Children born in the summer in England are at an academic disadvantage
throughout school, says a report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
The study says that among seven-year-olds, August-born children are more than
three times as likely to be "below average" as September-born children.
August children are also 20% less likely to attend a top university.
The IFS says the economic consequences facing summer babies will last
"throughout their working lives".
The report from the independent financial researchers shows the sharp
difference in outcomes between the youngest children in a year group - those
born in August - and the oldest, born in September.
Less confidence
Researchers say that August-born seven-year-olds are between 2.5 and 3.5 times
"more likely to be regarded as below average by their teachers in reading,
writing and maths".
They are also 2.5 times more likely to be unhappy at school at the age of seven
and at an increased risk of being bullied.
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This suggests that August-born children may end up doing worse than
September-born children throughout their working lives
Claire Crawford IFS report co-author
This reflects that these August children can be almost a year younger than
their September-born classmates.
This achievement gap has not been closed by the time youngsters are ready to
leave secondary schools - with August-born teenagers 20% more likely to be in
vocational rather than academic study after school.
They are also 20% less likely to be at a leading Russell Group university
compared with a September-born teenager.
These August children are likely to have lower confidence and less likely to
feel they "control their own destiny".
This accident of birth can have far-reaching economic significance, says the
IFS, as underachievement in qualifications at school will be likely to reduce
employment opportunities in adulthood.
"This suggests that August-born children may end up doing worse than
September-born children throughout their working lives, simply because of the
month in which they were born," says IFS programme director Claire Crawford.
This research, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, is intended as a step towards
finding a way of tackling the disadvantages of being the youngest in a year
group.
The rules for beginning school mean that a child reaches compulsory school age
at the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday.
However it is usual to start school in the September after a child's fourth
birthday, which means that August babies would only just have reached the age
of four when they enter the reception class.
But parents should have a choice about whether a child is full-time or
part-time and there should be the option to defer entry until later in the
school year.
"Parents now have the choice of a place in reception classes from the September
following a child's fourth birthday, so that their child is ready to start
school," said a Department for Education spokesman.
"If parents choose to defer entry, they can continue to access their
entitlement to 15 hours of free early education in a setting of their choice."