Enrolling Children in School According to the Year They Are Born

Why are are children born after July 1 in any given year being sent to school a year later than their peers? Shouldn't parents be allowed to send their children to school with their peers born in the same year if they feel they are ready for them to attend and to allow those parents who feel their children are not ready to attend school to make the decision to hold them back a year.

Have the Education Departments across Australia considered the possible effects this may have on our children? Why are we making getting an education for our children more confusing?

1. There will always be a 1 year difference between the oldest and youngest child in a class. Current system school attendance age is children born after July 1 - June 30 of next year are in the same class. We want children born Jan 1 - Dec 31 of same year to be in the same class.

2. Has there been an increase in bullying within classes and schools due to children of the same age being in a class above their peers teasing those children who have to be in the year below. Are those children made to feel that they are not as smart as their peers because they are in a grade lower? Do the younger children in class (born the next year) feel more peer pressure to participate in behaviour to impress the older year group in their class (ie. go along with older classmates when teasing other classmates or when they are older to participate in drinking with children who have already turned 18)

3. Children participate in activities outside of school in the year they are born, not the class they are in at school. ie. U8 football team, only half of class will be able to participate in this team, what happens to friends who want to play together in sport? Are children born after July 1 who participate in activities and sport outside of school going to be at a disadvantage to children born before July 1 as they will have had 1 year less of social interaction, educational development and physical development than their peers?

4. What are the effects when half of the class of Year 12 turns 18 that year? Australia's legal drinking age is 18. This means half of the year 12 class will be legally allowed to attend night clubs/pubs and drink alcohol. Will those children celebrating this milestone of turning 18 education suffer due to peer pressure to drink unfortunately due to Australia having such a large drinking culture? Will Parents be able to intervene when the law permits these school children can legally drink? Yes this should be the responsibility of the parents to have instilled good values, but why make things harder when children are at an age when they are already subjected to a lot of peer pressure.

5. What happens after school has finished and children are entering the workforce? Will children born after July 1 be at a disadvantage to children born before July 1 when going for the same job? Will employees look at a resume and see two people of the same age who finished school in different years think that the person who finished in the latter year had a social or educational learning issue and thus was held back a year and may not be as suitable for the position as the other person?