Discussion Groups / English Usage / February 2010

On 02 Feb 2010, Ian Jackson wrote

Indeed;  I considered that one, too, but I think it would refer to
specific type of "mid-year entrant" -- a pupil who entered during,
rather than between, school terms.

The phrase might be "deferred entrant".

This independent website writing about Primary School entry (in the UK)
at age 5 says:
http://www.gettherightschool.co.uk/children-born-in-summer-starting-later.html

   At What Age Should My Child Start School?
   Your child will start school the September term after their fourth
   birthday. Your child will turn five within this first school year.
   
   If your son or daughter was born between the 1st of September and
   the 28th (or 29th February if a leap year) then you should
   reasonably expect he or she to start schooling in the September term
   after their 4th birthday. If you child was born during the summer
   months then there may be a possibility that you can defer their
   start date until January.

   Deferred Admissions
   A deferred admission is the right of any parent whose child is of
   statutory school age but who wishes to defer their admission until
   the January term when their child will be that little bit older. For
   example if your son or daughter was born in a summer month, which
   would make them a particularly young four-year-old in September,
   then you can in some instances defer their starting date until the
   Spring term which commences in January of the following year.
   
   Parents do not have a legal obligation to make arrangements for
   their child to attend school until the beginning of the term
   following their 4th birthday, so if that fourth birthday falls
   between 1 January and 31 August, for example, parents can request to
   defer admission until the beginning of January the following year.

I've tried to find useful information about nursery school entry, but
there seems to be considerable variation. One problem is that "nursery
school" is used with different meanings. This is an example of public
sector nursery schools:
http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/education/admissions/nursery/

   Pupils are admitted to these schools at a single point of entry in
   the September of the year in which they become four.

As might be expected, each state in the US has a different set of
rules.  In Florida, the minimum age for pre-K is 4 years-old.  That's
under the state Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program. VPK is a free
program for 3 hours per school day in either a morning or afternoon
program.  The child can attend a double session, but there is a charge
for the extra time.

A child under 4 years-old can be enrolled in a nursery school, but
nursery schools are for-fee.