Category Archives: MEDIA COVERAGE
Schools Adjudicator Upholds Objection Against Wakefield Council Summer Born Admissions
The Office of the Schools Adjudicator determination can be read in full here. In brief, the “objection refers specifically to explanatory note 16.9 in the arrangements which says that: • there is an “expectation” that, where parents of summer born … Continue reading
Summer Born Children in the News
There have been numerous media reports today about a new book aimed at teachers that reportedly says headteachers should not allow parents to enrol their summer born child in school at CSAge, and adjust their test scores later on instead. … Continue reading
Mumsnet Summer Born Guest Post
The Summer Born Campaign‘s Rosie Dutton provided an update on her daughter’s progress after starting school at age 5, instead of age 4. In this week’s Guest Post, A later start can be the best thing for many children, Rosie says … Continue reading
BBC report – Summer baby school delays: Parents face postcode lottery
Parents who want to delay their child’s first year of school have varying success rates depending on where they live, a BBC investigation has found. The Summer Born Campaign’s Rosie Dutton is quoted in the BBC’s article: “It has been … Continue reading
Nick Gibb MP Repeats 2015 Admissions Assurances But Parents Awaiting Action
Numerous media outlets are reporting the Schools Minister Nick Gibb’s comments at the British Library this week; e.g. The Telegraph’s Parents of summer born children will be allowed to start school aged five, minister says Education Editor Camilla Turner reports that he said, … Continue reading
Solutions to Summer Born SEN Discussed in Schools Week Article
In a Schools Week article this weekend, Stephen Gorard, professor of public policy at Durham University, says we must Stop labelling summer-born pupils as SEN! He makes some excellent points, but on the subject of “age-standardisation of all results”, we disagree. … Continue reading
BBC Radio 4’s Whodunnit? Investigates Summer Born Issue
The Summer Born Campaign‘s Michelle Melson is interviewed in episode 4 of a new BBC Radio 4 five-part series asking, Whodunnit?, The Calendar Conspiracy Presenter: Michael Blastland Producer: Katherine Godfrey A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4 “Children born in summer … Continue reading
Campaign Coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live’s presenter Sam Walker hosted an excellent discussion on the Summer Born Campaign this morning, with guests including Michelle Melson (campaign leader) and Fiona McGuckin (parent of a summer born child). You can listen to it here (at … Continue reading
Leicestershire County Council’s Financial Settlement Following Summer Born Admissions Fight
In today’s Leicester Mercury, Fiona Dryden describes Stephanie Walsgrove’s fight with Leicestershire County Council to allow her daughter, Amelia, to enter Reception class at CSAge in September 2017: Leicestershire mum wins battle to delay her daughter’s school start. The article refers … Continue reading
Headteacher Suggests Pregnancy Plan to Solve Summer Born Problem
In 2013, the Good Schools Guide advised parents to avoid getting pregnant between July and November, and this week headteacher Steve Woodhouse has given summer born pregnancy advice too. Mr. Woodhouse emphasises how he has only very recently learned just how educationally disadvantaged summer born children … Continue reading
Irony as Lancashire Issues Most Fines For Children Missing School
This week (October 19), the Lancashire Evening Post reported that ‘Lancashire tops chart for issuing fines to parents if kids miss school’. The irony of this is not lost on parents of summer born children, many of whom are fighting for their children’s access … Continue reading
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
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
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
Study: ADHD Dramatically Reduced with Later Kindergarten Enrollment
Stanford’s Graduate School of Education has highlighted a new study titled, The Gift of Time? School Starting Age and Mental Health, which authors Professor Thomas S. Dee and Hans Henrik Sievertsen say “could help parents in viewing the pros and cons of … Continue reading
Danish Research Highlights Mental Health Benefits of Later School Start
Rebecca Adams, writing in The Huffington Post (Delaying Kindergarten Could Benefit Kids’ Mental Health) reports on new research from Denmark that is worth reading in the context of summer born children starting school in England. Not because all summer born children should therefore … Continue reading
London Families Relocated when told Summer Born Children Must Miss Year of School – but now Council Policy is Changing
SW Londoner journalist Sara Oldfield has published an excellent article today, summarising the plight of four families living in the London Borough of Merton, who simply wanted their summer born children to start school ‘on time‘ without penalty. She reports that … 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
Summer Born Shake Up Front Page News
“School shake up to help pupils born in summer” is the headline on the front page of today’s Sunday Express newspaper (report inside by Political Editor Caroline Wheeler). This is the second time that the issue of rights and best interests of summer born children has … Continue reading
New Starting School Article in JUNO Magazine
The Autumn 2015 issue of JUNO has a featured special article on ‘School Starting Age‘ that includes a section on ‘Summer-Born Children‘ written by Pauline Hull. More information: JUNO is a natural parenting magazine that inspires and supports families through its range … Continue reading
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