Guidance on
Deferred and Early
Entry to School
January 2017
Deferring a Child’s Entry to School
Under current legislation, parents of children aged 4 years old at the start of the school session in
August (i.e. those with their 5th birthday on or after the 31st August and up to the end of February
the following year) have a choice about enrolling their child for primary school. These children can
start school before they are 5 or can defer their start until the following August.
Most parents choose to send their child to school as soon as s/he is eligible to start. The
following information explains what a parent or carer should do if they do NOT wish to send their
child to school as soon as s/he is eligible.
Reasons for Deferral
The Highland Council Care and Learning Service is sympathetic to parents and carers who wish to
discuss their child’s entry to school and we aim to help them make the best decision for their child.
Different processes apply according to the reasons why a child is deferring and also according to
when they have their birthday.
In all instances parents and carers should be encouraged to discuss this first with the Head
Teacher or Manager of the nursery or group the child attends.
Children Deferring Entry to P1
As a general rule, children should be educated with their year group.
The evidence (see Appendix 1) shows that placing children with classes of younger peers at best
makes no difference to outcomes, and at worst can lead to poorer emotional health, leaving school
early, lower attainments, and poorer employment outcomes.
No research evidence has yet been found which identifies any groups or circumstances in which it
is helpful to place a child outside their normal year group. However, common sense suggests that
there may be some exceptional situations in which deferred entry could be considered an
intervention. For example:
 the child may have additional support needs affecting their development
 the child has only recently arrived into the UK and has not experienced nursery education
and needs time to adjust to school life
 the child may have missed a lot of preschool through illness
 the child has a summer birthday and was born very prematurely
For children with significant additional support needs, deferred entry may be considered as an
intervention if it is agreed by the child’s parents and the core team around the child that this would
be in their best interests. However it should be noted that in most situations the child will continue
to have significant needs, even with a deferred entry to school and so it is most often better to
assess the needs of the child and agree an appropriate support package for school rather than
deferring school entry. In ALL cases where the child’s school entry is to be deferred due to their
additional support needs, the reason why the Early Learning setting is the best place to meet the
child’s needs should be noted as an intervention on the Child’s Plan, with clear targets to be
worked on within this additional year. For those children whose school entry is significantly
deferred i.e. those for whom deferral will make them 6 years old prior to the first day of term on the
following year, a request for assistance and advice must be made to the Educational Psychology
Service, to ensure that an Educational Psychologist can add to the assessment process and can
be consulted on the decision to defer, with involvement requested in good time.
By the time they reach the age of 4 or 5 years old, there are already differences in each child’s
development, learning, and levels of independence. Parents and carers may be considering
deferring their child’s entry to school simply because they feel that their child is not yet ready to
enter Primary 1. In such circumstances it may be helpful to consider the general development of
the child using a very broad range of criteria to further consider the child’s readiness for school
entry. Assessment at this stage should be completed by preschool staff who are asked to ensure
the child’s assessment record is backed by evidence that shows the areas of immaturity and
development. This assessment process may include information and assessments completed by
other professionals working with the child, to provide a wider context upon which the final decision
can be made.
If parents and carers are concerned about whether or not their child is ready for school, they
should speak directly to the staff who care for their child and/or to the Head Teacher or Manager of
the nursery or group their child attends. This initial discussion can take place at any stage in the
child’s pre-school year. At that and/or subsequent meetings, discussion should focus on the child’s
progress in his/her pre-school education, with a particular emphasis on the child’s:
 approach and attitude to learning
 ability to communicate his/her own needs, feelings and ideas
 levels of independence and self help
 emotional and personal development, including self-confidence
Discussions should include:
 the opinion of the child, parents, school and other staff involved about whether it is right for the
child and their family
 making sure parents understand any likely future issues
 checking that the child will fit into the new class
 taking into account the long-term effects on the child
 making sure that any other services the child needs are also provided
 making sure there is a plan for what happens after that school year
 the effect on children who might otherwise get the place
 checking that the decision is being made for the child’s benefit
Issues to be considered for children working outside their chronological year group
include:
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placing the child in another year group may deny some other child a place at that school
as he or she matures the child may realise that the rest of the class are of a different age
causing an emotional impact
the child may begin puberty at a different time from their classmates, which could be confusing
for them
the child is eligible to leave school at 16, and if he or she has had an additional preschool year,
may leave without completing their education, or gaining qualifications
other interventions may be more appropriate in the long-term
children learn a great deal from their peers, and receive social, emotional, and academic
support from each other
the evidence (see Appendix 1) suggests that placing students in a different year group rarely
makes a positive difference and can lead to negative long-term effects
as UNESCO 13 notes, children have a right to be educated with their peers
the school may not have space in another year group
This guidance relates to individual children who are placed within a class of a different age group.
