Deferred entry to primary school request

Deferred entry to primary school

How to defer your child's entry to school or start primary school early.

Who can defer entry to Primary School?

August (start of school term) to February birthdates

If your child is still 4 yrs old on the date they are eligible to start school you can choose to defer entry to primary 1 and automatically access an additional year of funded early learning and childcare.

Parents/carers may wish to discuss with the Early Years Centre prior to completing the application form below. 

March to August (start of school term) Birthdates

If your child turns 5 between the beginning of March up until the first day of term in August and you feel that they would benefit from deferring entry to P1 then, in the first instance, you should discuss this with your child's Early Years Centre and/or health visitor.  Generally,  there would be other agencies and services involved and a Request for Assistance should be submitted by the Named Person or Lead Professional to the Early Years Forum.

Where applications for deferred entry to P1 are declined there is no right of appeal.

To apply for a deferred entry, you should complete the online form. The form will be available from 13 January 2025. 

Things to consider

Parents/carers may choose to defer their child's entry to primary 1 for a variety of reasons.

The first thing to do is talk to staff at the Early Years Centre. They will be able to share information on your child's development and progress. This information will help you to decide whether to defer entry to school or not.

How do I decide what is best for my child?

At your child's Early Years Centre take the opportunity to discuss:

• Your child's progress.
• Your child's learning and development and:
• Ability to communicate own needs, feelings and ideas.
• Level of independence and self-help.
• Emotional and personal development, including self confidence and self-esteem.
• Relationships and friendships with other children and adults.
• Arrangements in place for transition to primary school.
• Experiences and routines which a child can expect in Primary 1.
• Progression in early level of Curriculum for Excellence.
• Arrangements in place in primary school to support a range of learning needs.

Applications for deferred entry for the 2025/26 academic year should be submitted by 21 February 2025.