Some parents, of children who are 4, will want their child to start school later in the academic year or at the start of the following academic year. This is called deferred entry. This is in 2.17, School Admissions Code.

You must still apply for a school place by January of the previous academic year. You need to do this to secure your child’s school place even if you want them to start school later.

You have an automatic right to defer your child starting school. But child must start school by the beginning of the term after their 5th birthday. Children who defer entry to reception will be able to go to nursery or pre-school until they start school. If eligible, free early years funded hours are able be used up until they start school.

If your child was born between:

• 1st September and 31st December you can defer their start to the beginning of the Spring Term (January)
• 1st January and 31st March you can defer their start to the beginning of either the
• Spring Term (January) or
• Summer Term (April)
• 1st April and 31st August you can defer their start until the next academic year – September (when your child is 5). Unless delayed entry is also agreed, your child would miss the whole reception year and start in Year 1.

Things to consider when thinking about deferred entry

Your child may:

• miss out on whole class activities provided in September to help children settle into school.
• find it difficult to fit in with children who started school in September and have already begun made friendships.

Arranging a part-time start in September might be a better option to reduce these risks.