Question for British list members/school years

[Jayne]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboyminn at ...> wrote:
>
> ---  "Jayne" <jaynesmith62@> wrote:
> >
> > ---  "Geoff Bannister" <gbannister10@> wrote:
> 
> > > >
> > > > Geoff:
> > > > > > 
> > > Can I make it clear that when I say, for example, entry at 
> > > five, this means the September following the child's fifth
> > > birthday, sometimes called 5+.
> 
> > Jayne:
> > 
> > Although nowadays they start in the year they turn 5, in the 
> > September even if they are not 5 until the following August
> > 
> > Hope that is not too confusing also
> > 
> > Jayne
> >
> 
> 
> bboyminn:
> 
> Actually, it is a little confusing. Let me restate both cases
> and see if I understand it right.
> 
> In Geoff's case, he is simply saying, you have to be age 5 when
> you start school, no exceptions. I assume this means the cut-off
> date is the first day of school. 
> 
> Jayne is saying that you have to be age 5 or turn age 5 during 
> the school year (the SCHOOL year, not the calendar year).
> 
> So, in Jayne's case, if a child is age 4, and in MAY of the 
> following calendar year they turn age 5, they could start 
> school in the previous September because they would turn 5 
> during the school year. Our school year is usually the 
> beginning of September through the end of May; with June, July,
> and August being the typical three month summer holiday.
> 
> In the USA, where we have a nasty habit of trying to 
> accommodate anyone who complains, especially if they have
> money and status, the cut-off date is always in contention.
> There is always some kid who turns the correct age a day or
> two after the cut-off date and  whose parents think it is 
> unfair that they can't start school with their friends. 
> Consequently, they cut-of dates are shifted all over the place
> trying to set a reasonable cut-off while accommodating the 
> complainers. 
> 
> So, do I understand both sides correctly?
> 
> Steve/bboyminn
>
Yes. Much better put than I did Steve.Yours is less confusing

Jayne