When to start grade R

surface said:
I have talked to many parents in our area and bullying is absolutely not tolerated which is great to know. It is not a question of being tall only.
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That's cute that you think that is going to prevent bullying.
 
Pho3nix said:
Has anyone actually had an issue with their 5 y/o starting schools VS at 6 ?

I was a year younger than my peers and no big issue
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Just because you were fine, doesn't mean it doesn't happen and yes we did and another poster kept their child back. Each child is different.
 
The_Ogre said:
Both my kids went to grade R when they were 4 turning 5 and to grade 1 when they were 5 turning 6. Both have birthdays before 30 June, which is the rule that the wife and I used.

They'll both turn 17 in matric and 18 in their first years in varsity. They're both tall (as are the wife and I) so bullying, etc are not an issue. Academically they're doing just fine.
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My son is in Grade 1, first point of order, he started Jiu Jitsu classes, once he is competent, we will look at other Martial arts, maybe even MMA.. Don't want him to be a victim.

What we are weary of is that he might become the bully, so we hope that a good upbringing, and a school with no tolerance for bullying will help avoid that.
 
The_MAC said:
My son is in Grade 1, first point of order, he started Jiu Jitsu classes, once he is competent, we will look at other Martial arts, maybe even MMA.. Don't want him to be a victim.

What we are weary of is that he might become the bully, so we hope that a good upbringing, and a school with no tolerance for bullying will help avoid that.
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Good idea to enroll in such classes and also great that you thought of both scenarios (of him being a bully) .
 
The_MAC said:
My son is in Grade 1, first point of order, he started Jiu Jitsu classes, once he is competent, we will look at other Martial arts, maybe even MMA.. Don't want him to be a victim.

What we are weary of is that he might become the bully, so we hope that a good upbringing, and a school with no tolerance for bullying will help avoid that.
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A school can say they have no tolerance for bullying, but trust me it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. The larger the school the harder it is for them to even monitor it, it will happen in school and then it becomes a he said she said type of situation.
 
Lupus said:
A school can say they have no tolerance for bullying, but trust me it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. The larger the school the harder it is for them to even monitor it, it will happen in school and then it becomes a he said she said type of situation.
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Ok - let me try my cute buddy. What do you suggest as alternative ? Home schooling?
 
Lupus said:
A school can say they have no tolerance for bullying, but trust me it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. The larger the school the harder it is for them to even monitor it, it will happen in school and then it becomes a he said she said type of situation.
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Yeah, usually bullying happens because it flies under the radar and the victim doesn't complain. But then when the victim stands up for themselves they get punished for the violence.
 
surface said:
Ok - let me try my cute buddy. What do you suggest as alternative ? Home schooling?
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No, just that it's school and sadly life, you can't wrap them in bubble wrap. They could or might get bullied at school, it's how it is. You can't protect them from everything, you can only try. Generally a decent school won't have bullying, but it doesn't mean it won't slip in somehow.
 
animal531 said:
Yeah, usually bullying happens because it flies under the radar and the victim doesn't complain. But then when the victim stands up for themselves they get punished for the violence.
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Yup, we were called in because apparently my son was a bully, the kid was a teachers and of course they defended their child, but we found out from the other kids that he was the bully to them as well. Just my son decided to stop it and got into trouble. This was a supposed bully free school, generally the kids just shut up as nothing gets done or they get into trouble.
Even spoke to his sensei who was talking about how bullying happens a lot at schools and he's counselling kids on how to handle it. He had a child end up being expelled for snapping and using his karate on a kid and that was a private school, sadly parents also don't talk to their children to find out what's happening so they don't really know.
 
Lupus said:
No, just that it's school and sadly life, you can't wrap them in bubble wrap. They could or might get bullied at school, it's how it is. You can't protect them from everything, you can only try. Generally a decent school won't have bullying, but it doesn't mean it won't slip in somehow.
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Cool - I get you now. I don't think anyone bubble wraps their kids these days. Best one can do to find a decent school based on word of mouth perhaps, hope for the best and watch out for any signs (either way) in your kid as one's own kid can be bully as well.
 
surface said:
Cool - I get you now. I don't think anyone bubble wraps their kids these days. Best one can do to find a decent school based on word of mouth perhaps, hope for the best and watch out for any signs (either way) in your kid as one's own kid can be bully as well.
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Yup that is it, you have to monitor your child, sadly a lot of parents don't.
 
Pho3nix said:
Has anyone actually had an issue with their 5 y/o starting schools VS at 6 ?

I was a year younger than my peers and no big issue
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I had none and I also went to varsity when I was still 17 - that was perhaps the biggest issue for me since I lived on campus. A 17 year-old kid sitting in the company of 20-odd year old men drinking beer and visiting strip-clubs with the allowance my parents sent me. Very little self-control :ROFL:
 
Ok. So, I talked to many colleagues today and everyone said it is 5 year old for Grade R and 6 for Grade 1. In their opinion, some smaller private schools (typically those that don't have education up to grade 7) will try to push your 5 year old's to Grade 00 but then it is advisable to talk to Principal's to sort it out if you really like that specific school.

Looks standard tactic to me.
 
surface said:
Ok. So, I talked to many colleagues today and everyone said it is 5 year old for Grade R and 6 for Grade 1. In their opinion, some smaller private schools (typically those that don't have education up to grade 7) will try to push your 5 year old's to Grade 00 but then it is advisable to talk to Principal's to sort it out if you really like that specific school.

Looks standard tactic to me.
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Government Schools = turning 7 in Grade 1
 
surface said:
Ok - let me try my cute buddy. What do you suggest as alternative ? Home schooling?
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Decent schools generally have better discipline, and better parents, which equates to less bullying and overall bad behavior. Definitely not zero, but less than the "rough" school across the street.

Social Media bullying, that is even more accessible and harder to monitor, but again, a decent school should have less of it ultimately.
 
The_MAC said:
Government Schools = turning 7 in Grade 1
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Nope. " An applicant for Grade One must be at least five years old and turn six or older by 30 June the next year."

Admission to school | South African Government

As stipulated in the South African Schools Act of 1996, all children between the ages of 7 and 15 are compelled to attend school. Parents and guardians should ensure that all learners of this age are registered to go to school and that their children attend school regularly.
www.gov.za www.gov.za
 
The_MAC said:
Government Schools = turning 7 in Grade 1
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The admission age of a learner to a public school to—
  • Grade R is age four turning five by 30 June in the year of admission;
  • Grade 1 is age five turning six by 30 June in the year of admission.
The principal of the school must give a parent/guardian the admission policy of the school and explain it. A public school may not administer any test for admission to a school.
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surface said:
Nope. " An applicant for Grade One must be at least five years old and turn six or older by 30 June the next year."

Admission to school | South African Government

As stipulated in the South African Schools Act of 1996, all children between the ages of 7 and 15 are compelled to attend school. Parents and guardians should ensure that all learners of this age are registered to go to school and that their children attend school regularly.
www.gov.za www.gov.za
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That is very weird, because my son, and most of his friends are turning 7 in Grade 1..

Government school
 
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