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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think a child born on the 5th august isn’t that young for their school year

208 replies

Penny779 · 15/02/2026 16:36

As there are still three weeks left of the academic year so still could be many children much younher

OP posts:
TheGrimSmile · 15/02/2026 17:11

They are the youngest they could be for their school year. Some pupils will be almost a year older.

user1481837070 · 15/02/2026 17:11

My child's birthday is end of June and there are only 2 children younger than him in the school year (next youngest child's birthday is beginning of July, youngest is beginning of August).

Didimum · 15/02/2026 17:11

‘Many’ children ‘much’ younger? Try perhaps a couple of children 3 weeks younger.

littleorangefox · 15/02/2026 17:12

LifeisLemons · 15/02/2026 17:06

Only in the UK.

In Ireland they’d be around the middle of the cohort as the oldest kids are January born with the youngest being born in December.

Not all of the UK. It's different in Scotland. A child born in August would be right in the middle of age ranges.

Autumngirl312 · 15/02/2026 17:12

My DS is 11th August. He was 2nd youngest in his class all through primary and 3rd youngest in secondary

sunshinestar1986 · 15/02/2026 17:12

Lol
June, July and August babies are all very young.
My son is born in January, his cousin is born on the 6th of August, I would argue they are very similar in their development at the moment.
My nephew starts reception in September, hopefully he will be ready by then but if my son had to start at barely 4, that would be so depressing.
I know some kids are ready early but I'm so glad my son will be 4 years and 8 months when he starts school next year.

TansySorrel · 15/02/2026 17:13

YABU

Cetera · 15/02/2026 17:13

It is young for the school year. My early Oct born DD had a friend who was born mid August. A lot can happen in 10 months, by the time her friend was born DD had already started walking. Schools do take summer born birthdays into consideration for various things, as far as I’m aware.

caringcarer · 15/02/2026 17:13

Watchoutfortheslowaraf · 15/02/2026 16:38

Of course August born children are young in their school year - bizarre to suggest otherwise

This.

YourKonstantine · 15/02/2026 17:13

How is 3 weeks ‘much younger’?

Newsenmum · 15/02/2026 17:14

August babies are newborn when a September baby is already a year old. It’s a massive difference.

Mmmm19 · 15/02/2026 17:15

Sausagescanfly · 15/02/2026 16:40

In a class of 30, 2.5 are born each month (I acknowledge that you can't have 0.5 of a child).

So they'd typically be one of the 3 youngest. That's quite young.

exactly! And with the trend to hold summer borns back it may be a bit less than this

Achingtoomuch · 15/02/2026 17:17

They will be really young. If a few of the very young ones are held back a year they will really stand out.

ACommonTreasuryForAll · 15/02/2026 17:17

"...much younger"? How?
Being summer-born can definitely bring disadvantage -so many of my pupils receiving additional support over the years have been summer-born pupils who would have been absolutely fine in the year group below, but couldn't keep up developmentally with the cohort they were 'supposed to' be in.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 15/02/2026 17:18

Newsenmum · 15/02/2026 17:14

August babies are newborn when a September baby is already a year old. It’s a massive difference.

You are absolutely right, @Newsenmum. Ds1’s best friend in his school year was almost a year older than him - one of the oldest in the year - and I could see a massive difference in maturity and development between them. It got less obvious as they hit the teenage years, but I could still see a difference.

Bunnycat101 · 15/02/2026 17:19

What an odd post. Anyone who has ever had a child in school in England will know that any August child will be one of the youngest. A few weeks make no difference where there can be a 9-12 month difference with the autumn borns. I have one summer born (not August) and was the third youngest in the class.

HelpMeUnpickThis · 15/02/2026 17:19

YABVU

from mother of a 2nd Aug born.

MrsMe1978 · 15/02/2026 17:20

My child was born on 31st August 😬

bluebelle78 · 15/02/2026 17:21

Ds is a June baby and was the second youngest in his 2 form reception class.

SkibidiSigma · 15/02/2026 17:22

My son was born early July and is the youngest in his year 🤷

Sorrynotsorry2 · 15/02/2026 17:27

My sibling was born on the 31st August. They were nearly a year younger than the oldest child in their year. They were treated no different to the older children.
It did make a difference.

Bravemama · 15/02/2026 17:27

My husband was born 5th of August and says he always struggled in school because of age.

Waitingfordoggo · 15/02/2026 17:28

imnotwhoyouthinkiam · 15/02/2026 16:45

Of course that makes them young in the year. Its unlikely there'll be many children born after them in their year group.

DS1 was born 21st Aug. He was the youngest in his year at primary, and as far as we knew, the 2nd youngest at secondary.

I was born on 31st August. I was the youngest at primary, 2nd youngest at secondary!

I’m confused as to how you were the second youngest! Isn’t August 31st the cut-off? (Maybe you’re just saying there was someone else with a 31st August birthday who was born later in the day?!)

hellotomrw · 15/02/2026 17:30

Mines 30th July and the youngest in their class

bobkelso · 15/02/2026 17:30

Scotland so different cut offs but DC2 is May birthday, our year runs March - Feb so I expected DC to be one of the oldest. Not even in oldest half of their class due to the amount of deferrals! There’s a child in the class born October 2017 (year should be March 2018 - Feb 2019). Based on what deferrals look like these days I would expect August to definitely be one of the youngest.