Any parents of summer borns in YR Y1 experiencing unfairness in access to curriculum?

[BromCavMum]

I would like to know if there are other parents out there whose summer born children are in YR or Y1 or even Y2 and are struggling a bit or put at a disadvantage by the pace/level of the curriculum? My DD turned 5 at the end of August. She started school last January with a brilliant attitude toward learning and I have seen her attitude become more and more deflated over the last several months.

She picked up on reading quickly but was only assessed as 'emerging' in literacy for YR. Today, she had 2 quizzes in school (yes--2 in one day). A 10 word spelling test and a math test. She had 20 seconds to complete 7 different equations. She got 4 out of 7 and was disappointed in herself. Although these equations were supplied to us a week ahead it seems to me to be a tough test for a 5 year old. The school is big on testing and streaming. But at this age, when development is a huge variable is this wise? When most of these kids in her class were her age they were not doing math at all and were barely reading. I feel my daughter is expected to work twice as hard to be considered half as good.

If there are other parents out there who have experienced this type of what I consider bordering on discrimination I would truly like to hear your experiences and maybe we can pool some advice on how to approach the schools with this problem.

It is very hard to constantly read on the news how summer born children are 20% less likely to go to university, be well adjusted at school, etc. I think we parents need to discuss how to look out for our young children, because the British education system does not seem up to the task (or interested in the problem).

I eagerly await hearing from you.

BromCaveMum, unfortunately, you cannot police who posts on threads on an open forum.
Everyone's opinions are valid - and there are people on here who have a lot of experience to offer, even if you don't like what they're saying.

And really, if you interpret a mildly sardonic remark as venomous, and truly believe that your child is being discriminated against for being given work that is matched to her current stage of development, then I'm afraid you're going to have to toughen up a bit.

"I'm saying, as the mum of two summer borns that there are other factors that have historically impacted upon "summer born effect" which make it unreliable to attribute difficulties wholly to month of birth."

But surely children have been starting school the September after they reach 4 for quite some time now? The pre-school effect alone must have some effect - there are children in my summer-born DC's class who attended pre-school for nearly a full academic year before my summer-born DC did - would that year's schooling have been utterly pointless for them?

No AquaCouldron children have not been starting school the September after they reached 4 long enough for the effects to even reach the end of primary school. It's a relatively new thing in many areas of England. Summer borns were doubly disadvantaged by having up to two fewer terms in schools than their older peers and often had up to 3 terms less in nursery/pre school. Combine this by lower expectations ... "oh she's very young" ..."of course he's a summer boy" etc etc ...

There may be some truth in the summer born boy thing which is why it is said so much. Bit like cliches being used as have base in truth - sort of anyway!
An anecdote about a child I know. Let's call him Tom. Tom has been a bouncy child since I have known him in Nursery. Had learning mentors involved [and probably other things I am not aware of]. Clumsy and his poor Mum fed up with being constantly called to the school re his behaviour and lack of progress. Of course loads of other things could be involved apart from age BUT now in year 4 things are improving for him. He seems to have grown up and settled and is doing well at school. May not be just age but probably not irrelevant,

There is truth in the fact that some summer born boys are less mature, have less developed fine motor skills, etc etc etc but there are summer born boys who are very mature for their young age, have well developed motor skills, etc etc etc just as there are Autumn born boys with all of the above difficulties.
An anecdote about a child I know. We can call him Tom, Harry Richard ... I have known him since before he started nursery as I taught his older siblings. He has a late August birthday and is youngest in the family. He is lively and full of fun never still ... in nursery and reception with an appropriate curriculum he flew especially in reading and maths and by term 2 in reception he was without doubt one of, if not, the most able child in the class ...by Y6 he achieved level 5 across the board and went on to achieve As in GCSE... (incidentally I could cite dozens of such children including my own)
the point being we shouldn't judge children by month of birth ...children are individuals.

I agree mrz children are individuals. Age is one thing that cannot be changed though.

For some children who are young in the year [and many moons ago I was one of them] if handled badly by a school their confidence can be dented re learning. I got lost in lessons at school and was allowed to function in a daze. I missed the basics and no attempts were made to help me catch up. I hope these days a babyish child like I was would be treated more sensitively and not just considered rather stupid.
I did go to university and by secondary had caught up I think due to efforts on my part [apart from maths]. It made me doubt myself at school for many years. Older children having a positive start at school seemed more confident and that confidence probably set them up for education in a long term constructive way.
Ancient history.....

