# Do you think 4.3 yrs old boy is ready as Junior Infant?



## pinoy (7 Feb 2006)

My son seems to love his Montessori school now 3X a week and begging to go everyday. We just got an acceptance letter from the local school that he got a place as Junior Infant this Sept. However, he seems to be too young at 4 yrs and 3 months in Sept to start proper school. I'm not sure what will be the effect later on being one of the youngest in the class.

I would appreciate advice on pros and cons of sending him this Sept or would I postpone it till 2007 Sept.

Thanks.


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## Wollran (7 Feb 2006)

Not being a parent myself, it is hard to comment on others children, however I attended primary school when I had just turned 4.  (term stared at the begining of sept, and I turned four the day term started).  It certainly didn't do me any harm, I spent an extra year in primary, (doing 7th class!) as my parent thought I was a little young to go to secondary school.  I was still the youngest in my class in secondary school and also one of the youngest in my college class.  

I suppose it depends on what you think yourself - but from my own experiences, it was grand, and I didn't have any ill-effects.

Wollran


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## my2leftfeet (7 Feb 2006)

Personally I think the older they start school the better. Our little one will be 4 and 10 months when she starts in Sept - a little older [and hopefully wiser] when she comes out the other end.  From speaking to junior school teachers about it they say that you really notice the year difference.


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## ajapale (7 Feb 2006)

I find rollercoaster.ie to be an excellent resource for this type of question.


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## hansov (7 Feb 2006)

My two cents. If you wait until the following September your child will be 5.3 years old and almost definitely the oldest (wisest??) in the class. While children love montessori we found with one of ours (he was 3y11m at September and had to wait until 4y11m to start skool  ) that he got bored very easily in montessori when he reached 4.


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## DrMoriarty (7 Feb 2006)

I'd be inclined to agree with my2leftfeet, especially — although some may disagree — in the case of a boy. I think girls of 4-5 tend to be more socially adept, have more advanced language skills, etc. Mind you, there are lots of other variables, and individual exceptions. You mention that he's been happily attending a Montessori group — that can make quite a big difference, too.

At the end of the day, it's your child and your 'call'. I'd follow your instincts. But it will certainly do him no harm to hold off until next year, and _may_ give him a better start.

In general, I believe that Irish kids start (and leave) school far too young. I see the results in 1st year of 'collidge'...

_[Edit/PS: Yes, I forgot to mention __rollercoaster.ie__!]_


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## redbhoy (7 Feb 2006)

My two angels started last september. They were 4.5 yrs old. They have grown up so much since then. Maybe due to the organised structure in the school? Id recommend you send your child.
I started around the same age and wouldve been near top of class (Im so modest) so it didnt have a detrimental affect on my schoolwork.


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## Henny Penny (7 Feb 2006)

I think 4 is too young for school. I sent my daughter at 4.5 and she is the youngest in the class. It's not so much that she isn't able academically but that she struggles to keep up with the shoe changing and the minding her stuff etc. My son will be 4 next week and I will definately not send him to school in September. He's at playschool this year and I think another year of it will do him no harm. A friend of mine commented that they have to be big enough to enjoy school ... that it's not going to be hard slog every day.
I suppose you have to look at the end result ... if you start school at 4 you will finish at 17 and possibly 16 if you only do 5 years in secondary school. Do you see your son being fit to take on the world ... go to college etc at that age?


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## fobs (7 Feb 2006)

I have asked this very question on www.magicmum.com and www.rollercoaster.ie and my daughter will be 4 in March. Spoke to the girls in her creche/montesorri and they feel she is ready for school and would be bored with another year in the creche,however i think if she was only 4 and 3 months I might wait another year. My son is a july baby so will definately leave him until he is 5 I reckon. Talk to the montesorri people and get a feeling for what they would recommend but at the end of the day it is definately dependant on the individual child and is a tough one to call!


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## karrie76 (7 Feb 2006)

My daughter started primary school last September when she was 4.3yr and is getting on great.  On the advice from her Montessori teacher, I sent her to primary.  I would start your child in primary this September, if you feel later on he's not progressing enough, keep him back a year, there's no law againgst it.  Best of luck with your decision


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## TarfHead (7 Feb 2006)

My son was born in June 2000 and he started in National School last year. A neighbour's son, who is 3 months younger, started in 2004.

