Category Archives: CAMPAIGN UPDATES
‘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
DfE Promises ‘Educational Excellence Everywhere’ (Stop Postcode Lottery?)
Reference to summer born children appears in the DfE’s new white paper ‘Educational excellence everywhere‘ (pg.67), which was published on March 17th. Setting out the government’s plans for the next 5 years, it says: “4.61. We intend to make a number of … Continue reading
Council Cries Poverty While Wasting £££s on Summer Born Admissions
Earlier this month, in the BBC News report ‘Lancashire County Council at ‘cliff edge’, says leader‘, the council’s leader, Jennifer Mein, describes the struggle to balance budgets in the face of steep cuts over the next two years. And yet – the council appears to … Continue reading
Woking MP Asks About Code Consultation
On February 11, 2016 the Schools Minister Nick Gibb responded to another MP who asked for an update on the Code consultation, but there was still no news: Jonathan Lord, Conservative MP, Woking: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, … Continue reading
Be Like Nick
@RDut24 #summerborn #BeLikeNick Meme by Rosie Dutton
Postcode Lottery More Pronounced Than Ever
Literally up until midnight, parents of summer born children were debating whether or not to apply by today for a 2016 school place they do not want, – with many being told they must do this before their 2017 Reception class entry … Continue reading
No News is No News
In September 2015, Schools Minister Nick Gibb published an open letter asking for “immediate action” by councils and academies to “admit summer-born children to reception class at the age of 5, if their parents want this [and] make sure the children can … Continue reading
Campaign Fights for Freedom of Information
The Summer Born Campaign supports the efforts of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, since the FOI Act has been hugely important in our work. If you want more information or if you want to get involved (e.g. sign the … Continue reading
Follow @sb_campaign for Latest Summer Born News
Every week, the Summer Born Campaign hears from parents whose head teachers and/or admission authorities have responded to their enquiries and requests for Reception class entry at CSAge. Some responses are encouraging and positive while others are defiant and shocking. For all the latest updates, posted … Continue reading
Why in God’s Name are Catholic Schools so Obsessed with Chronological Age?
Admission authorities’ responses to the Schools Minister’s ‘Take Immediate Action’ letter have been varied, but among those most stubbornly refusing to allow Reception class entry to CSAge summer born children are ‘own admission authority‘ schools within Catholic Dioceses – Why??? The Schools Minister Nick … Continue reading
DfE Confirms ‘New Year’ Code Consultation
In response to a written question from Wimbledon Conservative MP Stephen Hammond, the Schools Minister Nick Gibb has confirmed that, “Work is now underway to assess what other changes it might be appropriate to make to the Admissions Code. We … Continue reading
Pressure to Reduce Compulsory School Age ‘by the Back Door’ Reaches New Punitive Low
In Sunday’s Guardian, Political Editor Patrick Wintour reported on social engineering an parent pressure at its worst: “No pre-school, no child benefit, Tory thinktank says in report on poverty” With flagrant disregard for England’s CSAge and a parent’s legal right to wait … Continue reading
Proposed Law Change addresses Postcode Lottery, Not School Starting Age
Since the publication of the DfE’s press release and the Schools Minister Nick Gibbs’ open letter last month, regarding proposed changes to summer born children school admissions, there has been a predictable plethora of media articles and online opinion pieces. I suspect that most … Continue reading
Could London be the Litmus Test for Admissions Reaction to DfE’s Decision?
We know the Schools Minister Nick Gibb has today told all admission authorities in England, “We are going to make changes to admission rules – but we want councils and academies to take immediate action.” But while one member of the … Continue reading
Summer Born Semantics are Not Out of the Woods Yet – Code’s Wording ‘Must’ Be Clear
I don’t mean to be the party pooper, but I’ve noticed something concerning (albeit perfectly fixable) in the DfE’s announcement today. Technically, we’ve been promised something we already have within the existing 2014 School Admissions Code: The Schools Minister’s open letter says, “We have, … Continue reading
New DfE Letter from Schools Minister tells Authorities: ‘Take Immediate Action’
The DfE has today published a letter from Nick Gibb, the Minister of State for Schools, addressed to all parents, local authorities, admission authorities and schools in England. Mr Gibb says, “We are going to make changes to admission rules – but … Continue reading
Minister Says School Admissions Code WILL Be Amended – and Summer Born Scandal Stopped
During a Parliamentary debate in the early hours of this morning, Schools Minister Nick Gibb publicly confirmed his intention to amend the School Admissions Code, hopefully putting an end to the education inequality and postcode lottery that currently exists for many summer … Continue reading
Press Release Exposes the London Children told they Must Miss ‘any’ Year of Primary School Education
“Unfair Penalties for Summer Born Children Exposed in LIAAG Paper to All London Authorities: Forced to Miss ‘any’ Year of their Education Unless they Start School Early” Published September 7, 2015 Written by Pauline Hull and Michelle Melson Summer Born … Continue reading
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