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Hi thereI am interested in him going to be statemented. That suggests to me that there are going to be significant special needs of some type (it is really difficult to get a statement and especially one before a child has started school so I am assuming that to be picked up at this age, there is something quite significant going on).And if so, I don't really understand what the point would be in keeping him back a year.Keeping a child back is usually to help them catch up. But if your child is going to be statemented, I guess they think that he needs ongoing help and support, like his own TA or a place at a specialist school.So what would be the point of keeping him back? I have a child with a moderate learning disability. We didn't know this when she was starting school. I was kind of keen for her to be kept back at nursery, only I never progressed it as it would have meant her being in the same year as her younger sister, and I didn't think that would work. But I was keen on the idea in principle.Round here it's incredibly difficult to get permission to keep a child back. There have been threads on this already - if you are quick and look before the threads are removed on Tuesday with the revamp of the boards, you might find some. Check out the 'school' board.So anyway I didn't pursue it. But I am glad I didn't because I could keep my daughter back for years on end and she would still not be able to cope at the right level at mainstream school.Really what I should have done was to find her a place at a sen school. Instead, she had a 1-1 helper all through primary and then she moved to a secondary sen school. At primary she was marginalised and had no friends. It was tough for everyone - her, me, the teachers, the other pupils.I cannot see what good would have come of her staying back a year. She would have just been a fish out of water in the year below instead of 'her' year group.As it is, she is now in the right year group and is doing well at her sen school. With the right support,she will hopefully go to college next year.If you have a child with special needs, I just think that deferring a year is a bit of a red herring. I know someone who did it by the way - and her daughter had to skip year 6 to get into the right age group for secondary. She too was marginalised at primary school with her own helper and her mother too thinks it was a bit of a waste of time.I am sure others will have differing ideas - this is just my experience.Good luck (BTW, do you know what you want from a statement?)

HiThank you for replying, it's really helpful and interesting to know your opinion.Yes he's going to have a statement, as he will need help in mainstream. He's under portage, physio, speech and language, OT... He's far behind children his age. Portage recommended keeping him a year behind, nursery as well. He will not catch up but it would give him a bit of time to mature emotionally and physically as well. I guess I only see the positive side of it, so am very interested in reading about the negative sides.I was told he would need a statement by all his specialists and his special needs health visitor, I don't know what I want from a statement, I always thought they would provide the help he will need in school, and the statement legally oblige the school to provide what he needs? I don't "want" something from it as its something professionals always wanted for him if it makes sense? x

Hi KG81,Just wondering if your son is summer born? If so, there is a possibility you can get him 'back classed'. We have just managed this for our son (see the school/education board) even though it was a tough battle. It is going to make the world of difference for him as he simply belongs in the 'year below'.I would suggest not contacting your LEA about this yet, but rather do apply for the statement and if you want more info about flexibility for summer born children then do PM me.Even if he's not summer born, the guidance for LEAs and their legal obligation is to do what is in the best interests of the child. You CAN fight for it!

Hi Fo-fumYes he's summer born, I read your thread and did send you a private message about it but not sure you got it? x P.s. I looked for older posts but can't see previous pages, am stuck to the current one

Have PM'd you. If he is summer born then there is a good chance!Definitely join the Facebook group Flexible School Admissions for Summer Borns. I got soooo much help and info from it, and the attached google group. Also PM me the name of your LEA - I might have some inside info or be able to point you to someone who has some!I also advise you not to call the LEA about this - you will need to have all communication in writing (another mistake we made which cost us time).It is worth fighting for this.

