In this week’s Watford Observer article (Everything you need to know about applying for school places in Hertfordshire this year) Matthew Lennon highlights just how simple and straightforward some admission authorities are making the summer born application process.

Lennon reports: “In line with Department for Education guidance, parents of summer-born children (born between April 1 and August 31 2013) who do not believe their child will be ready to start Reception in September 2017 may instead apply for a place in September 2018 when that process begins next November.

The council encourages all families with summer-born children to discuss their child’s readiness for Reception with their nursery provider before making a decision, and confirm before Easter 2017 whether they wish their child to remain in nursery for 2017/18 rather than move on to a Reception class.”

This will no doubt be painful reading for parents living in catchment areas for schools and councils that are opposed to Reception class entry at CSAge, and the Summer Born Campaign is aware of a number of families who have made the conscious decision to move house in order to apply for their summer born child’s school place at CSAge in an area that is more receptive to the idea.

• Written by author and journalist Pauline Hull