Summer born children – starting school

If your child is born between 1 April and 31 August they're classed as a "summer born" child.

Children usually start Reception class in the September after their 4th birthday.

However, if your child is summer born, you might feel they're not ready to start school.

Applying for a Reception place

If your child’s date of birth is between 1 April and 31 August 2023

You can apply for a place to start as usual in September 2027, after their 4th birthday.

Or you may decide to delay your application and apply next year, to start in September 2028, after your child’s 5th birthday.

Discuss this decision with your child’s current nursery or early years provider.

If your child’s date of birth is between 1 April and 31 August 2022

Your child will usually have started Reception in September 2026, after their 4th birthday.

However, if you decided to delay your application, make an application from November 2026 for a place to start in September 2027, after your child’s 5th birthday.

We won't accept applications from families who have already accepted a Reception place to start in the 2026-27 academic year.

All Hertfordshire community and voluntary controlled schools will accept delayed Reception applications for summer born children.

 

Schools outside Hertfordshire

If you're interested in applying for a place at a school outside of Hertfordshire, you must contact the relevant admission authority (school or council) to discuss whether your summer born application will be accepted.

 

Schools responsible for their own admissions

Many schools and academies are responsible for their own school admissions and this is their decision.

The Hertfordshire schools you’ll need to contact about whether they’ll accept an application for your summer born children will be available in November 2026.

 

If you delay applying for Reception...

  • Your summer born child will be allocated a place to start in Reception after their 5th birthday, as long as you apply during the normal Reception application round.
  • You won't get a reminder in the post to apply.
  • We'll treat your delayed application in exactly the same way as an application for a child who would normally start Reception in that year.
  • Your child is likely to remain in that year group and move through the school with those children in their class. However, future decisions about year group placement are a matter for the school.

Important information to consider - Transition to secondary school

If you are thinking about delaying your application and applying the following year instead for the Reception year group, please be aware that:

  • Not all secondary schools automatically accept applications for children who have been taught outside their chronological year group.
  • This may affect when your child’s secondary transfer application can be processed, depending on the schools you are likely to consider in the future.
  • Even if your child is in Year 5, you should apply for secondary school at the time they would normally be in Year 6, based on their date of birth.

If you have any questions or would like further advice, please contact: transfer.admissions@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Staying at nursery another year

If your summer born child is in nursery and you want to keep the place another year rather than moving onto a Reception class, you must let your nursery know before the end of spring term. That's before the Easter break.

If you don't let the nursery know, they may offer the place to another child.

Free early education

You can get 15 hours free early education for 38 weeks a year from when your child is 3 up until the compulsory school age of 5.

If you decide to delay your child starting school, they will still get these hours until the age of 5.