If you have a child born in the summer months and attending school or nursery, you’re probably already very aware of the challenges that come with being up to 11 months younger than other children in the same cohort. This is often particularly evident when going through the earliest stage of assessments as there is such a noticeable developmental variation in younger children. Particularly evident are the variations in communication skills among two- and three-year-olds, many of whom (especially boys and children with multiple languages) develop extended speech patterns a bit later on.
Equally, other skills that selective schools look for, such as fine motor and listening skills, are often less developed in the youngest children. But if you are a summer-born child’s parent, don’t panic – these differences will very much be taken into consideration during the 3 and 4+ assessments, with children often being assessed with others born in the same quartile or even the same month of the year. Schools are also committed to taking equal numbers of children born throughout the year, so a July-born child won’t be directly compared with one born in October.
Sometimes these developmental differences become more noticeable as time goes on, and you or your child’s nursery might consider the benefits of a summer-born child being held back a year. State-school policy changed in 2016 to consider summer-born children delaying entrance or applying for the year below. According to , this will depend on the admissions authority and the view of the school’s headteacher, and in combination they will consider each request and ‘make a decision in your child’s best interests’. Requests must be made in writing at the point you are applying for school entrance at age four, so as to keep the door open for two potential admission points. Evidence from professionals like a speech and language therapist, occupational therapist, social workers, paediatrician or nursery staff member will support this application. Children only legally need to be in full time school the term after they turn five years old. If you are unsuccessful at applying for your child to be held back a year at reception level, you can delay entrance (within the same academic year e.g start in January or April instead of September) or request part-time places for part or all of the reception year.
Currently, there is a move in most independent schools to accommodate children out of their age-appropriate year group, but there are exceptions. A handful of the most rigorous and traditionally academic options that feed top senior schools are mostly more resistant to considering children entering a year behind their age; they are more likely to be open to children entering a year ahead in the latter end of junior school. Either way, it’s important to be aware that there are inconsistencies to schools’ approaches.
Being young for their year doesn’t mean that a child’s 3 or 4+ assessment should be more difficult or less likely to be successful. But it is useful for parents to know that if their child is not flourishing or making progress and was born in August or late July, there might be a case for considering holding them back a year.