Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Grade skip 1st or 2nd better?

I have a kid who will start first even though he is a few days beyond age cutoff - in a private school that requires testing (but cutoff is well below gifted - and I suspect he tested far above most kids there). We didn't send him to K. In many ways he is ready for 2nd grade material and beyond (he learns without being taught, really; could easily start 3rd grade math). The grade guidelines here are really frighteningly low. We did find one school willing to consider 2nd grade placement. The one academic concern that gave me hesitation is that perhaps he is not writing fast/well enough; and his spelling is still awful (this may have to do with him reading and writing in 3 languages). How does your son compare to rising second graders in those dimensions?
Overall I think skipping 2nd is likely much easier than skipping 1st (the half day to full day will be a big adjustment!), but as others have said, it may never happen. Another thought: How is your district? Lots of redskirting? Highly educated population? If you can answer yes to those questions, your son may be just fine in 1st- as there will be plenty of kids in your son's IQ range (I think the SB tests a bit high).