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It is well known that in the English school system (where year groups run from 1st September to 31st August), August born children tend to do worse than September born children in cognitive tests. This new report from the IFS visits this question again and for the first time uses newly available administrative data, to follow all children in state schools as they move through the schooling system from the age of five until 18. This allows us to explore a number of issues that have not been possible before in looking at this question. These include:

• Measuring the extent and persistence of date of birth penalties (and in particular August birth penalties) for the same children as the move through compulsory and post-compulsory education
• Looking at the impact of birth penalties on a wide range of cognitive outcomes
• Looking at the impact of birth penalties on the entire distribution of child outcomes (not just average outcomes)
• Looking at the impact of different LEA admissions policies on date of birth penalties
• Understanding what is the major driving force behind date of birth penalties - is it differences in absolute age, and/or differences in length of schooling, and/or differences in age of starting school and/or differences in age position within the school year?
• Investigating whether the August birth penalty is different for children from different socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds

The presentation will conclude by discussing a number of policy options open to the government to overcome this date of birth penalty and will be followed by a panel discussion of the issues. The panel will include David Hargreaves(formerly Chief Executive, QCA).

Registration will take place from 10.30 and a sandwich lunch will be available after the briefing.