Education Minister Nick Gibb to Review Summer Born Issue at ‘Earliest Opportunity’

Posted on July 1, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

Nick Gibb speaking at the Education Committee Meeting on March 4, 2015

This month, one of the Summer Born Campaign leaders, Michelle Melson, had the privilege of meeting with the Minister of State for Schools, Nick Gibb, following her submission of oral evidence on Summer Born Children at the Education Select Committee meeting in March.

She says, “The meeting was I feel, a positive one and the Minister was sensitive to our issue.

He shares our concerns about children joining Year 1 rather than Reception class, and also our concerns surrounding access to a continuous and uninterrupted progression through the school system where a request is granted.

The Minister is keen that every child is given the chance to reach their full potential and will be reviewing this issue with Ministerial colleagues at the earliest opportunity.” Continue reading →

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, EDUCATION COMMITTEE EVIDENCE, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, THE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION | 29 Comments

Steve Biddulph Formally Supports the Summer Born Campaign

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

steve biddulph picI am delighted to report that Steve Biddulph, one of the world’s best  known parent educators, and a retired psychologist, has lent his full support to our campaign.

He has asked me to publish the following statement:

“What the Summer Born Campaign is asking is simply for all summer born children to be allowed access to the same full, uninterrupted, curriculum as other children, regardless of whether they start school early or on time.

To do otherwise infringes their human rights. This really must be remedied, or a significant cohort of UK children will go on having a damaging and inferior experience of schooling, with all the life-affecting implications of this.

Parents today are aware and informed and deeply concerned at the anomaly that harms these children merely through the timing of their birth.“

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES | 7 Comments

Cameron Found Pre-Compulsory School Age ‘Challenging’ for Florence

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

IMG_6926The 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 getting children school-ready by age 4” when legally, no child needs to be in education before the term following their 5th birthday.

It reinforces an entrenched culture that this is what ‘should‘ happen with every child, even if David Cameron’s intentions are good. He is also reported to have said, “Believe me, with a four-year-old with a birthday in August, I know just how challenging that can be as people come up to that September deadline.” Continue reading →

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, MEDIA COVERAGE, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT | 1 Comment

Rosie Dutton Standing Up for Summer Born Children at Cambridge Seminar

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

15-jun cambridge talk

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Changing Curriculum Doesn’t Change Compulsory School Age – New Research

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

 

SB 4New 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 well established about the experiences of many (not all) summer born children, and has received widespread media attention.

The Summer Born Campaign contacted the study’s lead author, Professor Courtenay Norbury, as she is quoted talking about the “constant dilemma for parents over whether to delay sending them to school” and her own view that “starting school young may be less of a problem if the curriculum is more in line with children’s developmental levels“.

  • I asked what she believes is in the best interests of summer born children whose parents do decide to exercise their legal right and enrol them in school at CSAge rather than enrolling them early?

“If parents exercise their right to hold a summer born child back a year, then I strongly believe that the child should start in reception and continue with that year group throughout the school years. I don’t think skipping a year or leaving an established peer group is a good idea.” Professor Norbury Continue reading →

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Guardian Article Reports on Summer Born Postcode Lottery

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

IMG_6926This 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 followed up by a special comment/debate hosted by Tony Harbron on schoolsimprovement.net – he asked:

“Do you think Pauline Hull is making a valid criticism in suggesting the government’s new code may actually have made things worst for parents? Is it too easy for local authorities to justify a decision that goes against the parental wishes? If you were to propose a solution to the issue what would it be?
Please let us know in the comments or via Twitter…”

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, EXAMPLE CASES, MEDIA COVERAGE | 5 Comments

ITV’s Good Morning Britain Discuss Summer Born School Entry

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

IMG_2071ITV 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 start school? Should they be set different targets? Perhaps you’re concerned about your summer-born starting school this September? Or were you born in the summer and wish your parents had been given the option for you to start a year later?”

All excellent questions, although GMB’s accompanying post is not completely accurate:
“Should summer-born children be able to start school a year later? Earlier this year Rosie Dutton won a landmark ruling to start her summer-born daughter’s education one year later than usual.”

I responded on GMB facebook page with this comment: Continue reading →

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, MEDIA COVERAGE | 4 Comments

Kids of Summer – New Under 5 magazine article

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

U5 may 2015 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 the Summer Born Campaign‘s Michelle Melson and Pauline Hull.

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, MEDIA COVERAGE | 6 Comments

MP Support for Summer Born Campaign

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

11-Oct-25-27 cj rocking chair face paint magic show cakes pix 017Election over; let’s hope a new Parliament with the support of the MPs below (and more besides) will ensure summer born children finally have fair and equal access to a full education when they start school at CSAge and not before.

