New report suggests adjusting August born's test results.

[Suzieismyname]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22469216
This will be ignored by Gove, won't it?

Offensive.

Our YrR has lost the academic focus. They are in mixed classes of reception and nursery children and the emphasis is on free play and learning at their own pace, though they do split up for phonics lessons. My DS1 had a more formal start in reception; DD went through this more informal route and is positively thriving, where DS1 (end of May born) struggled right up until Yr5. I think the school's new system would have benefitted him a lot more.

I thought all state schools were adopting this more relaxed system?

It's possible to have an August born who is neither naturally bright and mature but not "developmentally delayed". One who has parents who do extra with them at home.

Children that just average for their age. But August average for their age, which is not the same as children 11 months older, and therefore considered behind. And told they are stupid by school, thus creating a self fulfilling prophecy.

It's offensive as it comes across as "I have bright summer borns, I do work at home with them, stuff the problems anyone else has"

I have to go out now.

MTS Your experiences do not negate years of careful scientific research. Youight like to read Tony's post above, which may help you to realise why you are wrong. Summer-born children are at a disadvantage compared to autumn-born children in England; that's a fact.

Anecdotes on here are interesting, but as stated above they are not data! Especiallynot when they are from a self-selecting group of parents, who care enough about education to: a) come to this forum, b) read the thread and c) post on it.

And FWIW my August-born DD1 is (at least in reading) top of her reception class. That doesn't mean the effect doesn't exist. But I do believe it's possible to minimize it with the right support and understanding. And that's surely what this thread is all about.

'the problems of having a summer born child can largely be negated by having proactive parents'.

But what happens when my summer-born child compares herself to autumn-born children who also had proactive parents? They will be 11 months ahead, and she won't understand why. Neither will they. Both children will notice that theolder child is more fluent at reading, can write more neatly, run faster etc etc. And they'll draw their own conclusions.

One of the problems as I see it is that really young children are doing SATS in Y2 and then, unfortunately pigeon-holed. I know that it shouldn't happen, but it does. My August born DD was 6 (!) and didn't do well - she just wasn't ready. I wasn't particularly fussed about it at the time, believing that her innate intelligence and hard work would eventually assert itself, in time.

Now towards the end of Y3, she's roaring ahead, but I have to be vigilant about her sets, as she's been labelled as "middle". No kids should be labelled that young. It's wrong, wrong, wrong.

mts Special dispensation is being recommended in this report because summer born children are disadvantaged all the way through their education because of an arbitrary cut off date.

So mts the many many studies carried out all over the world that repeatedly show the youngest children in the year to suffer a disadvantage are a complete coincidence? August borns suffer worse in the uk, December borns worse in the US it is pure coincidence that in both countries the youngest do worst and nothing to do with them being younger? It is also completely coincidental that countries where children start school later at 7 years of age have no months of birth where the children are likely to be weaker than their peers? You really believe that?

Your comparison of children beginning school unable to speak English is not convincing. For a start allowances would be made for non English speakers that are not made for younger children. Extra help is provided, if they are not doing as well as their peers they are told it is because of the language barrier and they will catch up, they are not getting the damaging message that it is because they are stupid. In fact they will likely be praised regularly on their language improvement which can bolster their confidence further. So its a rubbish, meaningless comparison.

Apologies for typos I'm not drunk at the mo but am on my phone.

Whistle that happens across the board not just with the younger ones in the year.

I have twins(both Sep births),1 who matured a lot quicker than the other and got 3s in everything.His twin in some ways brighter still just wanted to be outdoors playing and just got 2s.

Not an issue however the school's bloody attitude is.They are treated completely differently and when you complain they look up their data on a laptop and just say "well going by his Sats" . The level 3 twin gets pushed more and they're aiming for 5s but not the level 2 boy.

In year 4 I don't give a shit re Sats taken in year 2- news flash- kids mature at different rates and shouldn't be written off at 7.

Well said Blue. The system labels too young.

Oh Blue that's awful. You have my sympathies but you clearly have your twins interests at heart and I'm sure they'll be fine.

It's enraging isn't it? I have to constantly remind the school (gently at first, and then more forcefully) that actually you cannot measure ability, only attainment. Sorry, I know it's been said before on MN, but why is it so rarely stated by educational professionals? And no, I'm not a teacher-basher.

Can't believe somebody has written that month of birth and maturity is just a coincidence between the ages of four and six. Do they really not believe that 11 months would make a difference at that age. Like the sound of private schools if they do not stream at that age. Too late for mine though.

I normally stay clear of these threads as they make me so ragey. Thank goodness for Tony's clear albeit drunken post

Honestly, nobody said August children can't do well. I mean, I was born in August and you know, did ok in my exams but I realise that's not the same as proper research. Gosh, I'm sure I've said that already.

The fact that some of us worry about our August born children to me suggests we are pretty involved parents who care about their education.

My eldest is definitely catching up but he is yr4 now and he is in a very good school with small classes and luckily quite a few summer born children.

But I think you are being a little silly if you don't perhaps realise that being born in the summer is a disadvantage in the early years of education. The lack of social and emotional maturity in a just 4 year old boy compared to a just turned 5 year old is a lot and I'm very surprised some people don't see that.

However, the research about them then doing well at university (if they go) is encouraging.

And now I'm going to talk anecdotes. I have noticed that those people who've had to encounter some difficulties in their early lifes often become more successful adults, perhaps because not everything has always been easy and they're used to working hard/struggling.

Would letting summer borns stay at school another year if they wanted be a good idea?

I would love to move my summer born down a school year. The only way I think it would be possible is if we sent her to an independent school.

My dc's are at private school and so many summer born children are being held down a year. Our school doesn't like it but will allow it. Problem is if you're ever then in the state system you've got a problem.

Nothing new, our primary school test booklets were age weighted.

I know because the teacher told me I couldn't have an A for maths, despite having 90+% because I had a winter birthday.

Tony quoted successful people because the post above had quoted management team being Autumn born. This was to reassure not to say research was rubbish. If you had read my further quotes you would have understood that I completely agree with the research although not the solution to adjust Gcse results. To me this would be just a lazy attempt not to change early years streaming and labelling so that ofsted does not have to change their grading system.