Birth penalty

The Centre for the Economics of Education has complied a report on the effects on being a summer baby. Those born in the summer tend to do worse throughout their academic career and although the effect declines as the child grows there is still an impact at age 16 & 18. This is true for several subgroups sampled, although those on free school meals tend to do worse still. Starting school earlier has a modest difference and so the authors suggest changing the assessment regime and instruments to recognise the difference, something which by coincidence is likely to occur under the personalised learning agenda.