It does not apply to mixed age (composite) classes where the child is part of an age-matched peer
group within the class.
Late Birthdays - January/February birth dates
Parents of children with late birthdays, close to the end of February cut-off date for school entry,
are sometimes concerned about whether their child is ready to start school.
If their child’s birthday falls within January or February and they wish to defer entry to primary
school, their child is now entitled to an additional year of part-time provision within a Council
nursery or partner centre. Continued funding is available to support this entitlement.
Parents and carers should speak directly to the Head Teacher or Manager of the nursery/centre
their child attends. They should be asked to complete an enrolment form for a pre-school place for
the following session. These children will be automatically prioritised for a continued place.
August (after the start of term)/December birth dates
If the child’s birthday falls between the 31st August and 31st December, the situation is more
complex should a parent or carer wish to defer entry. These children may be offered a continued
part-time place but this is subject to the Council’s discretion.
These children have no automatic entitlement and no central government funding is made
available for these places.
An individual assessment should be made of each application for deferred entry received for
children with August (after the start of term) to December birth dates. Assessment at this stage
should be completed by staff in the preschool centre/nursery, who are asked to ensure the child’s
assessment record is backed by evidence that shows the areas of immaturity and development.
This assessment process may include information and assessments completed by other
professionals working with the child, to provide a wider context upon which the final decision can
be made and how the child’s needs could still be met if they transition to school at this stage.
Where it is agreed that a child will significantly benefit if their entry to school is deferred, a
continued part-time funded preschool place may be offered. The cost of this place will be met by
the Council.
Where it is NOT agreed that a child would benefit significantly from deferring entry, they may
still be offered a continued preschool place, but parents or carers will be asked to meet the cost of
that place.
Parents or Carers Changing their Decision
In all cases parents and carers should be advised to also consider enrolling their child for a
Primary One place as this ensures that a place will be available should their application for a
funded deferred place be unsuccessful or should they decide nearer to the start of term, that they
do wish their child to start school in August.
Even if a parent or carer has applied for a deferred entry place they can change their mind and
decide to send their child to school right up until the start of term in August. However, if they do
decide to defer their child’s entry they must let the school know that they will not require the
Primary One place.
How are decisions made about the deferred entry application if the child has an
August (after start of term)/December birth date?
Decisions about deferral are best made as part of the ongoing profiling of a child and the dialogue
with the parents which should take place in the nursery or group their child attends. The
information gathered about the child within their nursery profile should form a sound basis for the
discussion with their family.
In considering the best decision for the child, the authority will take account of the child’s:
 approach and attitude to learning
 ability to communicate his/her own needs, feelings, and ideas
 levels of independence and self-help
 emotional and personal development, including self-confidence and esteem
 his/her relationships and friendships with other children and adults
 additional support needs
The parent’s/carer’s views are an important consideration so these should be sought.
Who will make the decision for deferred entry to school for the child?
All applications for deferred entry for children with August (after start of term) to December birth
dates are considered by a representative of the Area Care and Learning Manager. This will most
often be the Head Teacher or Manager of the nursery or group the child attends.
Once a decision has been reached the parents or carers will be informed in writing.
What will happen if the parents or carers do not agree with the decision?
If the parents or carers do not agree with the decision reached, they will have an opportunity to
appeal against that decision. Information on how to appeal will be included in the letter sent to
them.