It depends on the child and their rate of emotional and physical development - there are no hard and fast rules.

For us, the decision was influenced by a preference for him being 13 starting in secondary. For us, especially for boys, starting secondary at 13 is preferable to starting at 12.

Our daughter, who will be 4 in July, will do another year of Montessori next year and start National School in 2007, even though she will probably be ready for it this year.


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## Winnie (7 Feb 2006)

Well I started when I was 3 - turned 4 in the october after I started!  
I certainly never had any problems & I would definitly recommend it!

I found many of my classmates were 19 doing leaving cert & then going on to college etc had less opportunity for year out before/after college becuase they felt they were too old & should be getting into finding a job/ getting a mortgage........whereas I could take my time.....
ok but mayb I am looking too far ahead for you........

If the montessori teachers say that your child will get bored then he is obviously intellegent & will do well by moving on to school


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## brokeparent (7 Feb 2006)

Only you know your own child but I guess if you are looking for advice here your own gut feeling is that he is too young. I have quite an experience of schools and in my experience it is only the minority of children who are ready for school at age four. The vast majority will benefit from being five or close to. Also be aware that when talking to montessori schools etc that they could be under pressure for space and that the decision about your child could be taking that more into account than your childs best interest. I know of a case (very definitely true) where the pre school wrote a glowing reference on a four year old child indicating his wonderful school readiness skills. He proceeded on to school where within one week the school shouted for help. When contacted the preschool said he did all these things there too but they didn't want to have him for another year so they didn't say anything about it!!
By the way Karrie76 there may be no "Law" about staying back in Primary school but there is a Dept. of Education circular which discourages the practice and is quite clear in its guidelines about when it will be allowed. Once your child goes into the system folks, be prepared that you don't get to make all the decisions!! My advice Pinoy is If in doubt, Wait. You will hear a lot less of the word Bored at age four than you will at age seventeen if he finishes school with nothing to do then.


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## coolaboola (7 Feb 2006)

No kids myself but I started school at 3 (had been to playschool for a while beforehand so it wasn't too much of a change).  I stayed back in 2nd class as I was the youngest in the class by a good margin.  I survived.


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## dodo (7 Feb 2006)

This is a government descision and I think they must have done their homework on it to say that the age a child can go to school is 4 as long as the child is 4 before Setp 1, But all kids are different so u have to get it right , the days of saying sure they can stay back are long gone, On the subject of school age we are 2nd best to Finland in Education in the EU , yet they only send their kids to school the year they turn 7 big difference to us, I do think 4 is young have one going now and next will be 4 y 4mths, the after that one more who will be 4y 2Mths but both will start at those ages,


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## Brian4B (7 Feb 2006)

have you  thought about how many will be in the junior infant class?
your child could  be bottom of the cohort this year; your child might not be quite as confident   this year;  
there are different stages in a student's life where they might  do transition year and perhaps now is the ideal time i.e.4 is too young to start  school. yes it will cost you a lot in fees for an extra year at montessori; if  the current montessori school pupils age profile is low perhaps consider a  different one.
personally I think 4 to 4and1/2+ is generally too young.
as  other posters say it is your call; you make the decision and hope it's the best  for you & your child.
by the way karrie76 I'm not so sure the above re  "staying back a year" is currently accurate.


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## joanmul (7 Feb 2006)

My son was 4 at the end of September when he started junior school (27 years ago!).   With hindsight I think he would have been better to start a year later but one never knows.   It wouldn't have made him anymore academic to keep him back than to let him go but he might have been better able to handle subjects.   My father was a national school teacher and he always said children should never start school until they are five.   In a private junior school the child can be kept back a year if they can't keep up but that is far more demoralising than not to let them go in the first place until they are old enough.   As regards him being bored in pre-school there are ways to compensate for that one year to keep him from being bored in other aspects of life.   Also, I think boys are slower to develop mentally than girls - and I speak from experience here - I have two daughters - and they outstripped their brother in every way.


