Just received this letter from the head teacher:

” Dear Mr & Mrs (and she got the surname wrong…and the date…okay, I’m nit-picking)

(Child) is due to start school in August 2010. You can enrol your child on (tomorrow or Thursday…). (Child) should be registered for enrolment even if you are considering deferring his place at school for a year.

Please bring your child’s birth certificate with you.

Could you please let us know your new phone number.

Your sincerely ”

The verbs used in this notice worry me. So, I called the Scottish Government’s Education department, and spoke to a very helpful gentleman, who suggested that if I feel the need I may quote the above-mentioned Act and its relevant Sections.

But the local education authority also bangs on about deferment, but at no points says outright that we are under no obligation to register our children :

“However, parents of children aged between 4½ and 5 at the start of the
school session, that is, those whose fifth birthday falls between September
and February, HAVE A CHOICE about when their child starts school. Children
of this age CAN START school either in the August before they are five or
parents CAN DEFER their start until the following August”

Forgive the capitals, that was my only way to emphasize their …je ne sais quoi?…vagueness? ambiguity?
According to the Scottish government I do not have to register my almost four year old to start school in August…or ever!