Summer babies kept back at school

[ThisCollie]

So I probably am. In DD's year 2 class there are 3 children who have been sent to school a year later on account of being a summer baby.
All 3 children have caused trouble from day 1, especially the oldest lad, who on top of things seems bright.
Aibu to think that this happens a lot, because they are bored and would be better off in the year above?

YABU - the parents know best and this is just a coincidence.
YANBU - this seems to happen a lot and could be a factor.

It would be an interesting musing if this were September of YR!

You’re coming to the end of Y2 - three years in school! You really think that 3 years on, children born in August are worse behaved than those born a month later in September?

I’d say it’s coincidence and confirmation bias.

They could only be a week or two older than another child in that class who wasn't kept back. What magic do you think happens in that period?

I knew I was. They have been particularly nasty to DD this week and it was why I thought of it now. I was trying to find a reason, since they're only 7, but I know it is nonsense. Thanks for the shake-up!

What on earth 😂.

Must of been the sun that day..

All right, all right; wobble given!

Age is irrelevant.
If your dd is not being safeguarded go to school and ask what they doing to support your dd . Focus on your dd.

I suppose in some cases there could be a link, but not the one you're thinking of. If a summer born child is experiencing social and behavioural difficulties in preschool then they are more likely to be held back than one who isn't, to give them a chance to mature and improve their behaviour/start assessments etc. Quite possibly if they had started school with their usual age group their behaviour would appear worse again.

Hmm, I can see both sides of this.

There is a very strong correlation between birth order in the academic year and outcomes across the board for Children. Disadvantages that persist for the whole of their lives too.

I can see why parents do it tbh. If your DC is being picked on, that’s the fault of the school, not the parents IMO.

There's no practical solution - either they'd be the youngest in their class and struggle, or be the eldest and be bored because they're far ahead.

They're probably not bored. They're probably only a week or two older than the eldest kids in the period the year usually covers.

It's likely to be a coincidence that they're poorly behaved.

@ThisCollie

So I probably am. In DD's year 2 class there are 3 children who have been sent to school a year later on account of being a summer baby. All 3 children have caused trouble from day 1, especially the oldest lad, who on top of things seems bright. Aibu to think that this happens a lot, because they are bored and would be better off in the year above?

YABU - the parents know best and this is just a coincidence.
YANBU - this seems to happen a lot and could be a factor.

Assuming this is in the UK, I think your terminology is incorrect, they arent 'kept back', that would imply they have been held back a year, but they are in fact with their own cohort, but started a year later, missing out reception and starting straight in Y1.

Oh I'm sorry. To clear things up - they started reception a year later, 3 years ago. It is the UK.

The three youngest children in my class at school all went on to university and two have had successful careers (no idea about the third, could well have done).

I think the best approach would be to provide additional help to summer birthday children if needed, not keep them back.

Summerborns can start a year later now in England @TwoAndAnOnion

It might be because they are the oldest in the class (and maybe the biggest!) It could be immaturity. Or it could be any reason. But school needs to tackle it.

I can see why parents of summer born children keep them back and I might well do the same.

But I do sometimes think that if everyone did, then it would become the spring born children who were at a disadvantage because the summer born children who’d been kept back would be that full year older than them.

There’s always going to be a cut off somewhere.

I honestly don’t see the point in keeping kids back. I was the youngest in my class and happened to be the ahead of my peers in most things as old fashioned grandma had taught us to read at 3 . My sons a bit delayed in a few things due to being deaf and a summer baby. I won’t be delaying his start in school. The first year is just nursery again in a bigger building. How can it possibly help them? Might they be behind some others in class? Yes. Is it a competition? No. Does anyone give a flying fuck where they are in terms of the rest of the group? Nope. Primary school is about learning to cope in a building with lots of other people and take responsibility for yourself a bit . Where they are with maths and writing at 4/5/6 will have zero effect on how well their exams go. So long as they can toilet themselves, manage their lunch and cope with the activities then they should be at school.

If they are summer born then wouldn't they be the youngest in the class, DB is August born and was always the youngest, really annoyed him that some of his classmates could do things nearly a whole year before he could just because of a few days.

