Admission to reception: deferring entry

Learn about parents' rights to delay when their child starts school and what's involved in the process for summer-born children.

Last reviewed on 10 January 2025
School types: AllSchool phases: PrimaryRef: 8955
Contents
  1. Children can start their reception year later than September
  2. Deferring until the next academic year

Children can start their reception year later than September

Although children are entitled to a full-time place from the September following their 4th birthday, parents can delay the date their child starts school to later on in the year (not later than the beginning of the summer term).

This is because children don't need to start full-time education until the first day of the term after they turn 5.

Children that turn 5 between:

  • 1 September and 31 December must be in school from the start of the spring term
  • 1 January and 31 March must be in school from the start of the summer term
  • 1 April and 31 August (summer born) must be in school from the start of the autumn term 

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