Postponing school entry (odklad)
Postponement is decided by the parents together with specialists, not by the school alone. You apply at enrolment and need two recommendations, so it pays to start in autumn, not in January.
1. When to consider a postponement
A child starts school if they turn six by 31 August. But age doesn’t say everything about readiness. A postponement is worth thinking about when the child:
- Can’t keep their attention on one activity even for a few minutes and tires quickly.
- Draws and holds a pencil with difficulty and can’t finish simple shapes.
- Can’t pronounce several sounds (a speech therapist is a good first step; poor pronunciation alone is no reason for a postponement).
- Finds it hard to separate from the parents and copes badly with rules and losing.
- Was born in summer and is among the youngest at nursery.
Talk to the nursery teacher: she sees the child among peers and often recommends a visit to a counselling centre herself.
2. The two recommendations you need
- A school counselling facility: a pedagogical-psychological counselling centre (PPP) or a special educational centre. The school readiness assessment takes about two hours.
- A specialist doctor or a clinical psychologist: often the paediatrician who knows the child is enough.
Counselling centres are fully booked before enrolment. Book in autumn, in December at the latest, so you have the report in hand before 15. 1. 2027.
3. Applying at enrolment
Enrolment for year 1 runs from 15. 1. 2027 to 15. 2. 2027. You go to enrolment with the application for a postponement: you hand it in writing to the school where you are enrolling the child and attach both recommendations. If you don’t have them yet, say so at enrolment; the school will tell you by when to bring them.
The head teacher decides on the postponement in an administrative procedure, based on both recommendations. Since September 2025 a postponement is granted only once and only at enrolment, so counselling centres recommend it more carefully than before.
4. The year of postponement
A postponement is not a year off. The child keeps attending nursery school (pre-school education is compulsory for them). The law is gradually abolishing preparatory classes at primary schools; the last ones open in the 2028/2029 school year.
- Agree with the nursery what to work on: fine motor skills, concentration, independence.
- If the counselling centre recommended a speech therapist or other exercises, start straight away, not in summer.
- The next enrolment is a year later in the same period. The child goes to enrolment again, this time without an application for a postponement.
5. When it doesn’t work out at school either
The former extra postponement during year 1 was abolished by the amendment to the Education Act (239/2025 Coll.) from September 2025. If a child can’t keep up at school, agree with the class teacher and the school counselling facility on support measures (an assistant, an individual plan, adjusted teaching). That is why it pays to have the child assessed at a counselling centre before enrolment.
Frequently asked questions
When do you apply to postpone school entry?
In writing during enrolment for year 1; the next enrolment runs from 15. 1. 2027 to 15. 2. 2027. You apply to the school where you are enrolling the child, usually together with the enrolment.
What do I need to apply for a postponement?
Two recommendations: one from a school counselling facility (a pedagogical-psychological counselling centre or a special educational centre) and one from a specialist doctor or a clinical psychologist. Without them the head teacher cannot grant the postponement.
How long can a postponement last?
One school year. Since September 2025 a postponement can be granted only once; the child then goes to enrolment again the following year.
Does a child with a postponement have to attend nursery?
Yes. Compulsory pre-school education still applies to a child with a postponement: they attend a nursery school, or are educated individually under the nursery’s rules.
Can a postponement be granted after starting school?
No. The extra postponement during year 1 was abolished by the amendment to the Education Act (239/2025 Coll.) from September 2025. Postponement is decided only at enrolment, so it pays to have the child assessed in time.
Can a child start school earlier?
A child who turns six only after 31 August can be admitted earlier if they are ready for school. For children born from September to December a recommendation from a counselling centre is enough; for children born from January to June a doctor’s recommendation is needed too.