I disagree with the group my year 3 child has been put in

[chocoholic05]

My ds1 is in year 3. He has been put in the top group for numeracy and literacy. He has always been like this at school. He did well in his ks1 sats getting level 2a and 3 in the various subjects. He's a free reader. So imagine my bemusement and surprise that he has been put in the bottom group for spellings. There's four in the group and run by a ta which is usual for bottom groups that require extra support. The spellings he bought home today were ridiculous they were hop mop pop top etc! He spelt them all of course and was very upset. He said this is stupid mummy its year one work! I just don't understand it at all! Should I say something?

[spanieleyes]

I would certainly find out why there is such a discrepancy between his literacy group and spelling group, the two are usually linked- a good writer/reader is often ( although not always) a reasonable speller. It might be a result of a spelling test which he did particularly badly in, it might be he has a poor grasp of phonics or it might be a mistake!

[chocoholic05]

Or should I wait until parents evening in three weeks time?

[spanieleyes]

Depends on the relationship you have with the teacher! If you can have a "pop in" and just ask WHY he is in the bottom group-rather than saying you think he is in the wrong one- it might give the teacher pause for thought!

[chocoholic05]

Missed the above posts. It makes no sense. Ds1 was actually offended to be taking home spellings like that! He has always been good at writing.

[newgirl]

It could be a genuine mistake - wrong list stuck in. Or they are revising key words. I'd give it a week or two.

[chocoholic05]

Fair enough revising key words but why the group? The two yr 3 teachers do the top groups and the tas help the ones who are struggling so I know he's not got it wrong regarding the group.

[auntpetunia]

Just ask could easily be a mistake, eg alfie chocolate as opposed to alfie chocoholic.

[chocoholic05]

The thing is I find it hard to understand how it could be mistake as he had the same teacher in year 2.

[DeWe]

I was top of the class at reading and maths at primary, both by quite a long way. I was in the top group for writing. However I did, and still do find spellings very hard. I remember being thrown into a panic in year 2 as I really couldn't remember how to spell "of".

I generally started the year in a low spelling group, because they sorted it by a very long spot check at the start of year. The arrangement was usually if you got 12/12 in your spelling test for three weeks running then you moved up. As I would go home and carefully learn them I would go up gradually and always ended the year in the top group.
However I still couldn't spell most of the words.

[Laura0806]

sounds like a mistake with such a big discrepancy. Ive been wondering whether to say something about my year 3 dd who has been saying the maths is so easy ( she got a level 3 in all her sats) and is in the middle group but I have decided to wait as it may be about confidence. However, with you it seems such a big discrepancy that i would be tempted to say something now or ask your son ( if hes confident enough) to ask the teacher why his spellings are so easy?

[simpson]

When does he have the test and when will he get the next lot of spellings?

I would be inclined to wait for the next lot before saying anything but would not wait 3 weeks till parents eve.

[cariadmawr]

I've spoken to teacher today over.something . I don't care if they think I'm a pain I'm a parent.to will say straight away if we're not happy.with something .

[redskyatnight]

How is his spelling (rather than his writing and reading)? DS got those levels in his KS1 SATs but he couldn't spell at all - but was put in the "top" group based on his literacy scores and strugled every week, until his teacher accepted that spelling was a weak point and moved him down (the right decision).