Category Archives: MEDIA COVERAGE
England’s Summer Born Scandal Reported in Australian News
The Sydney Morning Herald has reported on the Summer Born Campaign in England in its special July 19 feature: When should children start school? Answer differs around the world. Colleen Ricci writes, “The age at which children compulsorily begin their … Continue reading
Summer Born Solution is Simple: Change the Code to Stop ‘Contentious Cases’
The Summer Born Campaign‘s Rosie Dutton has been interviewed on ITV’s Good Morning Britain as part of wide media coverage following today’s press release from the Education Committee: ‘MPs are promised action on summer born admissions‘. Rosie says, “There needs to be a change … Continue reading
Many Ministers have Talked the Talk – Could Nick Gibb Actually Walk the Walk?
The House of Commons Education Committee has today published ‘MPs are promised action on summer born admissions‘ alongside a letter from Minister of State for Schools, Nick Gibb, wrote to its Chair, Neil Carmichael, earlier this month. The letter acknowledges that recent changes … Continue reading
Cameron Found Pre-Compulsory School Age ‘Challenging’ for Florence
The Prime Minister was quoted in the Daily Mail yesterday talking about how a good early years experience can have “the best chance of transforming a child’s life“. However, the Summer Born Campaign is very troubled by talk of “services targeted at … Continue reading
Rosie Dutton Standing Up for Summer Born Children at Cambridge Seminar
Changing Curriculum Doesn’t Change Compulsory School Age – New Research
New research published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry today (‘Younger children experience lower levels of language competence and academic progress in the first year of school: evidence from a population study‘) further confirms what is already … Continue reading
Guardian Article Reports on Summer Born Postcode Lottery
This week, the Guardian published Fran Abrams’ excellent report, ‘Too much, too young for summer-born children forced into ‘big school’ Parents complain there is a postcode lottery over when children must start school – and new government guidelines have made matters worse.’ This was … Continue reading
ITV’s Good Morning Britain Discuss Summer Born School Entry
ITV is asking viewers to get involved and contact GMB ahead of tomorrow’s programme (Thursday 4th June) when it plans to discuss the issue of summer born admissions. The GMB facebook page ‘DEBATE AT 8‘ asks, “Do you think summer-born children struggle when they … Continue reading
Kids of Summer – New Under 5 magazine article
You can READ the May 2015 Under 5 ‘Kids of summer’ HERE The article focuses on providing early years practitioners and professionals information on summer born school admissions rules, including the legal rights of parents, and busting common myths. It was written by … Continue reading
61 Prospective Parliamentary Candidates Supporting Summer Born Campaign Ahead of Election
Below is a list of PPCs who have responded to members of the Summer Born Campaign (mostly via Twitter) asking whether they support our call for summer born children to have the automatic right to 12 years of primary and secondary education whether they … Continue reading
Labour’s Tristam Hunt Says He’d “Look At” Summer Born Issue
As part of the Telegraph’s Election round up, Emily Gosden reported that Tristram Hunt, Labour’s shadow education secretary, said he would launch a review of the rules governing when summer born children start school. “Taking part in a chat with Mumsnet, Mr Hunt … Continue reading
Lib Dem’s David Laws’ Summer Born Views Differ from Government’s
In a pre-election webchat with the Telegraph, former DfE Minister of State for Schools David Laws was asked: What is your stance on summer-born children and whether they should have the right to delay their entry to school? He replied: “I believe … Continue reading
More Broken Promises – this time Empty Election ones from Conservative Education Secretary
According to the Daily Mail Nicky Morgan says, “The Tories will give parents of summer-born children the right to delay their entry to school“, except that’s not what she told Mumsnet today. And remember former Tory Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education Elizabeth Truss just this month … Continue reading
Elizabeth Truss Warns Viewers about Politicians’ Promises, Promises
During the BBC’s Question Time on April 9, Elizabeth Truss said: “Could I just say we need to beware of politicians making promises…” On September 4, 2013 when she was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education, Elizabeth said: “What we want to … Continue reading
Institute of Education Researcher Supports Flexibility But Not Current Process
Tammy Campbell, researcher at the University of London’s Institute of Education, and one of the witnesses at the recent Education Committee Evidence Check, is quoted in Nel Staveley’s April 20 article, “8 reasons why summer babies face an uphill battle at school and in … Continue reading
April 2015 Coverage of Summer Born issue incl. ITV, BBC TV, Radio and Sky News
On April 20, ITV Good Morning Britain interviewed Rosie Dutton at 7.10am. Watch again here. On April 19, BBC One Breakfast interviewed Rosie Dutton twice (7.15am and 8.15am). On April 15, BBC Local Radio‘s presenter Mark Forrest interviewed Pauline Hull at 7.15pm. … Continue reading
Nicky Morgan’s Webchat Answers Reinforce DfE’s Inconsistent and Illogical Summer Born Policy
In a live Telegraph webchat today with Nicky Morgan (hosted by online Education Editor Josie Gurney-Read), the Education Secretary’s answer to Summer Born Campaign member Samantha McCormick highlighted the subjectivity and inconsistency that the DfE’s policy allows – but also her comments on … Continue reading
March 2015 Media Coverage of Education Committee Meeting and Summer Born Campaign
March 12th BBC Three Counties Radio (Roberto Perrone) Listen at 39:06-46:33 – Fraser McGruer March 9th LBC Radio (Question time with Nicky Morgan) Listen/Transcript – Rosie Dutton March 5th ITV Loose Women Watch their Summer Born discussion March 4th BBC Breakfast … Continue reading
NAHT guest on BBC News gets Summer Born Fact so Wrong it only further Proves our Point
Aside from the BBC’s failure to fact check something so critical in the context of this 6 O’Clock News report, it is astonishing just how accepting the National Association of Head Teachers is of its miscommunication to parents: BBC: And from teachers’ leaders, … Continue reading
Poll Vote: should CSAge Summer Born children be able to Enter School in Reception?
Please vote on today’s @Schoolsimprove poll: Should summer borns be able to delay school by a year and still enter in reception? “Reports claim as many as 250,000 summer born children may be entitled to delay their start at primary … Continue reading
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