Category Archives: CAMPAIGN UPDATES
DfE warns: Schools can legally sort children by any age THEY choose
A rather interesting update appeared in a DfE document in May (see actual document for date), ensuring everyone understands a child’s rights – or rather lack of them – in a very pertinent area of the Equality Act, given the summer born … Continue reading
Just Which School Year is a Waste of Time?
The tongue-in-cheek letter below was written by a parent to vent their frustration at the absurdity of the current school admissions system for summer born children, and the possibility or even likelihood that their child will have to skip a whole year of … Continue reading
Govt says NO to 1 WEEK off school – but YES to missing 1 WHOLE YEAR
Children Must Not Take a Week‘s Holiday (unless there are ‘exceptional circumstances‘) but Schools and Councils Can Take a Year of a Child’s Education (and any year will do). This tragic irony has not escaped parents of summer born children whose much-wanted … Continue reading
Moving House could Cost summer born children a Whole Year of Education
Parents who have been fortunate enough to have their request for Reception class entry at compulsory school age agreed to are being warned about the risk of moving house. The implications are real and serious (we already know children who have … Continue reading
Summer Born admissions Chaos Escalates as more Schools become Academies
The Department for Education is advising parents of summer born children to discuss their request for their child to enter Reception class at compulsory school age “as soon as possible with the schools they are interested in applying for and the … Continue reading
The Complex Web our Admissions System Weaves
It’s embarrassing really, but the DfE is advocating an admissions system for compulsory school age children in England that requires parents to contact multiple schools (and even multiple local education authorities) before they begin to fill out the standard application form. Some admission authorities … Continue reading
3 year-olds to start school in summer term for September 2014 induction
It’s not enough that summer born are now ‘expected‘ to start school early, in the term following their 4th birthday rather than at compulsory school age, but now parents are being told their child must cease their nursery education early – in the middle … Continue reading
Gove loves Alberta’s school system – Well here’s how they do Admissions…
In a January 2011 speech, Michael Gove cited Alberta as being among the “world leaders” in education in, and in June 2011 and September 2010 speeches, he espoused, “In Canada, and specifically in Alberta, a diverse range of autonomous schools offer professionals freedom and … Continue reading
It’s the Code, Stupid
The crux of the problem for summer born children’s admission to primary school at compulsory school age is this: Admission Authorities ONLY look at the Code. They do not look beyond the Code to the relevant Primary Legislation.
Positive first meeting with Chairman of the Education Select Committee
On Tuesday 13th May 2014, summer born campaigners Michelle Melson, Pauline Hull and Stefan Richter, together with Annette Brooke MP, met with Graham Stuart, Chairman of the Education Select Committee in his Parliament office. The following is a summary of this meeting:
Campaigners apprise solicitors of changes to the DfE summer born advice
On May 9, I wrote about an update to the DfE’s July 2013 advice, and the fact that the DfE no longer wants parents to contact the Education Secretary when local school complaints processes have been exhausted. This was the key change, but because the … Continue reading
Gove wants ALL schools to be more like private schools… so why not allow Reception entry at age 5?
It’s true that there are some private schools that warn parents their summer born child must enter Reception class before compulsory school age, but for the most part, private schools are incredibly amenable to children at compulsory school age having … Continue reading
Summer born children with Down’s Sydrome refused Reception class at age 5
When you’ve been working on a campaign like this one long enough, hearing stories weekly – sometimes daily – about parents’ requests for their compulsory school age child’s entry into Reception class being denied, children forced to start in Year 1 and … Continue reading
DfE updates Summer Born advice – to reduce parents’ contact with Gove
This week (May 7) the Department for Education updated its July 2013 advice, “Admission of summer-born children in schools“, but if parents who are struggling to gain access to a full primary education for their summer born children had expected changes that might … Continue reading
Inconsistency of the DfE’s position continues
On March 24 2014, in a response to a Parliamentary question posed by MP Annette Brooke on the problems faced by parents of summer born children requesting Reception class entry at compulsory school age, David Laws, the Minister of State for … Continue reading
Gentle Parenting article calls for Policy Change
Just two weeks after parents received news of September 2014 primary school places for their children, the Gentle Parenting website has published this special guest article from our campaign: Starting School for Summer Born Children
New Survey for Parents of Summer Born Children
If you are the parent of a summer born child and in recent years have applied or thought about applying for a Reception class place for your child(ren) when they reach compulsory school age, PLEASE COMPLETE THIS ONLINE SURVEY a.s.a.p. The … Continue reading
Statutory school age is 5, but calls continue for children to start at age 2
When growing numbers of parents are fighting for the right to ensure that their 4 year-old children have full access to a full primary school education when they reach compulsory school age (i.e. the term following their 5th birthday), instead of being forced … Continue reading
DfE Mumsnet Mystery
On January 24, 2014 the Department for Education wrote on their Facebook page: “We’re often asked what the policy is on summer-born children starting school. Here’s a useful article on Mumsnet where we set out our views.” It posted a link to … Continue reading
Summer born Voice and Champion
Annette Brooke questions Schools Minister on summer-born children on March 25, 2014 Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, contributed to Education Questions in the House of Commons yesterday by again raising the issue of summer-born school children.
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