MPs Support School Starting Age For Summer Babies

MPs say that parents of summer-born babies must have more power to decide if they’ll send their children to school before they reach the compulsory

14:30 20 March 2015

The Education Committee believes that summer-born babies have disadvantage as they often miss a year’s school should their parents opt for a later start. It heard evidence proving that younger class members were labeled with special needs or subjected to bullying. 

 

Committee chairman Graham Stuart said: "Our recent evidence check examined issues related to school starting age.

 

"It was very clear that the month of a child's birth has a measurable effect on their academic outcomes and their likelihood of SEN (special educational needs) diagnosis.

 

"We also heard that there is a greater risk of summer-born children being bullied, and placed in low-ability groups.

 

"In particular, some parents find their summer-born child may be forced to start school in Year 1, rather than reception, when the child reaches compulsory school age. Even if parents think their child is not ready, they currently have no right to appeal against this decision.

 

"We heard evidence that government guidance for admissions authorities about summer-born and premature children is sometimes overlooked."