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## gauloise (7 Feb 2006)

I started my daughter (youngest of 3) when she was 4.3 months and have to say I regretted it. While she was socially more than able for school, academically she struggled. We were fortunate enough to move last year at which point I held her back a year in the new school (repeated senior infants) and she is doing wonderfully well, full of confidence and no problems academically at all. I believe if you have the choice keep him/her at home as long as you can as they can only but benefit from another year..but every child/household is different. Best of luck whatever you decide.


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## A.Partridge (7 Feb 2006)

IMHO, Your child is a bit on the young side at 4.3yrs. I don't think you will have any regrets by waiting until the following September. Remember that the more able he/she will be in their early formative years will dictate their confidence levels for the rest of their school career.


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## DrMoriarty (7 Feb 2006)

dodo said:
			
		

> This is a government descision and I think they must have done their homework on it...


As a professional 'educator', I would be very skeptical about the quality of advice/guidelines emanating from Government 'think-tanks' (but I'll save those rants for another day!)

The informed consensus emerging here seems to be that if you don't have compelling reasons to start your son in school this September, you have little reason to throw him in there until next year. Someone posted above to the effect that 'trying it out', with the option of putting him back a year if it doesn't work out, is _not_ a good idea. I can heartily endorse that. Giving him a set of new 'friends', only to then decide that he can't move on with them and has to 'stay back'? As my own kids would say, 'like, duh...?'


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## sherib (8 Feb 2006)

Based on experience I would totally agree with DrM and other posters re
five years+ being early enough to start school - especially for boys. 


> Originally posted by DrMoriarty
> ...in the case of a boy. I think girls of 4-5 tend to be more
> socially adept, have more advanced language skills, etc.
> Mind you, there are lots of other variables, and individual
> exceptions


Little girls are developmentally more mature and independent than little boys. A Junior Infants class with 25-30 children couldn't compare favourably with a Montessori class where there are smaller numbers and much more individual attention. In an ideal world all children would have access to a Montessori school until at least five years. Of course there will always be exceptions. Good luck with your decision.


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## pinoy (8 Feb 2006)

Thank you very much for all the replies.

We finally decided to enroll him only next 2007 Sept. I don't think holding him back for another year will do any harm since he is still enjoying his montessori pres-school. Besides in Asia, we don't start proper school till we are 6 yrs old (kindergarten then 7 yrs old at Primary 1). But we only have 4 years in secondary. So normally we start college at 17 yrs old.


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## lucylou (4 Mar 2006)

I too have struggled with this dilemma recrntly, my son is four in June and has a place for this September, However we have declined it until next year. I work in a childcare facility and having spoken to a lot of parents about this they all agree its best to hold them off. AS someone mentioned before boys are slower to develop emotionally and socially. 
Also think of this, the legal ratio for a MOntessori class is one adult to eight children, and essentially this is still a "creche "facililty in that the staff are trained in childcare. I'm sure teachers are too to a certain extent but you would want to be absolutely sure that the child could cope going from a very small class of Montessori children with at least two teachers in teh room (legal requirement) to a much larger class with only one teacher. From my experience as a childcare worker and manager it is best to hold them off for an extra year. I knew one child who went to school at four, only for his parents to decide in December it wasnt right for him .they pulled him out and sent him back to Montessori. Did quite a biy of damage, this set the child back at least two years, he became clingy, disruptive etc.
I think you do more damage sending them too soon than holding them back......At least you will be sure the child is completely ready.
HTH!


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## BillK (5 Mar 2006)

My son was 4 in the April and started school in the September so was 4yr and 5 months old when he started. (School run & staffed by Dominican nuns.)
At 11 to 13 he went to his middle school - same order of nuns ran it. At 13 he went to his upper school in Leicester, at 15 miles away the nearest Catholic upper school to us. He left there at 16 and went to Welbeck College, 70 miles away, for A levels. Two years at Welbeck and one year at Sandhurst and he was leading an infantry platoon where the bullets fly.

An early start did him no harm at all.


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