This is just a selection of #summerborn children from our ever growing campaign group who very happily started school in Reception class this month – at compulsory school age.
They are the lucky ones, who have won the postcode lottery (school or council) in the areas of East Riding of Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Powys Wales, Bristol, Kent, Essex, Poole, Lambeth, Surrey, Norfolk, Devon, South Devon, West Sussex, Suffolk, Whitley Bay North Tyneside, Redbridge London, Hammersmith and Fulham London, Isle if Wight, Barnstaple Devon, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cumbria, Sutton Coldfield Birmingham, Sheffield, Wiltshire, Lewisham London, Dorset, Mid Devon and South Gloucestershire.
This has to be one of my favourite posts on this website so far.
The parents of these children couldn’t be more happy that they have been able to give their children the start to school life that they feel is in their child’s best interests.
An age 4 early start is the equally valid choice of other parents, but there were some children starting school at age 4 this month who did so against their parents’ wishes – and purely because their school or council is refusing CSAge 2017 entry to Reception class.
With nearly 6,500 members now in our campaign group, the admissions postcode lottery becomes more glaringly evident with every day, week, month and year that passes.
And with MORE THAN A YEAR having passed since Nick Gibb MP’s words gave these parents a ray of hope, the delay in DfE action is already
TOO LATE for some children.
- Written by author and journalist Pauline Hull
summerbornchildren 
This really made me smile, until I thought about those who don’t have a CSA start in reception agreed. I feel very lucky that we got agreement in January, because Nick Gibb’s statement has come to nothing so far. It would have been no help if we were relying on a change in legislation for our little one to secure her CSA start. This needs to be a priority – it’s children’s lives they’re playing with.
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I love these photos, brought a tear to my eye but in a good way.i got refused a place in reception at CSA for my Aug 12 but haven’t sent him anyway. For a start Kcc seem to think they can force people to send their kids to school with the threat of year 1 even though no one has said it will be in my sons best interests. I took a celebratory “first day not at school” photo.
I sent my Aug 2010 son when faced with the same pressure and regretted it ever since plus it is still impacting his education in a huge way. The next year I was so sad when those that had won the fight looked ready at 5 and my son was struggling into year 1, I vowed I’d not let Daniel down too. And I’m not going to. I will fight until the final hour, try every school in Kent if I have to but I will find him a school that have his best interests at heart. I’m done with kccs stupid games, he’s my son. As for the dfe, I cried when I watched Nick gibbs statement on tv. I thought it was the answer to my prayers it gave such hope for my son but since then nothing. It needs to be done to stop others facing their child being forced to miss a year simply because they weren’t ready to start school before CSA. It’s caused untold stress for us.
I can’t let my son down but I also have to face the prospect that I might have to. Still it’s better to try than do nothing at all…and try I will.
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My son started school this September in YR at CSA, I know we made the best decision for our son but it would have been easier and less stressful if we were given the correct information by the Local Authority, they gave us so much misinformation it was difficult to make an informed decision. Without the help of the Summerborn Campaign we would have listened and trusted the totally wrong and unlawful information. The Summerborn Campaign gave me the courage to fight for what we always knew was the best decision for Jake and gave me the correct information that a child can start school at CSA and in Reception and are fighting for a change in the Admissions Code, and that it should always be the parents decision when a child starts school either early at 4 or at CSA when legally required by law. To think if I had started him last year, he would be going into Year 1 now and I know he is not ready for more formal learning. We also thought about the future and how it would have a detrimental effect on his whole education. If only our Government listened to the Scientific research that formal learning should start at age 7 and children at age 4 are not emotionally or physically ready for school. I hope the admissions code is amended soon so no child has to miss the reception year or a year later down the line. Or is forced to start school at just turned 4 years old before they are socially and emotionally ready. It should always be the parents decision if a child starts school either early or on time at CSA not a bureaucrat sat at desk that has never met the child and yet they are making decisions that will have an effect on their academic future.
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So lovely to see the beaming faces of children ready to engage their new adventure at school now they are CSA. I know we’ve made the right choice for our daughter and feel very lucky that we’ve had agreement from West Sussex to enable us to be able to do this. I feel very let down that more than a year has passed with zero action taken in regards to Nick Gibb’s letter of intent. Any changes that do finally get made will be far too late for so many parents and children still fighting with obstructive LEA’s purely for trying what they feel is the best start for their child. One size education does not fit all. Flexibility is key. I thank my lucky starts I found out about this campaign.
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