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Children have to turn 5 on or before June 30 with the new cutoff date.  It used to be that they had to turn 5 before January 1 but they are trying to make kids 6 months older on leaving school, saying that some are leaving school at 16, and don't turn 17 until the end of december so they are going through their whole first year of uni before their 18 th birthday which is way too young.  My daughter is 5 after the cut-off date therefore misses out on Prep for a year.  I just watch her counting and she can count to 30 that I've heard, and when she is counting objects she gets to around 15 before she loses count.  We have been doing phonics at home, a different letter focus each week, and were up to L.  They have just begun phonics at her daycare and they with the letter A last week, so I've gone back to A at home to make it easier for her.  I see it as revision work :)

She is so smart and already capable of doing so many things that kids who are able to start Prep ahead of her haven't even begun to explore yet.  I just hope she doesn't get bored with it when she does start, because that's when kids become a problem.  It's usually the smart ones who are the disruptive ones in the group and that is usually due to plain boredom.  I hope I've explained it to you enough, if not feel free to ask more questions.  I work in the education system and know a fair bit about how it works even if I don't like it.

OK.  I think I understand, but I agree that it is the bright kids who get disruptive from boredom, then lazy and underachieve for their potential because they get complacent. 

I have considered home schooling based on this, but I think that she will be in the right place when she starts school as I have done similar to you as far as pre-schooling at home goes.  She knows her numbers also to about 30 although occasionally she gets stuck on 'eleventeen' and her alphabet, we play 'i spy' with letters and phonics these days instead of colours, and she is recognising words and shapes of words more and more often.  Harder words more than easier words - go figure.  I think it is because of the shape and letters involved though, kissed home and baby are easier for her than and or me and other little words.  You will know more about that with your background though. 

If it were cost effective i think I would be more likely to home school, but with a decent school in our area and high achievement rates there (well above average thankfully) I am happy for her to go there.
Ah well, must get on with bedtime things here,
Peace
EF.x