Category Archives: THE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION
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
Summer Born Parents Wait for Postman to find out Primary School Place
Another difference in the application process for parents of summer born compulsory school age children (and there are many) is that applications usually cannot be processed online and so the parents must wait longer than other parents do to find out which school their … Continue reading
Critical School Places will be Wasted by Admissions Authorities on Offer Day due to Summer Born Scandal
Allocation of primary school places for all children will be adversely impacted tomorrow as highly sought after school places are lost to an administrative mess. How? The DfE’s 2014 Code and Advice says parents of summer born children can only ‘request‘ Reception … 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
Michael Gove MP Formally Supports the Summer Born Campaign
Citing his Liberal Democrat and Labour peers Annette Brooke and Stephen Twigg inspiration, former Education Secretary Michael Gove has contacted the Summer Born Campaign group to offer his full and unwavering support. He said, “I watched the March 4th Education Committee coverage … Continue reading
Children’s Commissioner says Mission is to “Nurture True Joys of Childhood”
In a recent interview with the Guardian’s Yvonne Roberts, England’s new Children Commissioner Anne Longfield said, “My mission is to nurture true joys of childhood“, and pointed out that “there is a societal gain from a public investment in having all children doing … Continue reading
Investigation of SEN misdiagnosis should include DfE’s role in ‘Correct but Avoidable’ diagnosis of Summer Born children
We’ve known for a long time that summer born children are more likely to be diagnosed with special educational needs (SEN), and now the Education Committee has asked the government to “Undertake an analysis of the additional cost of summer born children … Continue reading
Cost of DfE’s Code Continues: Repeating Reception is the Latest Summer Born Scandal
The Summer Born Campaign group is aware of increasing numbers of parents (whose summer born children were forced to start school early and against their wishes), fighting for their struggling child to be allowed to repeat their Reception class year. Some … Continue reading
Money Talks: Could the publication of SEN costs FINALLY mean Fairness for Summer Born Admissions?
Two significant things happened in the past week for parents of summer born children with special educational needs (SEN); one culminating in a demonstration to take place in London tomorrow. Firstly, there was Joanna Kent’s excellent report; the BBC South … Continue reading
Hertfordshire Seeks ‘Professional Evidence’ for Reception class entry and Decision Making Power Beyond its Legal Limits
Just this week, Hertfordshire County Council has demonstrated in an email to the parent of a summer born child just how the DfE’s (post)Code(lottery) allows admissions authorities to be ‘seen‘ to consider requests individually while simultaneously making it clear that some requests will … Continue reading
Kent: Boy Forced to Miss Year of School with Devastating Consequences and Unnecessary SEN
Please read this whole post – it’s more than one mother’s story – it exposes what this council said to the DfE in 2014, and what the DfE did as a result… Three days ago, the mother of a summer born child … Continue reading
Why a Right of Appeal is so Wrong – it still Means NO Right to a FULL Education for ALL Summer Born Children
The Education Committee’s recommendation for the government to consider a Right of Appeal in all summer born admissions is NOT EVIDENCE BASED. Suggesting a Right of Appeal means the Committee accepts that for some children, it is in their best interests to miss … Continue reading
Education Committee Recommendations Miss the Mark – 2014 DfE Code and Advice ARE the Problem so Why Recommend Further Implementation?
The number 1 message the Summer Born Campaign has sought to communicate over the past two years is how the 2012 & 2014 School Admissions Codes (plus DfE ‘Advice’) have DIRECTLY resulted in an unfair postcode lottery and missed years of education. Other … Continue reading
Kent County Council to meet with DfE Next Week amid Rumours of New Summer Born Advice
A parent has been told by her council that the DfE said it would be publishing ‘new’ summer born advice shortly, and another parent’s head teacher told her that she would have to await the outcome of her summer born request until after the … Continue reading
Three Ministers in three years Promise us Flexibility – but Actions Speak Louder than Words – will Nick Gibb DO something between now and April Offer Day?
Or will this be a Hat Trick for False Hope? March 4, 2015 – “The key thing is flexibility.” Education Minister, Nick Gibb March 24, 2014 – “we will take action if we find that schools are not paying attention to … Continue reading
Mysterious U-Turn by Sheffield City Council 5 Months after Summer Born Support
In September 2014, in response to the DfE’s School Admissions Code consultation, Sheffield City Council’s submission said: “The Guidance is clear that the assumption is to approve a parental request unless there is reason not to. This principle is fully supported as … Continue reading
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