The appeal will include all of the information considered plus any additional information the parents
or carers may wish to add. This will be re-considered by a different group of early years education
professionals and a representative of the Area Care and Learning Management Team. The
decision of the appeal will be final
Deferring a Child’s Entry to Preschool Education
Some parents of children with late birthdays i.e. those born between August and February, make
the decision to defer their child’s entry to school before starting preschool education, or applying
for a place at a local authority nursery. The child of a parent who delays sending their child to preschool because they intend to exercise their right to delay their entry into Primary 1, may seem to
fit in well in provision where 3 and 4 year olds are together. However in some places, the child may
go to one centre at 3 years old and another for their pre-school year and then enrol at the school
nursery when they could be going to P1. This means several changes of routine and personnel for
the child and still results in the child being educated outwith their chronological age group. Given
the research evidence available, this is unlikely to provide the benefits that parents may presume
and early years staff should discuss this with the parents if they are aware that this is their
intention.
Early Entry into School
Arrangements for entry to primary schools in Highland are on a once a year basis - at the start of
the new session in August each year. Only children whose fifth birthday falls between 1st March of
that year and the last day of February of the following year will automatically be admitted to school.
It is however open to parents or carers to make a request for early entry to primary school for a
child whose fifth birthday falls after the above date.
If parents or carers are concerned about whether or not their child should enter school early, they
should speak directly to the staff who care for their child and/or to the Head Teacher or Manager of
the nursery or group the child attends. This initial discussion might take place at any stage during
the child’s preschool year. At that and/or subsequent meetings, discussion should focus on the
child’s progress in his/her preschool education.
Discussions should include:
 the opinion of the child, parents, school and other staff involved about whether it is right for the
child and their family
 making sure parents understand any likely future issues
 checking that the child will fit into the new class
 taking into account the long-term effects on the child
 making sure that any other services the child needs are also provided
 the effect on children who might otherwise get the place
 checking that the decision is being made for the child’s benefit
Parents and carers should be aware of the following issues associated with early entry into primary
school.
Physical development
Is the child physically mature enough to cope with a full-time programme of education?
School places physical demands on children for approximately five hours each day. If the child is
not physically mature enough to deal with the school situation, problems may arise in relation to:
 concentration on a task
 mastering of basic learning skills
 acceptance by other children in relation to the demands of both classroom and
playground activities
Emotional/social development
Is the child emotionally and socially mature enough to cope with a full-time programme of
education?
As a consequence of early admission to school the child would be younger than the other pupils in
the class. Difficulties may arise for the child in relation to:
 separating from parents and carers
 making friends with others within the class group
 play activities within the classroom and the playground
 behavioural problems due to lack of maturity
Learning development
Has the child developed sufficiently to cope with the learning programme in a school?
The child learns informally through play and through other individual, social and family experiences
in the preschool period. Early entry to school may deprive the child of such activities and
experiences, which prepare him/her for the more formal learning situation.
Long-term implications
Have the parents or carers considered the long-term implications for the child throughout his/her
career?
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At the end of P1, when it may be felt that the child is not ready to proceed to P2, because of
difficulty in adjusting to the school learning environment
At the end of P7 when it may be felt that the child is not ready to proceed to SI in secondary
school
At the end of secondary education when the child will be too young to leave school along with
his/her class group and when there may therefore be difficulties with entrance to a desired form
of higher education
Issues to be considered for children working outside their chronological year group
include:









placing the child in another year group may deny some other child a place at that school
as he or she matures the child may realise that the rest of the class are of a different age
causing an emotional impact
the child may begin puberty at a different time from their classmates, which could be confusing
for them
the child will not be eligible to leave school until his/her 16th birthday. Starting school early will
mean that the child will not be eligible to leave after completing formal examinations in S4 and
therefore may miss the start date for a college course generally available at the end of the
summer term to S4 school leavers.
other interventions may be more appropriate in the long-term
children learn a great deal from their peers, and receive social, emotional and academic
support from each other
the evidence (see Appendix 1) suggests that placing students in a different year group rarely
makes a positive difference and can lead to negative long-term effects
as UNESCO 13 notes, children have a right to be educated with their peers
the school may not have space in another year group
This guidance relates to individual children who are placed with a class of a different age group. It
does not apply to mixed-age (composite) classes where the child is part of an age-matched peer
group within the class.
Early entry requests
A press advertisement will appear in the local press in the month prior to enrolment, advising
parents and carers of the procedures for enrolling their child in primary school. Applications for
early entry to primary school should also be made at this time to the Area Care and Learning
Manager, in order to allow requests to be processed timeously.
