In addition, parents of summer born children may request that their child is educated outside of their normal age group.
Summer born children
The school admissions code requires all admission authorities to provide for the admission of all children in the September following their fourth birthday.
Parents can however defer the date their child is admitted until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age and not beyond the start of the final term of the school year for which the application was made.
For example, a child who is 4 in September but turns 5 by the end of December must start school full time in January.
In addition, where parents wish, the child may attend part time until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they become compulsory school age.
For example, a child who is 4 in September but turns 5 by the end of March may attend part time until the start of the summer term at which they must attend school full time.
The school admissions code allows admission authorities to consider education outside the normal year group for reception children born between 1 April and 31 August for them to start school in the September following the fifth birthday.
The Department for Education supports the right of parents to decide their child will not start school until compulsory school age, but does not believe it should become the norm for summer born children to begin reception at age 5. Most summer born children will thrive if they are admitted to reception aged 4.
We encourage parents who are considering delaying their summer born child’s admission until compulsory school age to visit the schools they wish to apply for. Teachers will be able to explain the provision on offer in the reception class and how children’s individual needs are supported.
Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan
For children with an education health and care plan (EHCP), if it is in the child's interests to be educated outside the normal year group, this will form part of the plan. To ask for a deferral you would need to speak to your child's SEND Officer.
Education outside the normal year group in other cases
For all other children it is expected that they will be educated in their normal year group with few exceptions.
There may also be some cases where a child shows exceptional ability or talent and these may be considered for education outside the normal year group. Equally there may be a child who has missed education due to health problems or has special needs not covered by an education health and care plan and it may be appropriate for that child also to be educated outside their normal year group.
Once a child is on roll at a school, headteachers are responsible for deciding how best to educate the children in their school. On occasion, this may include deciding any child should be moved to a different age group. If your child is already on roll at a school and you wish for them to be educated in a different year group you need to speak to the headteacher and there is no need for you to complete the form attached to this page.
Requesting admission outside the normal age group
If parents wish to request that their child be educated outside the normal age group they need to gain approval from the admission authority of the school. Decisions for community and controlled schools are made by us, and decisions for voluntary aided, foundation and academy schools are made by the schools themselves or by their academy trust.
For community and controlled schools you should read the guidance notes and complete the application form in conjunction with the current setting (where appropriate) before returning the form.
Voluntary aided, foundation and academy schools will each have their own policy on children being educated out of their cohort so we would advise you to contact the school to discuss your request.
Where we receive a completed application form for a voluntary aided, foundation or academy school we will consult with the schools on your behalf and respond back to you with their decision, as long as the school are willing to accept our application.
It should also be noted that as children whose school start has been delayed move through the system, they will reach transition points. For children who have attended an infant school, this will be when they move up to junior school. In some areas of the country, this could be when the child moves to middle school.
For other children, this will be when they reach secondary age. Parents will need to apply once again for an outside normal year group place alongside an application for a school place and should do so when their child’s ‘correct’ cohort are making applications for a school place. This means that for a summer born child who started in reception a year later than is usual, parents would apply for a secondary school place and for an out of year group place when the child is in year 5 rather than year 6.
For children in an infant school you will also need to apply for a junior school place and for an out of year group place when the child is in year 1 rather than year 2.
If you wish to change school outside of a transition phase, for example if you move house, you will also need to submit another request for admission out of the normal age group.
For general enquiries, and to submit completed forms, please email: admissions.transport@derbyshire.gov.uk.
Read the summer born children school admission guidance for parents on gov.uk.