That's great roisin.

I did run it past a friend who is a primary teacher and she said she would not pass it on as he's only 4 and in her mind it was a bit harsh.
She was more offended by it that me.

I will probably pass it on but would like to discuss it with his teacher too, just in case it's the first 'truthful' report they have recieved.

FWIW i witness a lovely moment of sharing with his friend yesterday and thought, he can share, he just is choosy who he shares with. No bad thing in my experience.

nevergoogledragonbutter - I just have to tell you my story.

My pfb had a hideous report from nursery, there was something really negative in every single section - mainly about his behaviour and lack of sociability. It made him sound like a monster.

When he had his settling in meeting with the new teacher I asked if he'd seen this report. He rolled his eyes and said yes, he thought it was very unprofessional of anyone to write such a negative report about a 5 yr-old. He told me he'd had a word with the HT and they had 'lost' the report and it wouldn't be kept in his file

That was 7 years ago. ds1 left that primary school with the highest possible grades in SATs (5as) and apparently a model pupil. He has made a great transition to secondary and is really thriving there too.

aw, you all make him sound lovely.
he's really not, but i appreciate the kind words.

db he sounds brilliant.

Well the rest of us do so I don't see why his teacher shouldn't.
Of course he'll grow up to share! It's something he's currently learning at home and will learn at school - DS used to bite but has now learnt it's not acceptable! We're still working on sharing

It is the little idiosyncracies that make teaching worthwhile!

lmao at gingerlyjnr's elvis impression.

thanks everyone. your comments have been helpful.

i think the main issue, is that i do spend a lot of my time rolling my eyes and thinking how overly dramatic and bizarre he can be. but as his mother i can feel affectionate about those idiosyncracies.

my concern is that his teacher has no reason to see these characteristics in a positive light and may view them as obstacles to her plans for the day.

ok, i'm being PFB. i know that. but how can i not worry? tis my job isn't it?

If I was his receiving teacher, I would be delighted to get a report like that about your ds.

It tells me exactly what I need to know to make sure that he gets settled as quickly as possible. I know what he might find difficult, and those times when I might need to watch out for the more reticent members of the class.

It's an excellent report - so much more informative than all the "can count up to 10" stuff.

I get the impression that the nursery staff like him-and as a teacher I would look forward to meeting him!

He sounds fab!

That report sounds great. There is no need to worry. I laughed at him using a clipboard.

I've got DS2's transfer form at the moment - it's so bland and minimal I hardly recognise him at all. I suspect reception-teacher-to-be already knows him better from the induction afternoons.

I like him already, I'm sure his teacher will.

I think you've secretly posted this to tell us how clever and funny your ds is!
If you haven't, then as that's what it makes us think he is that's certainly what the new teacher will think about him.

you're right. i would stamp my feet and say, 'yes he does, he's a nightmare at home' - he corrects my pronunciation because i have an accent, and can tell me when it's bin day.

I think you are being way over sensitive. I guess its the first time you've had a report on him? I'm afraid you are going to have to get used to honest appraisals. It would be no use at all if it just said 'X is wonderful and has no unique characteristics or personality traits...'

i need a mantra.

"he will grow out of this, he will grow out of this, he will grow up to be kind and sharing and not an architect"

read my first post again DB and <breathe>

This is so not a bad report, honestly

I think those are POSITIVE comments. Pass it on.

oh and,

'He may find the new routine difficult as first and be reluctant to join in, but should settle'

so, teachers don't label the kids right from the start???

He sounds fine to me! I thought it was going to be dreadful. It will give the teacher a good idea of what she is getting!

He is probably digging a tunnel to the outside world...

ds3s was fabbo last year all apart from " his cheekiness ocasioanlyl touches on the side of rudeness"

i was MORTIFIED.
HE did an Elvis impression with the mike when rehearsing for the nativity

ahem

When i pick him up from nursery and ask how he's been. His key worker sort of grins and says 'we've had our moments'.

i don't know how to take it. what the hell is he up to?

thankyou.
i do realised his report is funny, so i'm not seriously upset about this.

...although still feel nervous about a stranger reading it and thinking, "oh he's one to watch, mr stroppypants".

Ha ha! Clipboard, brilliant. Share it! Could have read:
"Sharing is somtimes a problem and he has been known to bite/hit/push to get what he wants"

"He has a good vocabulary, but sometimes finds it hard to express himself clearly"

"In the sandpit, he makes wonderful sandcastles, but occasionally gets carried away when digging causing sand to get in the eyes of other children"

Much more likely and dull.

