Deferred Entry

Under current legislation, parents of children aged 4 years old at the start of the school session in August (ie. those with birthdays on or after the first day of term in August up to the end of February the following year) have a choice about enrolling their child for primary school. These children can start school before they are 5 or can defer their start until the following August.

Most parents choose to send their child to school as soon as s/he is eligible to start.

This information explains what you should do if you do NOT wish to send your child to school as soon as s/he is eligible.

Reasons for Deferral

Stirling Council Children’s Services is sympathetic to parents who wish to defer their child’s entry to school and we aim to help you make the best decision for your child.

You may wish to defer your child’s entry to P1 for a number of reasons. The most common reasons for deferred entry are:

Your child may have additional support needs affecting their development
You may feel that your child is simply not “ready” for school

Different processes apply according to the reasons why a child is deferring and also according to when they have their birthday.

In all instances you should discuss this first with the Head or Manager of the nursery or group your child attends.

Deferred Entry Application Form