DfE ends plan to legislate on summer-born admissions

The government will end plans to legislate to improve admissions arrangements for summer-born pupils, which was first proposed by former schools minister Nick Gibb in 2015.

The aim was to legislate to allow children born between April and August to automatically be admitted to reception at the age of five if that is what their parents want. The government also planned to change the law to allow pupils to remain in the same cohort they started in throughout their education, whereas at the moment they have to re-apply to be educated outside their normal year group when they start secondary school.

Academies minister Baroness Barran has said, however, that she does not intend to continue to pursue legislation on this issue at this time, but will keep this position under review if the situation changes.

She said: "Data suggests that the system for summer-born admissions is now working much better than it was in 2015. I would like to thank local authorities, academy trusts and governing bodies for both their continuing work on this and their understanding. The decision for the admission authority is not whether the child should start school aged 4, but, where a parent has decided to delay their child’s start at school until they are aged 5, whether it is in the child’s best interests to join reception out of their normal age group, as is required by the School Admissions Code (the Code).

"It can seldom be in a child’s best interests to miss the essential numeracy and early literacy that takes place in the reception year. Our latest research survey report shows that the majority of requests for delayed entry to reception are now approved, with almost 9 in 10 approved annually. This data reflects the clearer understanding admission authorities now have of their duties under the Code.

"I am reassured that good progress has been made on this issue and that these improvements suggest the system is now working well. Taking all of this into account, I do not intend to continue to pursue legislation on this issue at this time, but will keep this position under review if the situation changes."