Most children start reception full-time in September after their fourth birthday.
For example, if your child turns 4 in June, they’ll usually start school in September that same year.
If you do not think your child is ready to start school in September, they can start later. For example, if your child only turns 4 in August, you might decide to wait before sending them to school. But they must be in full-time education by the time they reach ‘compulsory school age’.
In September, they can start
- full-time
- part-time
Or they can start part-way through the year (deferred entry).
You’ll still need to apply for a school place at the same time as everyone else. You can ask for a later start once a school place has been allocated.
You can choose to send your child to school on a full-time basis.
You can choose to send your child to school on a part-time basis. However, they must attend full-time once they reach compulsory school age.
If you do not think your child is ready to start school in September, you can defer their start until they reach compulsory school age. This is called deferred entry.
Different arrangements apply to summer born children.
How to defer you child’s start to school
Once a school place has been allocated and accepted, the school may provide you with a starting school form.
This will ask you:
- when you want your child to start school
- if you want them to start full-time or part-time
- if you want to defer your child's entry to school
If you choose to defer your child’s entry, the school's headteacher may wish to discuss if this is best for your child. They may consider:
- your child’s age
- your child's experience in early years settings
- how ready your child is for school
- school arrangements for the new reception intake
The headteacher may suggest you consider part-time education until your child reaches compulsory school age.
However, the headteacher cannot refuse your decision to defer your child’s entry. This is a parental right.
Your school place
If you choose to defer your child's start to school, your school place offer will remain.
However, you cannot hold onto or be allocated multiple school places.
This means that if you apply for another school place and you get an offer from that school, your original school place will be withdrawn.
If your child does not start by April (the summer term), the school place will be withdrawn.
Compulsory school age
Your child must start full-time education once they reach compulsory school age.
For example, if your child reaches compulsory school age on 31 March, they must start full-time education at the beginning of the next term (summer term that year).
The compulsory school age for children
| Date of 5th birthday | Compulsory school age date | Compulsory school age term |
|---|---|---|
| 1 September to 31 December | 31 December | January - start of spring term |
| 1 January to 31 March | 31 March | April - start of summer term |
| 1 April to 31 August (summer born children) | 31 August | September - start of autumn term |
Compulsory school age from January
If your child turns 5 between September and December, they will reach compulsory school age in January. That's at the start of the spring term.
They must be in full-time education in reception from January, where they will complete 2 terms.
The following September they will start year 1.
Compulsory school age from April
If your child turns 5 between January and March, they will reach compulsory school age in April. That's at the start of the summer term.
They must be in full-time education in reception from April where they will complete 1 term.
The following September they will start year 1.
Compulsory school age from September - summer born children
If your child turns 5 between April and August, there are different arrangements. For more details, read our page - starting school: for parents of summer born children.
If your child doesn’t start school at the compulsory school age
If your child does not start at the allocated school once they reach compulsory school age, your details will be passed to Education Welfare.
If your circumstances change
You must tell School Admissions if your circumstances change before starting school.
For example, if you:
- move house
- decide to educate your child at home
- decide to educate your child at a private or independent school