Summer-born deferment and the law
The law only provides the right to apply for reception deferment to the next September, it does not guarantee this will be granted. Head teachers, in partnership with other professionals and the family will consider if summer born deferment will be in the best interest of the child. Where this is thought not the case the head teachers can refuse and are likely to refuse the application to defer.
Legal information: Department of Education
On 8 September 2015, an open letter from Nick Gibbs, Schools’ Minister to parents, schools and local authorities was published.
This gave a commitment from the government that the Schools Admissions Code will be amended:
“to ensure that summer born children can be admitted to the reception class at the age of five if it is in line with their parents’ wishes, and to ensure that those children are able to remain with that cohort as they progress through school, including through to secondary school. We will conduct a full public consultation in due course; and subject to Parliamentary approval will introduce these further changes to ensure that no child is forced to start school before they are ready”.