Placing pupils in older or younger year groups

Know what to consider when deciding whether to place pupils ahead or behind their year group ('front yearing' or 'back yearing').

Last reviewed on 20 July 2023
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 2095
Contents
  1. Requests to enrol a child in an older or younger year
  2. Pupils with SEN 
  3. Moving enrolled pupils from one year group to another
  4. Moving pupils to a school with a different age range 

Requests to enrol a child in an older or younger year

Parents/carers can request to place their child into a different year, before or after enrolment. They may want to do this if their child:

  • Is gifted and talented 
  • Has missed school due to illness 
  • Has special educational needs (SEN) (see below) 
  • May naturally have fallen into a lower age group if it were not for being born prematurely

Role and responsibilities of your admission authority  

Officially, your admission authority makes these decisions. In reality, the final decision often rests with the headteacher. Be clear on who your admission authority is (see page 6 of the admissions code), and what its policies and procedures are.

Make the process clear in their admission arrangements   Make decisions on a case-by-case basis and in the best interests of the child  Clearly explain their decision to parents/carers   Take into account: Views of the

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