Children are usually educated in school year groups determined by their date of birth.
However, there is no statutory barrier to children being admitted outside their normal age group.
Parents or carers do not have the right to insist that their child is admitted to a particular age group but may make a request for this to happen.
If your child is reception age, see: Starting school later or part-time.
Making a request
Before making your request, we encourage you to discuss how your child's needs can be met in school with the headteacher or teacher at their current school.
You make a written request for a admission in a different age group at the same time as applying for a school place at the right time for your child's actual age group.
The admission authority for each school makes a decision about your request. They will base this on the circumstances of your case and the best interests of your child.
Your request must set out the reasons why you are making the request and any relevant evidence you want us to consider. This might include:
- your personal views
- information about your child’s recent academic, social and emotional development
- recent medical history and the views of a medical professional
- whether your child has previously been educated out of their normal age group
The views of the headteacher will be an important part of this consideration.
We may also gather information from any professionals involved with your child (for example, nursery education provider, educational psychologists) to consider whether your child either:
- shows significant delay in intellectual development/education skills, across all subject areas, to an extent that curriculum differentiation (with appropriate SEN resources) is not reasonable
- is developmentally different from their peer group because of their physical maturity
- shows an equivalent delay in emotional development and social skills, appropriate for a younger peer group
If your request is agreed, the admission authority will advise you of how to proceed with your application.