God its FINE! Rather be honest about say , the sulking than say " he is an angel and is never cross"

Oh I like the sound of your DS - I'd be more than pleased with that, honestly.

Just got DS's report. Here are some of the lows:

1. "His hand writing has become a little untidy of late"
2. "His recall of tables under timed conditions is improving" (what, so they weren't good to start with)
3. "He is beginning to reflect upon his work" (What?)
4. "He needs to work on his presentation"
5. (long paragraph culminating in a grave...) "There is still much work to be done with regard to his batting and bowling - he needs to work on basic shot selection when batting"

Plus a one-liner on SATS levels achieved with no explanation.

<I still think he's doing okay btw)

he doesn't sound like a pita - sounds like a cute little boy with amusing things that make him unique!

he doesn't sound like a pita, don;t worry

i absolutely recognise everything. nothing is a surprise to me, but it's not stuff i would tell somebody before they met him.

of course, i want them to think he's wonderful.
not a pita.

they have to right the truth and tohonest it sounds fine to me. Its always helpful for the next teacher to know what the kids is like. You are being very PFB

Do you recognise your sone in this report? If so, let it stand.

does he condemn certain ones and raze them to the sandpit?

PMSL at his clipboard! I was expecting something bad when I opened this but they all sound positive and things that make him stand out from the rest (which I assume is the kind of stuff that will have been put on everyone's - not just "Joe is a bog standard 4 year old"). The stuff about sharing and sulking is just stuff they're suggesting the school work on surely - there are plenty of adults who sulk and don't like to share so I doubt it's that rare in a 4yo!

he issuing building warrants on sandcastles.

the shame.

guess what DH does for a living?

I really love the sound of your son: the architect in the sandpit thing really made me laugh.

If those are the worst bits then it's a great report. all 4 yr old boys are a bit sulky and most find sharing difficult.

I'm a Reception teacher and I wouldn't read these comments as portraying a total nightmare. It is important that information passed on is accurate otherwise it's a waste of time IMO. It is useful to have some information about the children before they start, but I would never let it cloud my own judgements of the child from my own observations. You are right your child's teacher will soon get to know him so I wouldn't worry.

born leader?
isn't that just what parents of PFB's tell themself to make his obnoxiousness and inability to do as he's told seem like a positive thing?

my MIL could hardly read his report for crying with laughter. it was her that suggested i don't pass it to the school as he sounds like a lunatic.

I think you're viewing it wrong. It sounds affectionate to me - like the way you'd describe your granddad ( 'Falls asleep after lunch, gets crumbs trapped in his beard and always has humbugs in his pocket).

I think the nursery are trying to help the school to 'get off on the right foot'. The thing about sharing, for example. The teacher can pick up on it and engineer a situation where he shares nicely and then praise him. Without the prior warning, he might get told off in his first week for failing to share, and then get in a sulk, and it's all a bit of a downer.

The wide vocabulary sounds nice. So perhaps the teacher will feel on safe ground to use longer words with him.

He sounds sweet, not obnoxious. Sweet and PFB.

it's his transfer report.
i had to make comments.
they will copy and probably give to me to take to his new school as we are moving before start of term.

I think he sounds gorgeous, I love the idea of him standing there with the clip board, sounds like he is a born leader !

Oooohhhh you are being a mother if a PFB - there is nothing wrong with that at all.

I love the clipboard

Is it a report to you or his transfer documents to his new school?

It's not bad stuff

All of those are great

being able to express oneself in a authoritative manner - check

imaginative play with clip board - check

no grudge held - check

honestly, it's not a bad report, in fact the opposite

it shows good self esteem, confidence, emotional maturity

Chin up

Some 'highlights':

"Sharing is somtimes a problem and he can become sulky when reprimanded. However the episode is soon forgotten and no grudge held"

"He has a wide and varied vocabulary enabling him to express himself in an authoritative manner"

"In the sandpit, he is the architect and uses a clipboard to make notes" - why can't he just build sandcastles like the others.

There are other nice stuff about having a great imagination and enjoying role-playing with his friends.

But shouldn't the teacher find out about his moods and bossyness for herself. I know it's not a dreadful report but it does make him sound a bit obnoxious.

PFB.