Is it normal? Yr2 no written work all month!

[beezmum]

Any year 2 parents? How much written work does your child do a week?
My dd showed me her literacy book at a classroom visit and she had no work at all in October. There was half term for one week and I know she could have done display work but she hadn't - displays have hardly changed all term. I'm sure I would have heard of other substitute project type work.
The school does lots of learning through activities but these are optional and this year my dd and her teacher tell me she never sits at the writing table and mainly does playmobil and role-play.
Her teacher is very personable and knowledgable but I've started to think she can't be bothered and is using the 'learn through play' structure to avoid doing even minimal teacher led group work.
I'd just like to know whats normal to expect if anyone can help me I'd be grateful.

[purpleturtle]

DS1 is in Y2 in a school in special measures, where writing is one of many Big Things for improvement. They do independent writing for a short period every day - prompted by a picture, or recent trip, or something else. Then there's normal literacy work as well, some of it in literacy books, some of it in topic books.

[beezmum]

Hmm - that sounds starkly different! Not sure what on earth I can do about it though...

[Madsometimes]

At our school children do written work every day in Y2, but not always in the literacy book. There are other books for humanities, RE, science, maths, and perhaps some more too.

Are you sure that your dd has not been doing written work in other books.

I would love it if dd2 had the opportunity to do playmobil every day, because they only get 30 mins of golden on Fridays and the rest of the week is totally structured. However, I would probably not be too pleased if none of the week was structured either.

What country are you in?

[Hulababy]

I work in a Y1 class and about 1-2 pieces of written work go in their literacy books. Other written work goes on though. All children do written work at least a couple fo times a week formally, and plenty more of informal opportunities every day.

The written work may be in other books - science, design, topic books, PHSE books, etc. It may also have been done on individual sheets of paper and be in a folder - some of ours are, and the teacher keeps these seperate to the literacy books. Some may be on the walls.

It would be vey unusual to have done so little, especially in Year 2.

Can your DD not shed any more light on this? Do you have an upcoming parent's evening to get chance to see all her work? If not, why not have a word with the teacher so see how she is getting on?

[beezmum]

There must be a bit of work in some other books. There was no work laid out at the recent Parents' Evening (all the other teachers laid out work). It was the fact my daughter seemed to be suggesting that each day she 'only played'(ie play mobil) that I started to get concerned. At the evening the teacher gave a whole list of the things they do every day but I can't see much evidence of it.
I thought if I could find out a normal amount of writing then if there is a chance to see her work I could be more informed. Certainly she did no formal written pieces in October but has done nearly one a week in November.

[coppertop]

At our school they do a lot of written work but only a fraction of it goes in to the actual literacy book. IME that's usually reserved for the pieces of work used in assessments or as evidence of progress in particular areas.

[Toffeepopple]

I file all the Y2 work at our school. Some of it is in books, but a lot is on separate worksheets which are filed in folders by subject.

As I don't know the kids writing styles, there is also a large pile of unnamed work waiting for the teachers to identify!

[lilac21]

I teach Year 2. Despite the increased emphasis on speaking and listening, there are plenty of writing opportunities. Last week we did a lot of paired work, which ended up in neither child's book as they were drafting poems. Some work is done on sheets which are filed separately.

We use A4 books, fully lined with a margin. Most children in my class will finish their book and need a new one before the end of the academic year.

If I were you, OP, I'd be concerned.

[beezmum]

Just to round this off I asked to see all my dd's work at an after school drop in and ended up asking the teacher - I was pretty horrified. There really wasn't any other work to show for the month of October. I don't know what she's about - it seems ludicrous! Another parent, unknown to me is going to the head to complain and I've said to quote me as unhappy and will see what transpires.

[yayitstheweekend]

My son is in year 2 and we had parents evening last week. They seem to be doing written work pretty much every day be that stories, comprehensions or science / history geography. We were presented with about half a dozen book with different kinds of written work in them plus they also have specific handwriting books. He also has written literacy homework each week, last week being a comprehension with 10 questions to answer.