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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get annoyed at 'summer baby' used at school

176 replies

hufflebottom · 09/02/2015 13:12

That is it.

Last time I looked children developed at their own pace and whether or not they were the youngest in the class wasn't really a factor.

I'm an August baby, I was the youngest in my school when I was in reception. But my reading/ writing was above some of my classmates who were older.

My brother on the other hand, again an August baby (August is an expensive month for us. My parents must have got really bored in the winter) is the complete opposite.

My dd (5) is on par for doing well she's a March baby. My friends kid is a week older and is just below Dd's reading level.

When did the whole children learn at their own pace get taken over by the 'my child is a summer baby so will struggle'

Am prepared for flaming

OP posts:
Mistigri · 09/02/2015 16:46

I can't believe that there is any debate that, all other things being equal, a child who has just turned 4 will be developmentally behind a nearly 5 year old child at the start of reception. 12 months is a long time in a 4 year old's development.

Of course, all things are not equal, since underlying ability and having a more or less privileged background will tend to obscure age differences.

The birthdate disadvantage tends to decrease as time goes on, but the statistics say that it does not disappear and there are fairly obvious reasons why this might be the case - children who are categorized as less able in the early stages may be held back by self-esteem issues, or they be permanently disadvantaged because some fundamental building-blocks of later learning were taught before they were developmentally ready.

MiaowTheCat · 09/02/2015 16:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 09/02/2015 16:50

TroublewithAngels - Though of course the problem with the Scottish approach is that the age spread across a single class can be well over a year. A problem compounded if you have to teach in mixed year classes. I know a few Scottish parents who've really struggled with an expectation that they will hold back children born in those months, with the alternative choice that some children in their class will be over a year older than them.

I know you can say that parents can judge it on the maturity of the child, but a judgement about how mature your child is at 4 can have little or no bearing on them at , say, 12.

Aherdofmims · 09/02/2015 16:59

It can be hard for autumn babies who could be fulfilling their potential more if allowed to go at their pace. Also that extra year in nursery/ pre school when they a're frustrated and ready for reception.

I'm very glad dc2 is February - slap bang in the middle!

TheRealMaryMillington · 09/02/2015 17:08

YABU to be annoyed, what's the skin off your nose. Grin I agree though that sweeping generalisations are not so helpful when determining expectations of children

But, FWIW my summer born is, I think, bright as a button, lots of the things he says and does show a deft use of language, good problem solving skills and - unusually - great motor control. But is he developmentally ready to learn to do all the academic stuff they do at school and squash his personality to fit the behaviour box? Not in my opinion. He does his best.

My friend's DS now 9 is a very clever child, but started school just days after his 4th birthday. He excels at maths but struggles dreadfully with some literacy aspects which she puts down to the basics just totally passing him by when taught in reception.

Some "summer borns" are nearly a year younger - 20% younger, than their classmates when starting school so obviously it's likely that they may find it harder going emotionally, developmentally, academically.

CelticPromise · 09/02/2015 17:12

You can apply to delay and start reception (not year one) at 5. It's a bit of a lottery depending on where you live and how supportive your head teacher is.

gaahhnonicknamesleft · 09/02/2015 17:14

I have an autumn born ds currently in reception. In Sept DS2 starts, summer birthday - June so not the very youngest but he is tiny, he will undoubtedly be the smallest child on the school.

I am concern about the impact on his confidence, his lack of social skills. And also concerned about the lower expectations on him particularly as he will look even younger than he is.

TheRealMaryMillington · 09/02/2015 17:17

You can ask.