Parents or carers do not have to give reasons for making an early entry request. If however, there
are more requests than places available, this information could be requested.
Due to the time required to call a child for assessment it is essential that requests be made to the
Area Care and Learning Manager in good time to allow the procedures to be followed and to
ensure that should the request be granted the child would be able to commence school at the start
of the new session.
Parents or carers should complete an early years enrolment form along with the early entry request
to ensure that the child has a nursery place if the application for early entry is unsuccessful.
What happens next?
Arrangements will be made for the child to be assessed. Parents or carers will be informed of the
date, time, and location of the assessment.
The assessment will usually be conducted by a specialist in early years education. If the child
attends a pre-school establishment a report will be requested from the establishment. The purpose
of the assessment and the report will be to determine whether the child has reached the level of
development which will allow him/her to settle happily into a primary one class.
Following the assessment a report will go to the Area Care and Learning Manager. If it is decided
that the request should be granted, parents or carers will receive a letter inviting them to enrol their
child in primary school.
In considering requests for early entry the authority must take into account the normal constraints
affecting the provision of education generally. Therefore, in determining any request in addition to
making an assessment of the child’s suitability, the authority will require to consider whether
additional resources, in terms of staff or by adaptation of school buildings or facilities will require to
be committed as a result of the early entry request.
If the authority decides to refuse the request, parents or carers will be advised in writing and sent a
copy of the assessment report on their child. It should, however, be noted there is no right of
appeal against a refusal of an early entry request.
January 2017
Appendix 1
References
1. Byrnes, D. A. and Yamamoto, K. (1985) Academic retention of elementary pupils: An inside
look. Education, 106, 2, 208–214.
2. Cadieux, A. (2003) A 3-year longitudinal study of self-concept and classroom behaviour of
Grade 1 retained pupils. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 96, 2, 371–378.
3. Clatworthy, V. (2005) The Perceptions of Parents, Pupils and Teachers on Grade Retention.
MSc Dissertation (unpublished), University of Bristol.
4. Eide, E. R. and Showalter, M. H. (2001) The effect of grade retention on educational and labor
market outcomes. Economics of Education Review, 20, 563–576.
5. Ferguson, P. C. (1991) Longitudinal outcome differences among promoted and transitional atrisk kindergarten students. Psychology in the Schools, 28, 2, 139–146.
6. Honffy, M. and Bachlechner, M. (1977) Children whose education is delayed: An initial
evaluation of the study. Praxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie, 26, 5, 176–184.
7. Hong, G. and Raudenbush, S. W. (2005) Effects of Kindergarten Retention Policy on Children’s
Cognitive Growth in Reading and Mathematics. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 27, 3,
205–224.
8. Jimerson, S., Carlson, E., Rotert, M., Egeland, B. and Sroufe, L. A. (1997) A prospective,
longitudinal study of the correlates and consequences of early grade retention. Journal of School
Psychology, 35, 1, 3–25.
9. Mantzicopoulos, P. (1997) Do certain groups of children profit from early retention? A follow-up
study of kindergartners with attention problems. Psychology in the Schools, 34, 2, 115–127.
10. Mantzicopoulos, P. and Morrison, D. (1992) Kindergarten retention: Academic and behavioural
outcomes through the end of second grade. American Educational Research Journal, 29, 1, 182–
198.
11. Peterson, S. E., DeGracie, J. S. and Ayabe, C. R. (1987) A longitudinal study of the effects of
retention/promotion on academic achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 24, 1,
107–118.
12. Westbury, M. (1994) The effect of elementary grade retention on subsequent school
achievement and ability. Canadian Journal of Education, 19, 3, 241–250.
Web references
13. John Hattie – The major issues in the retention debate.
http://www.arts.auckland.ac.nz/FileGet.cfm?ID=4a924c93-057d-4c0e-8f32-36c11af6113c
Retrieved 18th July 2006.
14. National Association of School Psychologists – Position Statement on Student Grade Retention
and Social Promotion. www.nasponline.org/information/pospaper_graderetent.html
Retrieved 3rd July 2006.
15. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – The Salamanca Statement
and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education.
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0009/000984/098427eo.pdf