*Dave Anderson, Labour (Blaydon):  “…Happy to support you and the @sb_campaign…”

*Tom Brake, Lib Dem (Carshalton & Wallington): “Happy to support the #summerborn @sb_campaign“

*Fiona Bruce, Conservative (Congleton): “Thankyou for your email which I have received and am carefully considering” Continue reading →

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, THE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION | 7 Comments

DfE Promised Flexibility but Look what it Chose to Change in the Code

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

IMG_6840DfE Ministers (very likely because they have limited detailed knowledge of what DfE officials are actually doing behind the scenes – though this is no excuse) keep stating publicly that “the key thing is flexibility“; we want to “empower parents” and we “will take action [if schools] are not paying attention to parental demand“.

But the truth is, the DfE has made a bad situation (2012 Code) worse (2014 Code), and even rewritten its Summer Born Advice in a way that gives admissions authorities more loop holes than ever before, and has helped them to ‘legally’ refuse fair and equal access to 12 years of education for our children.

Here’s how: Continue reading →

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, EDUCATION COMMITTEE EVIDENCE, THE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION | 28 Comments

In Law: Some Summer Born Children are More Equal Than Others

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

IMG_0545Once you start looking at summer born children and the 2010 Equality Act, it’s pretty difficult to stop.

And once you throw summer born children with additional needs into the mix, it becomes even harder.

In this article, Summer Born Campaign member Catherine Mackinlay Henderson explores the similarities and differences in terms of the LEGAL RIGHTS of  summer born children, with and without SEN, SSEN/EHCP, and explains who the Equality Act best protects, and how the UNCRC is also applicable.

The current inequality of access to a full and fair education for all summer born children in England is unquestionably evident, but what does the law have to say about it? Continue reading →

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, EXAMPLE CASES, THE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION | 3 Comments

61 Prospective Parliamentary Candidates Supporting Summer Born Campaign Ahead of Election

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

11-Mar-14-16 rocking chair rushmoor chilworth gym birdworld 001 - CopyBelow 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 start at compulsory school age or one year early.

*Dave Anderson, Labour (Blaydon):  “…Happy to support you and the @sb_campaign…”

*Laween Atroshi, Labour (Surrey Heath): “I support the fantastic @sb_campaign
Tory-led Surrey County Council should do the same.”

*James Barber, Lib Dem (East Dulwich): “Yes makes lots of sense (especially as parent of one)” “Lets talk after 8 May how we can get some common sense changes to such a daft policy…”

*Malcolm Birks, Labour (Skipton & Ripon): “Yes I will – well done on your campaign”

*Tom Brake, Lib Dem (Carshalton & Wallington): “Happy to support the #summerborn @sb_campaign” Continue reading →

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, MEDIA COVERAGE, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT | 3 Comments

Labour’s Tristam Hunt Says He’d “Look At” Summer Born Issue

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

IMG_6840As 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 acknowledged it was a “growing issue for many parents” and said an incoming education secretary would have to “look at it”. Continue reading →

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, MEDIA COVERAGE, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, THE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION | 1 Comment

Lib Dem’s David Laws’ Summer Born Views Differ from Government’s

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

IMG_6842In 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 that local authorities and schools should respect the views of parents on this issue. We need to keep this under review to see if further action by the government is necessary to strengthen parents rights.”

However we have seen numerous examples of correspondence from Mr. Laws in which he insists that local decisions are best, including his shocking October 2012 response to a desperate parent whose summer born child was being forced to miss Year 7 (going straight from Year 6 to Year 8): “It is the government’s belief that such decisions are best left with the professionals, such as the head teacher in the school… I wish X every success in the future“. Continue reading →

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, EXAMPLE CASES, MEDIA COVERAGE, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, THE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION | Leave a comment

More Broken Promises – this time Empty Election ones from Conservative Education Secretary

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

crossAccording 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 warned, “we need to beware of politicians making promises“…

…which of course summer born children already know to their detriment following Truss’ own broken pledge in 2013: “What we want to do is to empower parents… It should be the parents who are the primary decision-makers when it comes to deciding which route is most appropriate for their child and which environment will enable their child to thrive. We are absolutely clear that parents should be able to say to a school, “We want our child, who is aged five, to enter reception”, if they feel that that is in the best interests of their child.””

