Hi, I was just curious about when your little ones started kindergarten/foundation. Did you send your ones at 4-5yrs or wait till 5-6yrs? I have my daughter enrolled to start next year and will be 4 going on 5 in April. I'm just worried if I should wait. She is socially ready but unsure if she has the maturity level. Can I please have your pros and cons? Thank you!!
14 Replies
No one can tell you, every child is different, only you know the right answer.
Consult her kinder teacher and see what they think, they are the best people to discuss this with, they know how she measures up against her peers.
Asking a bunch of strangers is not going to give you the answer you want.
This gets asked a lot, how long is a piece of String?
Pros for some kids are cons for others.
Current trend is to wait. But like the other poster said people have strong feelings either way. I held my April baby back to start 5-6 and he is doing amazing the transition was seamless and easy.
My daughter started Kindy (Kindergarten) at 3.5 she’s a May baby both my older children started at 4 they are end of year kids. Pre-Primary (Prep) is compulsory In WA and you need to start schooling the year you turn 5 or are 5 before the 30th of June the year you start. That’s our cut off and if you miss Kindy that’s your choice but they’ll start your kid in Prep if they are the right age. Most times Pricipals will not keep your kid back the year unless there is a good reason.
If youre hesitating, I'd say wait.
It's fine if you know completely that she's ready but you rather her be more then ready, then starting too early.
Worst case, is you can always hold her back and repeat the year if she does need that extra time but usually they are fine.
I have May babies and both mine are going the year they turn 6. So they start school at 5yrs & 7 months....
Wait until 5 - 6. There are a few 4 years olds in the mix and you will always be able to pick them out. They will also feel the pressure in year 2 when things step up and they're only 6 years old being prepared for year 3.
I don’t know any 6yr olds doing year 3. You go to year 3 the year you turn 8 or are already 8. I live On WA but I was schooled in Melbourne up to year 3 and everyone in my year was either 8 or turning 8 that year. My daughter will be turning 7 in year 2 and turning 8 in year 3.
It goes
Kindy/Kindergarten - start at 4 or turning 4 before 30th June or 30th April if you’re in Victoria
Prep/pre-primary 5 or turning 5
Year/Grade 1 - 6 already or turning 6
Year/Grade 2 - 7 or turning 7
Year/Grade 3 - 8 or turning 8
Year/Grade 4 - 9 etc
Year/Grade 5 - 10 etc
Year / Grade 6 - 11etc
Year/Grade 7 - 12 etc
Year/Grade 8 - 13 etc
Year/ Grade 9 - 14
Year/Grade 10 - 15
Year/Grade 11 - 16
Year/Grade 12 - 17 and if you’re lucky enough to be born Between June 30 - september 30 you’ll be 18 and screw your senior year because you can go clubbing and partying all weekend instead of studying and achieving great grades that you put all that effort into, I know what I’d rather. My kids not bunking out on Exams because they turn 18 in their senior year before they finish their compulsory education. You can raise your kids right but the moment they become 18 they are legally adults who can vote and do what ever the fuck they like and we can’t stop them unless we threaten them. I’d rather not be that parent that tells them they can’t enjoy their first year as an adult. 😉
Yes they might be 6 when they start year 2 but by June they would have turned 7. All my daughters yr 2 friends are 7 or turning 8.
One of my daughters friends was the youngest girl in the class in her prep class she was 4 until June when she turned 5. I had no idea she actually looked older than my daughter who’s 8mths older. So you can’t always spot the 4yr olds.
We held my youngest daughter back. She is 6 in feb and will start school just before she turns 6 next year. Honestly the best decision, she is so much more confident.
The schooling system is a little different where I am (personally I think it's ridiculous that some schooling systems allow for the potential to have 4 year olds and 6 year olds in the same grade).
Anyway, I have 3 kids. 2 of whom are the oldest in their grades who struggled to adjust to formal schooling, 1 of whom is one of the youngest who has sailed through, socially, emotionally and accedemically.
So it does depend on the child.
However, in your position where there's the possibility of such an age gap, I'd wait.
I would 100% wait until 5 turning 6. Almost all of the preps will be 5 and turning 6 (some will already be 6 when they start prep) at the beginning of the year putting your daughter a good year in age behind them.
While she may seem ready now, this age gap is evident later on heading into the teens when her peers are all older and able to cope with all the pressures of being a teenager.
I have also been in prep classes and it’s quite evident which kids are 4 turning 5 and not 5 turning 6.
One extra year of being young before starting school won’t hurt her.
I was at my daughters orientation day today and one mother said - no one regrets holding them back. I really found that positive and quite true. Never come across someone that has regretted it.
My daughter is turning 6 at the end of February 2020 and I did have her enrolled to start this year last year but was encouraged to keep her back because she was very timid and quiet but was academically ready.
I’m so glad I have held her back - she’s still shy it will never change it’s her personality. But she copes better. A lot of people are starting them later and that is what helped me make the decision as I didn’t want her starting with kids that are turning 6 around the same time she was turning 5 - it’s an entire year of difference. A year can make a huge difference and I would rather her be older in high school. When they start at high school it’s another maturity situation again. I started school at 4 my birthday is June and my mum reminded me I struggled at high school in year 7 coping. I was academically fine but the maturity was off. And then of course I wanted to keep up with my 18 year old friends when that time came.
Just a few points of view to consider. But again each child is very different and if you feel your child is ready and that’s the right choice for you and your child then that’s what’s best!!! Good luck
Start her at 5 if she is ready. She will
Adjust very quick and make so many new things and learn so much. Her maturity will soon change, it will be good for her.
My daughter was 5 turning 6 at the end of december. While I felt she was ready in herself 99% of the kids in her class were 5 turning 6 at the start of the year. I found she struggled with the other kids on a maturity level. It took a good few years until it leveled out. While she was fine with it all as she is a pretty confident kid I struggled watching her be excluded from games and friendships, she was still very young emotionally. I wish I would have held her back that extra year.
My daughters started their first year of school (prep in QLD) 5 turning 6 but I didn’t get the option to hold back as they were aug & nov babies.
My oldest is in grade 4, I’ve noticed the trend is now to hold back no matter what.
This means that so many of the kids are either already 6 or turning 6 early in their first year making those 4 turning 5yo look very young and not ready for school.
I’ve been a prep mum 3 times already and each year I’ve seen some 4yr olds thrive and sometimes the 6yr olds struggle, holding them back doesn’t necessarily make them more ready.
If your child does kindy, pre prep or daycare the educators generally have a good grasp on whether or not they’ll handle school.