I Want My Son to Repeat Year 4 but Department Of Education Won't Allow. What to Do?

Hi

I have reached a dead-end and looking for some help in an area in which some of you might be working or you might have already come across this situation.

My son is in year 4 now ( moving to year 5 this school year and 9.5 years of age as of today) and is mid-Jun born baby. As you know, in NSW the cut-off date for NSW admission is 31-July and if the kid turns 5 years on that day, he can start school (kindy) in Jan.

We, by mistake, went ahead with the option and he started kindy at the age of 4.5. Now we realise this was a mistake we made as all other students in the class are at least 1 year older than my son. Socially and academically he has the status of ‘competent’ but we feel he is struggling. We have been sending him for other tuition class as well which I think is helping him to push himself forward. But I am worried how far I can push him and I am afraid he will eventually breakdown which I want to avoid.

Last year we moved house but not school. He travels an hour every day to his school and I was thinking of moving him to a school nearby. This provided me an option to make him repeat year 4 as well because he is in a new environment and wouldn’t feel much issue with self-esteem or confidence. We already told him that we are taking this decision not because he is bad in studies but to make sure that he is with his same age group which he agreed as well.

Had a discussion with new school but it looks like the policy is against it as they find he is doing good socially and academically. This policy won’t let him repeat even if parents asks for it. I am lost here and don’t know what are my options to keep him at Year 4 itself. A few of options that came to my mind are
1) Join private/Catholic schools where he will be accepted at year 4 itself and then move to public in year 5
2) Send him out of country for 6 months which will force the Department to put him back year 4 when he returns. I don’t want to do it due to other consequences this might bring.

I would prefer to the repeat year 4 itself as repeating beyond this grade is a bit tricky and might impact him. This is causing lot of stress to me and my wife now.

Has anyone been in this situation? And, how did you guys resolve it. Appreciating your advice and thoughts… thanks…

TLDR : I Want My Mid-Jun Born Son to Repeat Year 4 but Department of Education Doesn’t Allow. What to Do?

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dec.nsw.gov.au
dec.nsw.gov.au

Comments

  • Havent read all the responses but i was the second youngest in my grade. i was born early july so everyone was a year older than me. Had no issues. Did really well in school and ranked between 1st to 7th place in different subjects in year 12.

    If your kid is doing well and isn't showing any signs of any issues I don't know why you would want to force them to repeat.

  • Just came across this thread and I was wondering what has happened.

    We had a child close to the Victorian cut off date but ended up holding her back as we could see she wasn't mature enough to handle being away from us all day at school.

    The system these days doesn't want to hold children back as it wants them to stay with their same age peers.

    Good luck. Hope things work out.

  • Hi sab2000
    I’m new on this forum and have read your post on your son repeating grade 4.
    I am in a similar situation, my son is 7 and going into grade 3 next year and also is the youngest in the class.
    The teacher says academically he is ok , but I know he usually is last and struggles to keep up. His maturity level is nowhere near his class mates, he has never really enjoyed school.
    He hates that he is the youngest and wants to change school and repeat grade 2. We have a large family and friends circle outside school and all there kids enjoy school. I was the youngest in school and I struggled to keep up with my peers which is why I’m considering to make him repeat at another school , Catholic as well. My husband thinks that it would make him feel like a failure in future .
    I am interested to know whether you changed your son schools and has this been a good decision? How is your son travelling at the moment in his new school?

  • HI Sab2000, I am in same situation in repeating my year 5 daughter, please I need your experience how it went?

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