We decided that DD wouldn't go to 3 year old kinder until next year, she turns 4 in March. I made the decision pretty easily but then wrestled with it, wondering if it was the right choice. But having her in a music class one morning a week meant we could see how she was against the other kids of the same age. She's one of the youngest in the class and she doesn't have the same attention span as they do and was taking a bit longer to grasp the theory stuff than the older kids. That cemented my decision to hold her back.
In NSW at least a child who is born in december has to start school the year after they turn 5 as they have to attend school in the year they turn 6. So for you baby, she would have to go to school just after she turns 5, but considering her birth etc, if there are still big enough delays by the time she is that age she may be able to stay back another year. However she would be too young to send her just after she turns 4 regardless of any developmental stuff.
My middle child is a late November baby and I started him at 5 in prep. He didn't like pre-school so I took him out of it halfway through but by the time school started he was anxious to get on with it and has never had a problem. My twins will be 5 in late January and I will be starting them in school the following week. TBH I did struggle with this decision but girltwin is ready and I couldn't hold her back. Boytwin I didn't think would be completely ready, he is speech delayed and this worried me so I had him assessed by the school (at 4 years and 4 months) and they have said he is absolutely ready for school already. He's very excited about it. However my children have always attended some form of daycare/preschool from aged 3 (apart from the last 6 months for DS2 when I withdrew him but this was an issue with the preschool, not with my son) and I think this has helped prepare them for school.
At one of our local PS (VIC) there is an option of being at 'school' but not doing what the 'Prep' students are doing. It's a seperate program run by PS teachers within the PS for this specific reason. I'm not sure how many schools around have this program but it is said to work really well for the kids.
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