Doesn't the same apply to older less confident, less mature, less physically developed ... children?

Of course mrz, but think how much more disadvantaged those children would be if younger..
Anyway, going round in circles here!

As a mum of two summer borns (one born prem) I don't see younger children as disadvantaged EmeraldJeanie.

What you're advocating, "I hope these days a babyish child like I was would be treated more sensitively and not just considered rather stupid" is what is happening in schools though. Younger children are being handled sensitively and appropriately, they are not just being considered stupid. Teachers are aware of the situation.
In any cohort that is organised by age, someone has always got to the the youngest. Obviously. So teachers manage that fact by grouping them in such a way that caters for their needs the best.

I feel I was disadvantaged at school as a summer born [40 odd years ago]. It is great if times have changed and children are not now. The confidence thing is important and I hope that is an issue that is addressed now.

I was a painfully shy autumn born child who was so quite as to be invisible in school ... disadvantaged ?

Clam, if you work in education as you claim to, then why don't you expand on what your school does to handle this issue rather than try to negate a parent's concerns?

Why they don't do the intake ages the same way it is here in Scotland, I do t know. 4 is so little.

"As I claim to?" 27 years at last count and I have the wrinkles to prove it.

And I think I already have expanded. Check out my posts of 08.51 today and 16.47 yesterday for a start.

Schools do what your child's teacher is doing BromCavMum ...they give work appropriate to the child which is why your daughter is doing the reception "test" not the one intended for Y1

PrimalLass children don't need to be in full time education until the term after their fifth birthday in England.

I ve two summer babies as well. Dc1 is very sensitive dc2 is not so much. They both slow to start in infant school. They both did just about ok at Ks1 sat not brilliant. However it affected my dc1's confidence quite a lot. As she was allocated into the bottom groups for both maths and eng every day right from the start of her academic life. Children see that top means clever, middle means ok and bottom means I am no good. Even now being in year 6 dc1 still believes that she will never understand maths. She is scared to even make effort to catch up as she may disappoint herself even more. For last few months I have kept saying to her at Ks1 average 2b children are approx age 7 and a half. But she was not even seven at the time she was assessed therefore being at 2cs was where she should be. Not sure if it has helped her feel better but still lacking confidence academically.

primalLass, We did do phased intakes in England for many years. Single September intakes were brought in across the board a couple of years ago or so, partly (I believe, someone correct me if I'm wrong) in response to parental request, in an attempt to level the playing field to younger children. Of course, some of them just aren't ready for school as the August-borns (and I have 2 myself) are only just 4 at that point.

vkyyu that's why research shows ability grouping small children is ineffective at best and harmful at worst

As others have said, any arbitrary line between cohorts on the basis of age (which is what a September to September school year is) is going to have advantages and disadvantages, particularly for those at either end. So what do we need to do to minimise the disadvantages? How about setting work appropriate for the child, not just based on their year grouping? Oh yes, that is what good teachers already do...

I feel my Autumn born kids are at a disadvantage as they can't access the curriculum until 9 months later than the Summer borns. They don't get to "practice" for an additional 10 months as an earlier poster suggested. They just get to learn stuff later. I'm pleased that my Summer born DC will have the opportunity to access the curriculum at an earlier stage than my older DC.

Schmee - I felt like that too to a certain extent. When DS was in nursery he then went up to reception and quite a few of his friends has to stay in nursery for another academic year (having done 2 terms to DS's 3).

But then the same could be said for DD who is a Jan birthday and in nursery her best friend was a Sept birthday. DD went to reception and the best friend had to stay in nursery for another year. Both my DC did one full academic year in nursery compared to a lot of children who did 5 terms. However it worked out in my DC case and certainly with DD she was ready for school.

mrz .... now I so wish to transfer my dc2 into a small school where only has one class per year so that dc2 can be in a more true mixed class. The fact that in our school each different ability group is in a separated class room so children in the top group are not affected but children in the bottom group are most disadvantaged no matter which month their birthdays are.
Finland is too far away and different but so many people say the Scottish system is better. So why not learn more their methods. Anyway what is Scottish education system like?