In my area it is generally only kids with DX severe developmental delay who are allowed to defer.

heartisaspade · 09/02/2015 17:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thewavesofthesea · 09/02/2015 17:27

I am a summer baby and did well academically. My oldest son is also a summer (July) baby, and wasn't ready for school when he started. It wasn't the work, it was coping with the relationships and other children in the class. He was only really settled by about Easter and is fine now; his teacher says he doesn't strike her as one of the youngest (even though he is the 2nd youngest). I might be wrong, but I wonder if it affects boys more than girls?

thewavesofthesea · 09/02/2015 17:28

I started in Easter when I started school in the 80's, and I wish my son could have done

BingBong36 · 09/02/2015 17:29

My DS is due to start on September and I have been SO anxious about this I almost feel like I've failed him as he us an August born Sad

So to make up for that I am preparing him as much as I can so that he is prepared as he possibly can be.

Having said all of this, in my other DS year 1 class the ones that are bottom if class are 2 September borns!!

geekaMaxima · 09/02/2015 17:32

The solution is flexibility.

Parents should have the final decision on whether their child enters reception year at age 4 or age 5. Parents know their child's emotional readiness, physical maturity, and intellectual capabilities. If they judge their summer-born 4-year-old is ready for school, then let them send him/her. But if they judge that their summer-born will struggle with school at age 4, then they shouldn't have to force the poor child to go until they are a year older.

Staggering entry til the Jan term solves nothing because that unready child is still going to be less able than the others in his/her year group, and is still going to struggle, and would still fit in far better with the year group starting the following Sept (when he/she will have just turned 5).

At the moment, a child is only legally obliged to attend school in the term following his or her 5th birthday. Yet 4-year-olds must attend reception or they won't have a school place when they turn 5. It's a horrible and unnecessary inflexibility in the rules that has long-term negative repercussions on a sizeable proportion of children.

The fact that the govt knows damned well about these negative repercussions, and still hasn't done a thing to increase flexibility in the system (for all their banging on about the importance of parental "choice"), underscores how little they really value the role of state education in helping a child achieve their potential. Independent schools are often more flexible on admission age, dontcha know... Hmm

CelticPromise · 09/02/2015 17:34

thewaves it's still possible to start at Easter. You can accept a place but no one can do anything if you don't send a child to school before they're five. Some schools and councils give the impression you can't do this but you can.

shrunkenhead · 09/02/2015 17:50

The solution? Conceive Feb/March so that you're guaranteed an Autumn/Winter baby. It's not rocket science!

DisappointedOne · 09/02/2015 17:57

Luckily in Wales the first 3 years aren't academically focused. I was still concerned about DD going into full time nursery school at not-quite-4 though and was fully prepared to reduce her to half days if it was too much for her.

It's been okay. Mind you, the constant germs are doing my head in.

Messygirl · 09/02/2015 18:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

merrymouse · 09/02/2015 18:14

I think the solution is teachers who are given the resources to teach and nurture individuals. Summer or Autumn born, the maths loving voracious reader, the child who can't get the hang of sounding out words and the child who won't be able to happily sit still until they are 7 all need the teacher's attention and different strategies to help them.

CelticPromise · 09/02/2015 18:34

I found nursery in Wales much more school like than the community pre school DS attended in England. Also much less willing to deal with things like late toilet training.

hackmum · 09/02/2015 18:38

Most of what I was going to say has been said, but the effect is so well-known that some selective schools set a slightly higher pass mark in their entrance exams for September born children than summer-born ones.

Original poster
hufflebottom · 09/02/2015 19:02

Ok, hands up, I shouldn't be annoyed. Just been a trying day.

However it has been an interesting read of what other people think. Thanks all for replying.

OP posts:
PrettyFeet · 09/02/2015 19:26

YABU Of course it can make a big difference.

zoemaguire · 09/02/2015 20:16

Shrunken - ds was due in October. He turned up in June, three months early. Do pardon my terrible planning Hmm.

DisappointedOne · 09/02/2015 20:20

CelticPromise I suspect they aren't all the same.

CelticPromise · 09/02/2015 20:37

I'm sure you're right. Just an observation based on the ones I have seen. I noticed more variety in England, maybe because in our borough very few were attached to schools and in my area in Wales the opposite is true.