If this first Minister promise had been kept, this website wouldn’t exist – but even more tellingly, Nicky Morgan isn’t even making this same promise – she says the Code is already ok(?). Continue reading →

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, MEDIA COVERAGE, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, THE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION | 2 Comments

And the Post(Code) Lottery Losers – Children told they MUST MISS Reception Class

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

IMG_2176Despite existing primary legislation (see pgs.19-26 here), these children are being REFUSED RELEVANT ENTRY to school in Reception class & FORCED INTO YEAR 1 instead:
1998 SSFA: Reception is for “pupils aged five and any pupils under or over that age whom it is expedient to educate with pupils of that age“; Relevant Age Group is “the age group at which pupils are or will normally be admitted to the school” (2012 Code also added: “e.g. reception or year 7” but clarification deleted in 2014).
1996 Education Act: The “general principle that pupils are to be educated in accordance with the wishes of their parents“; “Duty of parents to secure education of children of compulsory school age… shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable to his age, ability and aptitude“.

Poster 3 - Cian Timmy AnnCIAN – Born August 30, 2010 – CSAge 2015 entry
Facing forced Year 1 start at any school with available space. Parents’ request declined by LA, accepted by CoE school, but LA didn’t pass application to school on time, so governors are considering after all ‘on-time’ and oversubscribed applications.
“I need an appropriate setting as I am on the Autistic spectrum. Without a school place, my transition to school can’t be planned, which puts me at a disadvantage. Starting in Year 1, I will miss a whole year of school and be even further behind my peers. I will need a lot of support that isn’t available and won’t cope.” Continue reading →

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, EXAMPLE CASES | 6 Comments

The Post(Code) Lottery Winners – Reception Class Entry Allowed for These Children

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

IMG_2189These summer born children are so far (see caveat below) some of the lucky ones – by virtue of their address. Their parents’ requests for Reception class entry at CSAge were agreed – albeit some after a lengthy battle, others without question; some only with compulsory ‘documented evidence‘ or SEN, others with no ‘exceptional circumstances‘ required at all – just ‘lawfully summer born‘ and ‘best interests‘.

So the question is – given there is NO evidence to justify the loss of a whole year of school being in any child’s best interests – why does the DfE’s 2014 Code allow other schools and councils to REFUSE the same fair access to other SB children?

2015 Compulsory School Age entry

Poster 18 - Sebastian AlexSEBASTIAN – Born August 2010
No difficulties with request at all; Sheffield LEA agreed to him starting in Reception at just turned 5 years old.

Poster 17 - Thomas KathyTHOMAS – Born August 25, 2010
Evidence submitted incl. SALT, community paediatrician and nursery. Agreement from followings Vale of Glamorgan, Essex and Halton LEAs.
“I’m currently in my 2nd year of preschool and loving it!“ Continue reading →

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, EXAMPLE CASES | 6 Comments

Campaign Does Not Support “2 Bites of the Cherry” for Summer Born Children

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

obesity storyThe Summer Born Campaign wants all parents of summer born children to have the automatic right – without penalty (i.e. loss of school preferences and threat of or actual loss of school year at any point during child’s education) – to decide whether to apply for a Reception class place at CSAge or one year early.

But there is an important loophole that needs closing too. In 2014, during the DfE’s Code consultation, local authorities submitted concerns that parents of summer born children could apply for age 4 entry and then try again the following year if they didn’t get a place in their preferred school – thus giving them two bites of the cherry.

We agree this would not be a fair system – but the solution is simple. Continue reading →

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Elizabeth Truss Warns Viewers about Politicians’ Promises, Promises

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

IMG_2065During 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 do is to empower parents… It should be the parents who are the primary decision-makers when it comes to deciding which route is most appropriate for their child and which environment will enable their child to thrive. We are absolutely clear that parents should be able to say to a school, “We want our child, who is aged five, to enter reception”, if they feel that that is in the best interests of their child.””

Well the DfE certainly legislated to let parents say this to schools, but they also legislated for admissions authorities to have the real power, to say straight back to us: “NO”

And though (then) Minister of State for Schools David Laws promised in March 2014, “we will take action if we find that schools are not paying attention to parental demand”, the Summer Born Campaign is still yet to see evidence of that.

Posted in CAMPAIGN UPDATES, MEDIA COVERAGE, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, THE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION | 4 Comments

Institute of Education Researcher Supports Flexibility But Not Current Process

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Caesarean Birth

IMG_0540Tammy 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 life“, saying:

“There is evidence that some children who have just turned four are not developmentally ready for the current reception curriculum…

“The fact that a parent has been able to delay her summer-born daughter starting reception is therefore positive – but this should be possible for any child who is not yet ready for reception.

Exercising this right is currently dependent on parents having the time, knowledge and resources to fight for a delay to their children’s start dates.”

Posted in EDUCATION COMMITTEE EVIDENCE, EXAMPLE CASES, MEDIA COVERAGE, THE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION | 1 Comment