Bradford Council proposes to abolish the right to defer Reception entry by a year for summer-borns

[lingle]

www.educationbradford.com/NR/rdonlyres/embc7svqwnzfp36f25viv6xsciibrgfd5ulzomcoyvkanojazlea57 5aqslu4bwy2yfczeom25qt4h/Summerbornchildrenstartingschool2.doc

The deadline for participating in the consultation is 27th February 2009.

I was amused by the last paragraph beginning "NB". I suspect Bradford was anticipating angry letters from lingle and wanted to head me off!!

Seriously is there anyone out there in Bradford who will respond to this? I know it is very very hard if you have a child who is only 2.4 to try to judge whether they (or, let's be honest - probably "he") will be ready for school in 2010. And ready for Year 1 in 2011.I knew my child would not be ready when he was only 2.4 but my position was so unusual - he was the second of my children to be a late talker and I'd seen how ambitious the curriculum was for reception and Year 1. But please please please if you have a child aged between 2.4 and 2.8 in Bradford (or even if you just care about these things) read the Institute of Financial Studies' report "When you are born matters" and then bear in mind that the benefits described in Jim Rose's report are NOT the benefits of starting at 4.0 as opposed to 5.0 in reception, but rather the benefits of starting at 4.0 as opposed to 4.4 in January or 4.7 in April (missing two terms of reception and therefore having to catch up).

I know it is very hard for people to understand how important this is. I believe that my decision to turn up at Bradford's executive meeting last March, and therefore influence them in deciding to retain the deferment right for another year, was the single most important decision I have ever made as a mother. I've opted to defer and my child will start reception at 5.0, not 4.0. If you think this even potentially could be you in a year's time, then please please act. There is a time to "go with the flow". And there is a time not to - to be your child's advocate. Someone has to be the youngest yes - but less mature children need more options. I hope someone will respond and to say you want to retain the choices we have in Bradford.

Let me know if you want any further info.

Regards,

lingle

Bump

Lingle,

This is a move in the wrong direction for our education system. I have just read the summer born section in the full report page 50 and I agree with you the thinking is worringly muddled.

So, there is a marginal improvement in total 'early reading skills' if all children start in the September after they are 4 (compared to a phased start across one academic year). No mention of the attainment of children allowed to wait a year before starting reception. So, Bradford LEA's thinking is very odd.

BTW - for any Autumn born children's parents - the 'evidence' in the report suggests that autumn born children do worse when all children start together, unsurprisingly.

Its frightening that the starting school age is to be based on such narrow research.

Thanks for bumping and the link Amey. And for your knowledge!

Duh.... have just realised that the parents of boys aged 2.4 probably don't read this part of the board.

Drat. Maybe I'll move it to behaviour and development. silly me.

Lingle,

You could also post under primary education.

Some other thoughts.

Have you read 'Proust and the Squid, The Story and the Science of the Reading Brain'. by Maryanne Wolf. An amazing book. On page 94 she describes the 'physical development' in the brain required for a child to be able to read. This development normally happens between 5 and 7 years of age.

Also, 'The Outliers' by Malcomn Galdwell has loads of global case studies of people gaining advantage (and disadvantage) in life from their month of birth.

Ooh Amey that would have been good for my Christmas stocking (am a Proust fan as well).

I may have to look up both those books

May I ask, do you have a professonal interest in this subject or have you come to it, like me, because of your own children?

I might have to galvanise myself and write to the local press about this - gulp.

Lingle,

Proust and the Squid is now in paperback. It really opened my eyes to how complicated the whole process of learning to read is. It has some really technical bits, but I muddled through!

I have some direct experience of the 'plight of the summer born' in school.

My ds is August born. We moved him out of a state primary to a private school in year 2 (he did year 2 twice) partly so he could go back a school year. It has worked out well for him. It has done his confidence so much good being one of the brightest in his year (rather than being 'average' as he was in his original year group). Plus, he's immature for his age, so socially he gets on better with slightly younger children.

I really wish this option was more available in the English state system. In every year group there are a small number of children who will struggle being the youngest in class and I realise many parents aren't able to 'fall back' on private education.

Of course, there are plenty of summer born children who thrive on being the youngest in class and yes, someone has to be the youngest. But, I don't agree that some summer born children have to 'suffer' a poor education just because 'that's the way the system works'.

I think I saw some extracts from "Outliers" in various review sections/journals so probably have the flavour of that.

Proust/Squid does look interesting. Did you little boy have difficulties reading Amey? If so, did it turn out to be dyslexia or just needing more time?
My little one is late in learning language as his brother was before him. They learn it the same way as other children now - just later.

Always nice to hear happy stories from people who've deferred.

My ds could hardly read a word before his 5th birthday (i.e going into year 1). He also didn't have the 'pre-reading' skills that nursery and reception teachers worry about. (Following text with his finger, knowing his phonics, writing his whole name).

However, he did learn to read very quickly once in year 1. He went from level 1 ORT to level 7 in one year with relative ease. His teacher said she had never seen a child learn to read so quickly - it was like a switch was flicked in his brain. That made me interested in the whole learning to read process, especially as dd is so different. She started early, but seems to be taking years to become an independent, fluent reader.

The reasons for moving ds back a year were more to do with emotional and social maturity.