Author Archives: Caesarean Birth
Due Date Demands Add Unnecessary Administration to Summer Born Admissions
The Summer Born Campaign has said this before and will say it again – if ALL summer born children are given the AUTOMATIC RIGHT to enter Reception class at CSAge, this will include those children born prematurely in the months of … Continue reading
Summer Born Adjournment Debate in Parliament Tonight
Thank you to Stephen Hammond, Conservative MP for Wimbledon, who has arranged an adjournment debate tonight on the subject of the School Admissions Code for summer born children and children born prematurely. Mr. Hammond says he “will be raising the postcode lottery … Continue reading
Summer Born Sadness – and Madness – of a Forced Early School Start
This harrowing message from Ruth in Coventry needs no introduction, but it does need ACTION (by the DfE) to stop this shockingly unfair postcode lottery, as promised. “Everyone is posting pictures of their sweet children who aren’t starting school this week, … Continue reading
Summer Born Son Struggles in Year 1
What happens to a child who is forced to start school early, at age 4, against his parents’ wishes, and against the 2015 request of a DfE Schools Minister? One year later, at age 5, and having only just reached CSAge, his parents are … Continue reading
Why does the Education Secretary’s Definition of ‘Summer Born’ Differ..?
On September 14, the issue of summer born children was raised by Michelle Donelan MP during an Education Committee public evidence session, as part of its inquiry into the responsibilities of the Education Secretary. In response, Ms Justine Greening referred to summer born children as those born … Continue reading
Summer Born Smiles Starting School Age 5
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 … Continue reading
‘No matter what you say we’re not going till CSA’
It’s become somewhat of an accidental tradition on this website to publish an annual poem by the parent of a summer born child – by Rosie Dutton in 2014 and Lauryn Douglas in 2015. This year, Melanie Charnock says she was inspired to … Continue reading
Summer Born School Start is Parents’ Decision
It’s YOUR decision WHEN your child starts school (or alternative education). CSAge is CSAge. End of. You don’t need to be telling admission authorities why your child is ‘not ready’ for school at age four. That is irrelevant. This is … Continue reading
B is for Book, Bored and Below Compulsory School Age
I am not an early years teaching expert, but I have witnessed firsthand how ingrained a hatred of reading can develop in some children, and was acutely reminded of this when I watched the BBC 4 documentary ‘B is for Book‘. As a former … Continue reading
Important News: Lord Nash now Responsible for Admissions in DfE Ministerial Update
Following Theresa May becoming Prime Minister, the DfE has announced its final ministerial team, and moved responsibility for admissions to Lord Nash. In February 2016, Lord Nash wrote this in answer to a Parliamentary question on admissions, which the Summer Born Campaign agrees … Continue reading
Have Your Say at DfE Meetings This Month
Parents of summer born children: Your chance to tell the Department for Education what you think… LONDON – Tue 16th August – 11.30 – 13.00 SHEFFIELD – Wed 17th August – 11.30 -13.30 DARLINGTON – Tue 23rd August – 12.00 … Continue reading
Campaign Update and MP Support
One month ago, on July 6, Michelle Melson wrote to the Chair of the Education Committee, while I wrote to the Schools Minister, Nick Gibb, and the DfE, to ask a number of questions related to the long delay in announcing the promised School Admissions Code … Continue reading
Nick Gibb to Remain Schools Minister
Good news for the Summer Born Campaign. It’s been confirmed today that Nick Gibb will retain his position as Minister of State for Schools in Prime Minister Theresa May’s cabinet shuffle. You can read more in the TES and Schools Week reports.
Minister’s Letter Highlights Again the Importance of Legal Semantics
In September 2015, when the Schools Minister Nick Gibb published an open letter urging admission authorities to allow entry to Reception class at CASge for summer born children, I highlighted the importance of the next School Admissions Code ensuring its legal wording is absolutely … Continue reading
‘Immediate Action’ Irony Given DfE Delay
Ten months ago (a significant amount of time in a child’s life, and a whole primary school admissions cycle that left hopeful parents once more distraught and disheartened), the Schools Minister Nick Gibb published an open letter announcing the DfE’s proposed changes to summer born admission … Continue reading
Summer Born Parents Can Complete New University Survey
Professor Dieter Wolke, at the University of Warwick, is conducting a new survey in which he asks for parents’ “opinions on delaying your child’s school entry for a year.” For those of us with summer born children who want our children to … Continue reading
Postal Delay for Parents of Summer Born Children
While most parents in England found out today which primary school has offered their child a place, for parents of some summer born children, like Leo in Surrey, they won’t find out until the postman arrives with a letter tomorrow (or later in … Continue reading
Cambridgeshire MP Supports Summer Born Children
There are a number of councils (and schools) in England that are stubbornly refusing to implement the Schools Minister’s call for action in September 2015, to allow summer born children to enter Reception class at CSAge if this is their … Continue reading
An Overseas Perspective – Letter to Stephen Hammond MP
As a former resident of Surrey, I have written the letter below to Stephen Hammond MP, as per his invitation via Twitter yesterday. Dear Stephen Hammond MP, I applied for a Reception class place for my summer born son at … Continue reading
MP Asks For Summer Born Stories
Stephen Hammond, Conservative MP for Wimbledon, Raynes Park, Morden & Motspur Park, has asked parents of summer born children to email him with their experiences of trying to arrange Reception class entry at CSAge (i.e. the Postcode Lottery), ahead of another proposed … Continue reading
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