My daughter just got a place at an ESF primary school after 2 years at an ESF kindy. She was born on Dec. 28, so she is the youngest in her class. My husband and I have always had issues with this. We tried to get her into K1 one year later, but the school said rules and rules and they have to follow the year of birth cutoffs. Fine... It turns out that although she was accepted to the primary school, the head admissions guy had put a question mark next to her date of birth and wrote "defer?". But he put her through. Now my husband and I are also having doubts and the school has given us 2 weeks to decide if we'd like to defer her admission until next year. The issues are 1) her peers will move on 2) her current kindy does not have a K2 space for her next year- they are already 6 kids ahead of her waiting for a spot. 3) her only option for next year is Sunshine House, where they might be creating a pre-primary class by September. So, she'll have to make friends again and start over again when she enters primary school. I am also concerned that her deferral paperwork will get "lost" by next year- this school has already made a few paperwork / communication mistakes. And finally, we just don't want her always trying to keep up with her classmates from year to year being the youngest. Any advice?
defer P1 admission due to age?
- Thread starter alibali
- Start date
rani
Administrator
What a tough decision! Am just worried that if you defer your paperwork will get lost next year. Personally I would take the P1 spot. Your daughter may surprise you and do just fine. To be honest p1 does consist of a lot of playtime. Also, if you don't think she's ready for p2 next year the school may allow you to repeat p1.
good luck with your decision
good luck with your decision
We have similar issues and we have chosen to defer, but will be keeping our son at the same school and do not have an issue with peers moving on as he is in a mixed age class for 3-6 years. Maybe your child's kindie is more stable, but I find that my son's kindie is quite transient anyway with people moving in and out all the time, so it might not be so difficult to make friends even in a new kindie.
It is a long term decision that you are making as starting earlier will mean that they are struggling to catch up for a years and do public exams etc at a time when they are less mature than their peers. A lot depends on the child and whether they will mind struggling to keep up. My son would hate it, so I am keeping him back. Also, keeping her back a year now is better than keeping her back a year later after P1 when all of her old class will know that she had to repeat P1 and it might subject her to teasing.
Also do you have any particular concerns other than her age? Is she mature for her age? What are her fine and gross motor skills like when compared to the children in the year that she will enter? Will she be ready to learn to read and write which they do in P1?
I wouldn't worry too much about the paperwork. You know from this year when you would normally receive an acknowledgment of the application and be called to an interview. Just mark your calendar for the similar time period and follow up with phone call and email reminders to them.
It is a long term decision that you are making as starting earlier will mean that they are struggling to catch up for a years and do public exams etc at a time when they are less mature than their peers. A lot depends on the child and whether they will mind struggling to keep up. My son would hate it, so I am keeping him back. Also, keeping her back a year now is better than keeping her back a year later after P1 when all of her old class will know that she had to repeat P1 and it might subject her to teasing.
Also do you have any particular concerns other than her age? Is she mature for her age? What are her fine and gross motor skills like when compared to the children in the year that she will enter? Will she be ready to learn to read and write which they do in P1?
I wouldn't worry too much about the paperwork. You know from this year when you would normally receive an acknowledgment of the application and be called to an interview. Just mark your calendar for the similar time period and follow up with phone call and email reminders to them.
TheQuasimother
Registered User
Just my 2 cents worth, if I was in this situation, I'd
(a) take the spot based on the following reasons:
(b) find a school system which suits my daughter's age best. In our case, we chose ESF because it best suits our son's age - He'll be one of the older boys and rejected the Australian International because he would be one of the younger boys.
(a) take the spot based on the following reasons:
- Girls are ahead of boys anyway and it all evens out by the time they get to upper primary. It's just the next one or two years that tough. If my daughter has guidance at home, I'd go ahead.
- ESF admissions are almost impossible from an outside kindie if you've lost your priority space (from having attended an ESF kindy) unless you are a Permanent HK Resident in Cat 1.
- The school has given its stamp of approval so I trust their judgment as I do know of other kids born around that week (boys and girls) who didn't get in. The interviewers would have seen lots of kids and would know whether or not my child could cope. So the acceptance speaks volumes (to me).
(b) find a school system which suits my daughter's age best. In our case, we chose ESF because it best suits our son's age - He'll be one of the older boys and rejected the Australian International because he would be one of the younger boys.
I too would take the spot and monitor very carefully, both socially and academically and then discuss with the school about holding back or diong extra work to et them up to speed or the like.
I chose not to take a kindy spot at ESF and it was so much harder trying to get a P1 spot later. I know knot the same but it taught me to get into the system first and then navigate your way around.
Good luck with it all.
I chose not to take a kindy spot at ESF and it was so much harder trying to get a P1 spot later. I know knot the same but it taught me to get into the system first and then navigate your way around.
Good luck with it all.
I too would take the spot and monitor very carefully, both socially and academically and then discuss with the school about holding back or diong extra work to et them up to speed or the like.
I chose not to take a kindy spot at ESF and it was so much harder trying to get a P1 spot later. I know knot the same but it taught me to get into the system first and then navigate your way around.
Good luck with it all.
I chose not to take a kindy spot at ESF and it was so much harder trying to get a P1 spot later. I know knot the same but it taught me to get into the system first and then navigate your way around.
Good luck with it all.
What we were told is that if you defer, you have a guaranteed interview next year without having to go through the application system again. If the OP's daughter was already able to meet the minimum standard and get accepted this year but defers, then it is basically a formality for her to get accepted next year given that the test is basically for English skills and readiness for school which she already met this year.
TheQuasimother
Registered User
@Portia - Really? Coz the kids at my son's school who repeated had to go through the interview process all over again.
The thing I learnt this year is that there is no guarantee with ESF. Unless you have it formally written, I wouldn't take whoever said whatever lightly. Too many kids have gone without a place this year.
The thing I learnt this year is that there is no guarantee with ESF. Unless you have it formally written, I wouldn't take whoever said whatever lightly. Too many kids have gone without a place this year.
We deferred our son for one year. We did have to reapply (because they needed his name to be included on the list of incoming students for the next academic year) and he did the interview process again, but there was no problem in getting in.
Holding our son back a year was the best choice we could have made for our child. It is quite difficult to repeat a year once you hit primary school. I suggest you discuss that with the school before you make your choice.
Good luck and I am glad you have options!
Holding our son back a year was the best choice we could have made for our child. It is quite difficult to repeat a year once you hit primary school. I suggest you discuss that with the school before you make your choice.
Good luck and I am glad you have options!