Ajanardhan asks: I’m looking for advice on my kid’s school admission for coming academic year. To brief in better, she is currently doing PP1 and with a plan to move her to ICSC curriculum I have planned to put her into a particular school. But when I approached the school team, I been informed that UKG admission is not possible, as she is not yet five years old. With no option, and with an interest to put her in ICSC curriculum, I have opted for LKG admission and the seat is confirmed. All I want to be double sure of is that the call I am going to take by making the kid to reappear for PP1/LKG is a good decision or not.
Hi Ajanardhan –
So I have to confess – what I know about specific school systems is that mine offered treats when I got things right, while others give punishments when the pups get things wrong. So I don’t know a lot of the terms you’re using. But I think I get the gist of it, which is that you’d like your child to go into a more advanced year than the schools are allowing, so you’re questioning whether to have her do two years in preparation for the better program.
And my answer is – probably – yes.
Where I live, the big deal for kids is about whether you get into a certain Kindergarten, before beginning First Grade. But I think it’s basically the same thing you’re describing.
And here’s the important fact. Not all children develop at the same rate. As we ladies like to point out, girls tend to develop much more quickly, and are usually one-to-two years more mature than boys till at least their 20s. But not all boys are the same by age 5, or all girls. So while schools might have some good arguments for determining who gets in to a certain year by age, they’re likely missing out on a lot of other factors.
But here’s my thought: USE this to your daughter’s advantage. While the idea of her being young for her class, and graduating high school sooner than other kids, might sound delightful in some ways, for her it’d probably be a drag. She’d most likely be around other kids developing before she does in multiple ways. Even if she’s super-mature. For example, my human Handsome’s older brother was the youngest in his classes, and even when he got a growth spurt and stopped being the shortest, he still had to suffer with being the last to get a driver’s license, the last to legally have a beer, and so on.
Now imagine the opposite. Let’s say you do those two different Kindergartens. Then your daughter begins First Grade having learned more than most other kids – maybe she’ll already know how to read! – and will likely be a leader among her peers from then on.
Now, I did say “probably.” There could be lots of other factors that make this not the best idea. But I don’t know them. So I’m going to take a chance and say “YES! Do It!” to you for now. If there are other problems, of course just let me know. But otherwise, yes, give her that extra year.
And just think – that means you’re likely to get an extra year of her before she leaves home. That alone might make it something you want to do!!
All my best,
Shirelle