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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

August children worst performers in education system? Now, really?!

73 replies

walkwithme · 30/05/2012 17:56

Our 3rd daughter is due on the cusp of August/September.

There has been a lot of press about children's entry age into the school system and school performance. (for example www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-154907600

It is claimed that August children (the youngest) do worse in their academic career than September kids (the oldest who are supposedly and kind of obviously more mature, confident, developed, able to concentrate because they are a year older).

But, doesn't it also depend on the general character of the child, birth order, support at home? i.e. August kids who have older siblings for example may be possibly more suitable for young age entry.. just asking ;)

I am having an elective cesarian due to health issues, so I guess I could possibly try and push the date to either August or September.

Please let me know your experience / opinions..

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Elibean · 30/05/2012 18:02

I have no idea, though dd's best friend's mum is sure the research is true (her dd is August born).

But, if you have the option of Aug/Sept, I suppose it makes sense to go for September anyway - in terms of school entrance, its probably easier on the child. Not sure its easier on the mum, if dd3 turns out to be feisty, bouncy, and generally desperate to go to school like her siblings

LaurieFairyCake · 30/05/2012 18:02

Yes, it's statistically true.

I'm a whole year younger than the youngest and 18 months younger than the oldest. To compensate for this my patents put me in full time school at 2 and a half. And when I was 4 my IQ was tested at 153.

Its been downhill since then

LaurieFairyCake · 30/05/2012 18:03

Er.... Parents, not patents. Bloody phone.

ASByatt · 30/05/2012 18:05

Of course other factors come into play too for some summer born children, but if you look at studies involving large numbers of children then on average they will do less well

PandaNot · 30/05/2012 18:08

Statistically absolutely true. But as always is the case it won't necessarily apply to your child. It is also statistically the case that summer born children are far more likely to be 'labelled' as having SEN.

Speaking as a parent with a July born boy, a former reception class teacher and now an SEN advisory teacher I would go for the Sept bday if you can!

Itsjustafleshwound · 30/05/2012 18:09

Malcolm Gladwell's book 'Outliers' does a good line in explaining many factors involved in why some people are successful ...

GrungeBlobPrimpants · 30/05/2012 18:19

Statistically the case, but as we're a family of summer-borns we buck that trend. Though personally, I think it's certainly apparent at primary but am v sceptical of it being a factor at secondary & tertiary.

Just avoid any labels for your dc or they'll grow to fit them

feelinghappynow · 30/05/2012 18:30

Eldest is an August baby, as is her best friend....they are among the highest achievers in their yr two class. They've always been great at reading, writing and general school work. She was so ready to start school. Only thing I found was she was more easily tired at first.

Ghoulwithadragontattoo · 30/05/2012 18:32

My DH's friend had a due date of 9 September but was having a CS due to previous sections (so no big medical problems as such). She booked it for the end of Aug. I couldn't understand it myself. Mind you one of her boys is a September baby. Perhaps she felt he was very ready for school when he started? Not sure...

nailak · 30/05/2012 18:35

my dd2s bday is 1st sept, but i would rather she was born one day earlier, as because of that one day she has to wait a whole extra year to start school.

feelinghappynow · 30/05/2012 18:36

Me and my kids would have gone crazy if they'd been September babies.....too long in nursery!!!. They're just ready to move on....

tiggytape · 30/05/2012 18:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thereinmadnesslies · 30/05/2012 18:39

DS has a mid August birthday. Reception was a tough year, he was really tired, emotionally immature and much slower to complete work than his classmates. But then at the start of year 1 it all came together and he's in the top group for everything.

drcrab · 30/05/2012 18:40

Yes if you read Gladwell's book they will say for eg that the most successful baseball players are those born in the sept to dec period. This is because in America like here they start school in Sept so in theory the sept-dec kids are the oldest and therefore bigger and stronger and can bat further, hit the ball further.

But baby will cost a whole year more in nursery !

PrematurelyAirconditioned · 30/05/2012 18:42

Statistically it's true. That means that either thick people are disproportionately likely to have their babies in the summer (or intelligent people to have them in the autumn). Or it's a worldbeatingly improbable fluke that summer born children just happen to be thicker than average (and less sporty). Or some, or all, children who are born in the summer are failed by the school system and thus do not reach their full potential.

I know which explanation I find more likely, and if you have the choice I'd always plump for September - especially if your baby is a boy.

On the upside you save a year's nursery fees - but at what risk?

handbagCrab · 30/05/2012 18:43

Dh was born on aug 31st.

At school he got one of the highest gcse results for maths in the country.

It can be done! Don't worry :)

stargirl1701 · 30/05/2012 18:43

Not true in Scotland. Feb/Jan born children statistically perform more poorly than their older peers. This is maintained all the way through to exams at 16. Luckily, Parents can choose to defer a year and stay in nursery. I've never taught a Jan/Feb born child whose parents regretted deferring. Meet plenty who wished they had, mind you.

EllenJaneisnotmyname · 30/05/2012 18:44

Statistically, it's obviously true, but it doesn't change your child's intelligence. If you compare like for like, an equally intelligent or parentally supported or confident child born in Sept will always have a year's advantage over an August born child with the same qualities. Statistically, that advantage stays throughout their life. That's not the same as comparing a high ability, confident, supported child born in August with a lower ability, less confident, poorly supported Sept child.

That's how statistics work...

cakeismysaviour · 30/05/2012 18:47

When I was at school, the top pupil in the whole year for GCSE results had a 28th August birthday.

Didn't affect her...

musicposy · 30/05/2012 18:48

Late August birthday DD. Academically, no problem (although took her until about Year 4 to catch up - she's now Year 8).
But emotionally, definitely in the wrong year. Looks tiny, even now at 12 (and almost all her peers are 13) and is still really a little girl when lots of them seem much older. Doesn't help that she is small and young for her age anyway - but had she been born those few days later it would have been much less noticeable in the year below.

She was born early and if I'd realised, I would have laid very still on the bed for a couple of weeks instead of all that curry and sex.

PrematurelyAirconditioned · 30/05/2012 18:51

I swear that this subject is some kind of magic anecdata magnet. It's the worst topic on MN for it, every single time.

yorkshire84 · 30/05/2012 18:57

I am pregnant due in September too. I am really hoping I do not have baby early. Both my dc are summer born and I think emotionally they are disadvantaged.

ASByatt · 30/05/2012 19:02

PrematurelyAirconditioned - I fear that you are right!

Are you going to say 'The plural of anecdotal is not data' or shall I? - Actually I think I've misquoted there but you know what I mean!

PrematurelyAirconditioned · 30/05/2012 19:06

It's fair enough to tell reassuring anecdotes to someone who has no choice about having an August baby, but to trot them out to someone who does have a choice is somewhat irritating.

RaisinBoys · 30/05/2012 19:10

Very end of August DS Y4 - academically doing great, emotionally immature.

August niece - now a hospital Dr, top of her class in primary, secondary, top 10 in the country for her degree year, etc etc.

Don't get bogged down by statistics. They are individuals.

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