We had the experience of summer born AD starting nursery & then school a year behind on the advice of professionals & foster carer. It worked well at that stage in small village school. When we adopted AD she had to change schools & our local school had mixed year groups which again worked well for a couple of years HOWEVER during year 4/5 the Headteacher insisted on her moving to correct year group as she was doing Ok & was very large for her age. The LA don't like children to continue their education out of year because it could mean that they will reach the end of compulsory school age without achieving any qualification - this may have altered now the age for leaving has been raised.Applying for a statement is not a guarantee that you will actually get a statement but I wish you like & only time will tell. On 2 occassions professionals requested an assessment for a statement for AD & were turned down. I eventually did a parental request & got it sorted but she had to fail in her transition to secondary school before they took on board her level of need most of which is behavioural & social communication + many many triggers.When working we were succesfull in getting quite a few pre-schoolers with special needs statemented but evidence is key.Good luck in your decision making & with the application for a statement of Special Educational Need

Thank you for you reply TeletubbiesIt looks like I am a bit naive about the statement then He's got a 1 to 1 in nursery for the full hours he's there, he wouldn't be able to do anything without her, that's why i thought it was obvious he will get the same support in primary school... The lady from the Early Years that we often see will make sure the process starts in December as it takes around 6 months to get it sorted apparently x

Me againWhere I live there are no primary special needs schools, so all the children who qualify for a statement have to go to a local mainstream primary school. They will either go into a specialist unit (some schools have units for children with asd, or speech and language difficulties for example) or into a school where they have a 1-1 helper for x amount of time each day.If there isn't a suitable unit, it undoubtedly means 1-1 helper in mainstream.But 1-1 means that a child is massively different and the 1-1 helper is often required because the child cannot access the curriculum - and in which case, why are they there? They would be better off at a place with a more suitable curriculum.So, in my lea, some parents DO find more appropriate schools - in local leas. They ask the lea to send their child to one of these schools, the lea usually says no, the parents battle, and eventually they either get the place or they have to settle for what the lea wants.You definitely have three options:help at mainstream schoolplace at a unit in a mainstream school (this would probably be in your own lea but at a school some way from you)place at a sen school, which may be in a different leaYou get provided with free transport for options b and c above.I think you need to find out what your child needs and make sure it's in your statement. I was clueless when I was getting my elder child's statement - like you I assumed they knew what they were doing. As a result she has no built in right to things like OT and Speech and Language. With her younger sister, I did it properly and the statement is watertight. You need it to word everything properly - it mustn't say "would benefit from" as this doesn't mean "must have".You might want to take some advice on the statement - I suggest you get a solicitor who specialises in educational issues involved or at least contact SOS!SEN or ipsea.

Wholeheartedly agree with Flosskirk about being watertight with the statement. You absolutely should get this sorted with lots of help.One of the points we made to the LEA was that if our son was back classed then it would reduce the need for as much SEN support - but that may or may not apply in your case.Re: legal advice, I can recommend Sinclairs Law - Wales office - ask for Adam. He used to work for an SEN solicitors and Sinclairs are an Education specialist. They dealt with our back classing case.

I know different people have different views and opinions. I tried to have my son held back a year, however this didn't happen, the SW did not properly pursue it. My birth nephew was deemed immature and the nursery suggested keeping him back a year, he's now in year 3 and primary and fits in well with his current class. He wasn't emotionally ready for primary school. I know a few adopted children who had an extra year at nursery, one child is now in high school and doing well. Both sets of parents feel it was the right thing for their child. The high school child is still a bit behind, however the extra year has helped her in many areas, particularly friendships. I hope things work out right for your child.

The question came up with my LO recently. She is one of the weaker ones in the class because she had poor early experiences, but in the past year has done very well and although still one of the weaker ones she is within the 'normal' range. However, the primary school were reluctant to take her because she is behind, including in her English (which only became her home language a year ago at the age of 5).Her pre-school teacher (very knowledgeable and experienced, I wish you could clone her!) said the current thinking is that if a child is struggling academically but fine emotionally and socially, then don't keep them back (although provide remedial work as necessary). If they are struggling socially and/or emotionally then keep them back to mature.My LO is fine emotionally and socially, so, I stuck to my guns and she is going to primary school with her age group. We'll see, but if she does need to repeat a year then we'll face it when we reach it.

My ad is a summer baby and is immature socially and emotionally. We have managed t o hold her back a year.Our lea is generally not keen on this, but the head of our local school was very supportive and understanding and has allowed us to do it. It is a village school and two year groups are joined which I think made it easier for her to do/wangle. But since joining, the Senco at the school has formally approached the Lea and they have now surprisingly approved it all.For us it was undoubtedly the right decision. She w as just not ready for education a year ago, but is more so now. Good luck x