They were probably kept back because they had behavioural problems or seemed immature, rather than the other way round.
As a September born who started school a year late due to moving house, but started in the correct year group for my age, I really don't see why you'd rather be the oldest rather than the youngest (unless likely to be below average intelligence anyway). It just results in boredom.

@JeanClaudeVanDammit

I can see why parents of summer born children keep them back and I might well do the same.

But I do sometimes think that if everyone did, then it would become the spring born children who were at a disadvantage because the summer born children who’d been kept back would be that full year older than them.

There’s always going to be a cut off somewhere.

They'd be less disadvantaged, because they would be 4.5 when starting. It's not wanting to avoid being the youngest in a class, it's that the difference in maturity between just turned 4 and nearly 5 is quite significant.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

Summerborns can start a year later now in England *@TwoAndAnOnion*

It might be because they are the oldest in the class (and maybe the biggest!) It could be immaturity. Or it could be any reason. But school needs to tackle it.

Thank you for the clarity - Ive never come across anyone being admitted to a different cohort, but the HOC briefings indicate it may happen, but very unlikely.

Government proposals for change

In September 2015, the Schools Minister told the House that the Government would consult on changes to the School Admissions Code to amend the code to strengthen the rights of parents to choose when their child enters reception class, and to ensure children remain in the same school year throughout their education if they prefer. Plans for a school admissions review were also included in the Conservative manifesto for the 2017 General Election.

In June 2020 the Department for Education published a consultation on changes to the School Admissions Code. However, changes to the position for summer-born children were not included.

The Department published a statement that it still intended to legislate to give summer-born children the right to stay in the same cohort throughout their schooling, and published revised advice to local authorities and parents in September 2020. No date has been given for when this legislation might be put before Parliament.

@Nats1984

I honestly don’t see the point in keeping kids back. I was the youngest in my class and happened to be the ahead of my peers in most things as old fashioned grandma had taught us to read at 3 . My sons a bit delayed in a few things due to being deaf and a summer baby. I won’t be delaying his start in school. The first year is just nursery again in a bigger building. How can it possibly help them? Might they be behind some others in class? Yes. Is it a competition? No. Does anyone give a flying fuck where they are in terms of the rest of the group? Nope. Primary school is about learning to cope in a building with lots of other people and take responsibility for yourself a bit . Where they are with maths and writing at 4/5/6 will have zero effect on how well their exams go. So long as they can toilet themselves, manage their lunch and cope with the activities then they should be at school.

There is a lot of research about outcomes for summer born children who start school soon after their 4th birthday and statistically outcomes are poorer. This includes everything from how many summer born children have met their expected milestones at the end of reception all the way up to mental health outcomes in 16yr olds and everything in between. This research is publicly available and you will be able to find it with online searching. I'm just pointing this out because you obviously weren't aware of all this - but clearly every parent wants to give their children the best start in life they can and with the knowledge that your child has a much greater likelihood of poor outcomes from everything to educational achievement to mental health, surely you can understand why a parent would then make the decision to mitigate that by starting their child at school later? We start school at an earlier age than almost every other nation, but have poorer educational outcomes than many nations that start school later, so I would dispute your comment that any child 'should be at school' at the age of just turned 4. Research shows no benefit to starting school this early and in fact statistically a higher risk of significant, long term detriment for summer born children.

@TwoAndAnOnion that’s not correct - summer borns can be kept back and not miss YR in England (I don’t know for all counties in U.K.).

Yabu
It is just chance they are csa starters. Maybe that they are behaving like sept borns.
Summer borns do worse statistically as the youngest.
However it is also possible that being conceived /born at certain times of the year can make some difference due to illness in the mum/baby

My dc is csa and is a lot better this year than last. Will still be one of the most impulsive etc but maybe not the most now.
Some csa might be 17w older.
It is generally better for the whole class.

I worked in a school and the children who were held back really struggled to adjust. This is only from my experience but their parents were very protective of them- to a harmful extent. They were coddled too much and when they came to school and faced rules, discipline and expectations they weren't used to it. It usually evens out when they get the hang of school.

They'd be less disadvantaged, because they would be 4.5 when starting. It's not wanting to avoid being the youngest in a class, it's that the difference in maturity between just turned 4 and nearly 5 is quite significant.

Why then the big push from parents of summer born children to stay back, rather than just starting a year later but with their cohort, missing out reception year?