WIBU to ask school if they take summer birthdays into account?

[OceanPlay]

And I mean just to enquire, not complain. I have a daughter in year 7, her birthday is 29 August. She does pretty well at school and left primary with 3 level 5s. Two of her friends achieved a level 6, they both have September birthdays.

Last month the more able children from her year were invited on a science trip, my daughter wasn't included even though she is working at the same level as some who did go. However, I am aware that they have to draw the line somewhere and if they are just pipping her then so be it.

I am tempted to ask the school if they ever look at the data for those invited on the trips for more able children, is there a notable difference between the number of autumn born and the summer born? I realise that there will be a lot of older children who struggle and summer born who fly but I'm taking generally.

I suppose what I'm getting at, is my daughter just going to miss out on these opportunities through her school life just because she is young? If she had been born three days later, she wouldn't have even done her SATS yet?

www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/Images/109784-birthdate-effects-a-review-of-the-literature-from-1990-on.pdf

I find it really odd that parents who, being aware of the very sound evidence that summer borns do worse throughout school, want to delay their child's school entry until compulsory school age, are met with such an uphill battle to do so (if they are not to have them enter at Y1). Whose interest is that in? The child's????? It really is a postcode lottery - depends completely on your LEAs interpretation of the advice and how informed about the subject you are as a parent.

The Facebook group mentioned above is very supportive and helpful for anyone wanting to consider their options of delaying school start till 5.

And in answer to the point above, well no, she won't have had access to the same amount of education - early years starts in preschool - and life experience (of which summer borns will have had 25% less of when entering reception aged 4) is the most valuable education of all.

No problem Sheep, it's al interesting reading!

Another problem can also be that SN aren't diagnosed until a child is in school. Ds is late Aug and on the spectrum. I raised concerns when she was 3 and was told that it is just her being young. A few weeks later the teacher started suggesting a referral. Deferring her wouldn't have changed the diagnosis, but could have meant she had a gentler start to education and learnt more. Socially she was fine at school but she learnt almost nothing until half way through year 1.