Apply to delay or defer entry to primary school
Most children start school in the September after their fourth birthday.
All children must receive full-time education from the start date of the first school term following their fifth birthday.
Parents may seek a place for their child outside of their normal age group, for example, if the child is gifted and talented, has experienced problems such as ill health, or is a summer born child. There may be other individual reasons why you wish your child to defer or delay starting school.
Delayed entry is when your child starts school a whole academic year later. Deferred entry is when your child starts later in their normal school year.
Read more about these options:
- Summer born children
- Options to consider before you request delayed or deferred entry
- Request delayed entry
- Further information about delayed entry
- Defer entry in Reception year
Summer born children
If your child was born in the summer, they will be young in their normal school year. You may choose not to send your child to school until the September following their fifth birthday and may request they are admitted outside of their normal year group - to Reception rather than Year 1.
When considering a request for delayed entry to primary school the admissions authority of the school must:
- Decide whether or not the individual child's circumstances make this appropriate on educational grounds
- Take account of a child's individual needs and abilities and consider if these can be best met in Reception or Year 1
- Consider if it is in the child's best interest to miss the Reception year and go straight to Year 1
- Consider what would be the impact of a child being admitted to Year 1 without having completed the Reception year
- (If relevant to the case) Consider if a child born prematurely would have fallen into a different age group if born at full term
Options to consider before requesting delayed or deferred entry
There is guidance for parents of summer born children on GOV.UK to help you decide if it is in your child's best interests to delay their school start.
In some cases it is better for a child with a developmental delay to start school before compulsory school age so they can fully assess the support available. Schools are trained to teach children with SEN and meeting with the school's SENCO at an early stage is the best way to discuss your child's needs.
For some children, a later start date in their normal school year (deferred entry), or part-time attendance until they are five may be a better solution than delaying a whole year. See how to agree a deferred entry for your child.
Request delayed entry
If you believe it is essential to delay your child's entry to school the options you can consider are:
Admission to Year 1
This means your child will miss the Reception year.
You will need to:
- Contact School admissions schooladmissions@herefordshire.gov.uk by 15 January in the year that your child should start school to inform us of your intentions
then - Apply on an in-year transfer application for a year 1 place six school weeks before you wish your child to start in Year 1
Admission to Reception
This means your child starts reception class a full academic year behind their peers and they will be offset a year for the rest of their education. The Delay Panel considers all requests to delay admission for a full year and decides on these requests in your child's best interests.
You will need to:
- Contact School Admissions to discuss your intentions by emailing schooladmissions@herefordshire.gov.uk
then - Complete the application to delay entry form by 15 January in the year your child should be starting school. This is the same as the closing date for applications for a primary school place.
Before you start the form you will need:
- Approval, in writing, from the Head Teacher of each of the school(s) that you wish to apply to and
- Evidence from professionals working with your child to explain why it is in your child’s best interest to delay admission
Apply to delay entry to primary school
You must also:
- Apply for a primary school place for your child’s normal age group while you wait for a decision. You need to do this, so that your child has a school place if your application for delayed entry is refused.
- Be aware of the funding implications if you wish your child to continue accessing nursery education
What happens next
After 15 January, the Delay Panel meet to discuss the requests for delaying entry. The panel consists of: School Admissions Manager, Lead Early Years Advisor, EY SEND Manager, Principle EP and a representative of Health (where applicable).
Parents / guardians will be notified whether the request is upheld.
If your request is agreed
- This means that the admission authority has said your child can go to school out of their normal age group.
- This does not guarantee they will have a place at your preferred school.
- You cannot apply for an 'out of year' place via the online application process. You must email schooladmissions@herefordshire.gov.uk to request an application form to apply for their school place.
If your request is refused
- There is no statutory right of appeal for an application to delay entry
- If you accept the place offered for your child to start at age four, you can request either that they defer their start date to later in the school year, or attend part-time to begin with.
If you are unhappy with the process you should complain through the council complaints procedure, overseen by the Head of Learning and Achievement.
Further information
You can read more about making a request for admission outside the normal year group on GOV.UK.
There is also advice for parents of summer born children on GOV.UK.
If your request is approved you must seek advice from the school and school admissions regarding applying for secondary school. You will need to start this process when your child is in year 5. Not all secondary schools will accept requests for children to be educated out of year. For further information see the apply for a secondary school place out of year page
Defer entry in Reception year
Deferred entry is when your child accepts their place at a school in their normal school year and then agrees a start date later in the school year.
If you feel your child is not ready for full-time school in the September after their fourth birthday you can:
- Defer your child’s start until later in the year (up until the term after their fifth birthday).
- Ask for your child to attend school part-time (until the term they turn five).
In both these cases you must apply for your child's place in the normal year of entry. Contact the Head Teacher of the school offered through the admissions process to discuss a start date later in the year or part-time attendance for the part of the year before your child reaches compulsory school age.
Herefordshire schools admissions contact details
Address: School Admissions, Herefordshire Council, Plough Lane Offices, Plough Lane, Hereford HR4 0LETelephone: Reception admissions officers 01432 260926 or 01432 261574
Telephone: Secondary phase transfer officer 01432 260925 Send Email