[mmk]

DS will be 5 in February next year (cutoff 30th April), but I would've sent him to prep this year if he was old enough. Socially and emotionally he'd be fine, he can follow instructions and can be trusted to do as he's told, and I'm assuming academically he'd be fine because he's very observant and way too inquisitive. By next year he'll be more than ready, and there's no way he needs to be 'held back' until 2014 (which he's perfectly entitled to be).

If we can't get him into prep at our chosen school I'm wondering what our options are. If we were offered a prep/reception place (so half kinder/half prep, with prep the next year) at our chosen school, would that be better than sending him to prep next year at a school that we would prefer him not to go to?

The chosen school does homework from prep (and I'm guessing prep/reception but we didn't even consider prep/reception to ask the question) and has extension programmes that he could access if he ends up bored - which would be positives for him doing prep/reception. The other school would do no homework, but it would mean that he'd be in prep when he 'should' be. It would mean though that he'd have to change schools when a place came up, and he wouldn't be thinking that homework was normal because he wasn't used to it.

Would you send your child to prep/reception with the option for extension if he needs it down the track, even though he's more than ready to go straight into prep? Or would you prefer your child to change schools and possibly be 'behind' when he gets to the other school, plus the added shock of homework? If you chose the prep/reception route, would you mention this at the interview, or would you think that it might mean that they put him there just to balance numbers and get another child in? I'm pretty sure I know what I think is right for DS, but I just wanted some opinions in case there's other factors that I haven't considered...

[Phascogale]

I wouldn't be worried about the homework issue? What is the homework? Readers, a pageful of some sort of activity that can be done in 15 mins? Reading can be done from birth and when school starts, it's just an extension of that.

Do you actually know whether he has a spot in your chosen school for next year? Have you applied if it's private or is it a public school? If it's your zoned/closest public primary and he's eligible to go to school then he should be able to get in no problems.

I'd probably send him in the year he's eligible if you think he is ready. The school he starts off at, you might be happy with and he'll continue there.

There are lots of kids that change schools that do fine.

[mmk]

The homework would just be readers and worksheets, but it's more getting him in the routine of 'you get home from school and you do your homework', rather than being like me and having never had any until I got to year 7 - huge culture shock! I guess I could just make him do reading and call it homework?

The chosen school is a private school, and we don't know what's happening yet. I overthink everything, which is why I'm wondering if I should mention it at the interview that we'd rather take prep/reception than get nothing. I've got no concerns about him getting into the local public school, but I really don't want him going there because the schools are chalk and cheese...

[coolbreeze]

I would do prep/reception at the school you want him to go to...rather than change after a year at one school. Even in Prep they make strong friendships and it may be hard to change.
My dd (private school inner melbourne) has done homework since prep. In prep it is just a reader and "magic hundred words'' nothing too stressful. Even if he does not do any homework in reception and starts the following in year he will be fine.They are in school a long time so one more year of play based learning in reception isn't going to hurt at all. it is my experience that most kids in reception are on the older end of the age limit for starting school and start school when turning 6.
For what it is worth my dd started Prep at 5years 6months (private school with homework and high academic standards) with just part time creche behind her and coped very well and still is in grade 3.
My ds is in 3yr old kinder (private ELC and just turned 4 now) he will do 4year old kinder (long days to mirror school next year when he is just turning 5) so will be just turning 6 in prep. most of the kids in his group are the same. This is at a very highly regarded private school, top 10 in the state.
So i would do reception, he will be with kids around his same age and they will go to prep together. Play is learning to and most good ELCs/ receptions will extend kids to suit individual needs.
Try not to over think it as there are lots of years ahead of you.
good luck with your decision
CB

[powertripper]

They have homework for 5 year olds??

I don't think there's any such thing as "way too inquisitive".

Not having ever met your child, I couldn't say what is best for him. I think you have to go with your instinct.

[mmk]

Thanks coolbreeze. That sounds like good advice. We're going back there on Monday for DH and DS to check out the school, so I'll ask about ages then and see how many applications they've had for both. That might help with the not worrying - if there's not too many more applications that spaces.

We weren't keen on him starting prep a year later, but if that's the trend and he's probably going to be getting better prepared there than at the local primary school... And friends. I'd forgotten friends. I think you might be right on that one alone, because he misses his daycare friends now that he's at kinder. A change next year, then a change again the year after. It's probably too much having 4 lots of friends over 4 years...

They have homework for 5 year olds??

I don't think there's any such thing as "way too inquisitive".

Not having ever met your child, I couldn't say what is best for him. I think you have to go with your instinct.

Homework for 5 year olds is readers and lists - not assignments on how we can achieve world peace. I just want him to get into the habit of coming home from school and having homework because I never did. He works really well with structure and routine, so I want school to include homework while he doesn't know any different.

What I meant by "way too inquisitive" is that he never shuts up because he's always wanting to know something. He'll watch something on tv or hear us say something in conversation, then out of the blue he'll just ask the question. He's obviously been pondering it, because it might have even been something we said the day before. His mind seems to work very similar to mine, in that he's always wanting to know how to do everything, and what this is and how it works and why does that happen etc. The only time that he's not asking is when he's pondering, or when he's engrossed in something.

[coolbreeze]

Good luck, let me know how you get on. Although there are a whole range of ages of kids at our ELC most are on the older side. Our ELC is great and cater for those with no idea how to write their name to early reading skills. They all get there in the end and by grade 3 it all evens out and most kids are around the same level, whether they started school early or later.
Good luck
Cb

This post has been edited by coolbreeze: 23/03/2012, 08:18 AM