 

There are very few rules for home schooling, but the LA is entitled to request information about how the child is being educated. They do not have to register with OFSTED.

But from you have said, it doesnt feel like home schooling is what the dad really wants?

[Guest]

There are very few rules for home schooling, but the LA is entitled to request information about how the child is being educated. They do not have to register with OFSTED.

But from you have said, it doesnt feel like home schooling is what the dad really wants?

 

We home educated our son. He went to playgroup who kept him on until the term after his fifth birthday. We took over from then. We continued with the curriculum guidance (as it was then) for the next yr or two (he had hearing and speech problems until he had an operation).

 

We didn't have to inform the LA and home educators have nothing to do with Ofsted. Most parents are able to educate their own children. They don't have to do 10 hours formal education either especially in the first few years as most children learn through play and are continuously learning by exploring their world and asking questions. It is very much a continuation of nursery but at home.

 

There are several groups to point the father towards including education otherwise, Early Years home ed, HE-UK. These are all national groups but there are local groups too.