I hate to say this to you.... but if he really is fine, then he doesn't need as much sleep as other children!!!
If he is tired and grumpy... then he obviously needs the sleep.
My youngest, who is now 9, does not need the sleep other children of the same age get. When she was a baby she did not sleep very much.
Keep encouraging a reasonable bedtime... and if he's tired he'll go to sleep?


Good luck... sorry not to be of much help.

Thanks ive thought taht myself but when you speak to other people I seem like a bad mother for allowing him to stay up later than most other children his age.
He doesnt cause any disruption while he is still up and wakes up in the morning at 8am by himself and is hardly ever grumpy so it may just be it.
thanks for your help x

If he's happy take no notice of what other people think, theres no rule book about how much sleep a child should have, only guidelines and they will never fit every child.

Do it your way and don't do battle with him to suit other people.

If you have a child who hasn't read the parenting book!!! you have to develop a thick skin. My 9 year old is not asleep now and it's 10:15 pm. She is in Yr 4, top of her class, Grade 3 on violin, does gym etc etc. You can't say she's not coping... she has friends... she just doesn't go to sleep at 8pm. I wouldn't even try to get her in bed at 8pm.... I send her up about 9. It gets easier... she can read etc.
The funny thing is, when she's at sleep overs, she's often the first to go to sleep (at around 1 am). It's like when she sleeps, she sleeps!!!!
She does a lot of exercise (4 hours gym and 1hr 45 mins of dance a week) outside of school... and if she doesn't have this, she sleeps even less!!!
If your son is developing well... I'm sorry... he just doesn't meed the same amount of sleep as other children!!! Not fun for you... so good luck.