To be upset my reception child is 'emerging' in key areas...

[MisterPip]

...when todays report (2 days away from end of term) is the first time this has ever been hinted at?

Two parents evenings (autumn/spring) quite generic comments, first purely about settling behaviours and before any baseline assessments at all.Second descriptive of her skills, no comment on where they were compared to peers or any next steps given. Has the same reading books going home (no homework) to her friends, writing to me looked similar to classmates, bit lower maybe but in the same range. Simple sentences with longer words being just the first sounds. Say 'cat' correct, school as 'scool' and digger as 'digr'. Maths, can count one more/ less to 100, tell time to nearest half hour..seemed pretty average to me.

But she's emerging for reading/ writing/ number/ shape/ physical and understanding of the world.

I'm laid back usually but I'm really really upset to feel like I 've wasted a year not knowing she needed support (and had none in school was given), not one throw away remark to hint she needs help at all. And now there is no time to meet the teacher to discuss next steps. 2 next steps given are bloody usually at the end of the year
1: 'to choose writing more often as an independent activity' (2 days to go now!)
2: 'to continue practising forming numbers' (just wrote 16/ 60/ 13/ 30 for me without guidance, no reversing. Scruffy but legible and starting in the right place)

It's a final straw following a year of almost no opportunities for communication (not allowed in playground, appointment only through office) and generally feeling like there's been no change. In her nursery year in another school her progress was amazing, actually 40-60 already at the end of the year in moving and handling, whereas now it's bloody 30-50 months.

Is it reasonable to move schools? Supply teacher next year so no idea of quality as yet as they are not recruited, but overall culture is crap. They are apparently 'outstanding', but everyone I know at the 'good' local schools are happy and have make fantastic progress.

[BishopBrennansArse]

That's completely normal for a child of that age, you don't need to worry on that score.

The communication though, i'd not be happy with that.

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

I'm in Scotland so may have this wrong, but surely they should be 'emerging' at the end of Reception? The communication is something else though, as bishop says.

I actually don't read any of that as DD needs 'support' - sounds like she's progressing fine.

[thehumanjam]

Completely normal my reception age child is emerging in a fair few areas too.

My eldest was like this too and ended up leaving primary school with high SAT results so don't let it worry you.

Children develop at different rates and personality can play a part too. My ds's teacher was very relaxed about it.

[TheseSoles]

Is it a report mix-up? Your child's name but another child's assessment?

I'm not a teacher and I know the new curriculum is tougher but your DD does sound to be at expected level from your description. So I would be very confused/upset also!

I would ask for an appointment.

[Smartiepants79]

Has school actually finished?
From the little you said she sounds similar to my DD who came out expected across the board.
Moving her is of course an option if there is another school, with a space , that you are happy with BUT it is a big decision and potentially disruptive.
I would perhaps be looking to see what school has to say for itself before I moved.

[tobysmum77]

no, they should be expected at end of reception. yanbu op, at all.

[mrsruffallo]

Emerging is not an insult. It means she's finding her way. She is in reception, hardly the finished package.

[MisterPip]

No appointments as they finish tomorrow for end of year, so there is no option to discuss it.

I know children develop differently, but she's gone from doing very well to behind in a year.

Also describes a quiet child who is reluctant to try challenging work. She LOVES challenge, making friends and is quiet outgoing to the point where other parents comment on her being in the middle of things. It makes me wonder if he's been unhappy and looked over in the classroom.

/the descriptions given don't give much of clue why she's emerging, e.g. number 'can order to 20...one/more less...count in 2s,5s,10s,...knows odd even...records simple calculations using number operations...applies number knowledge to real life' in comment box next to emerging.

[MisterPip]

teacher is leaving, tomorrow the last day and there are events in day/ after school. I will never discuss the report with the person who wrote it.


mrsruffalo...I don't see it as an 'insult', i see it as an opportunity to support them meet age related expectations....a missed opportunity.

[BishopBrennansArse]

Completely normal for things to change year on year, particularly with the change from nursery to school setting, even with the EYFS. Also normal for things to progress differently at key stage changes.

[MsColouring]

They should be expected at the end of reception but you shouldn't be too worried about that part. The new curriculum is tougher but early years hasn't changed. It is totally unacceptable that this is the first you know of it. My ds was emerging at the end of reception but his teacher has already talked to me about it and actually said he had made progress since he'd made the judgements.

I am a ks1 teacher. I wasn't too concerned about the emerging in EYFS as I could see why and can see that he was getting the foundations. I am unhappy about the judgements that have been made at the end of year 1 but that's another story.

Is she summer born?

An appointment with the school to discuss this might be in order.

[hazeyjane]

It does sound a bit screwy, and more as though she is emerging.

I agree, MrsRuffalo, that emerging isn't an insult, but if it is an inaccurate assessment of where a child is, then it makes it difficult to support her properly in the future

[hazeyjane]

sorry that should have said, 'more as though she is expected'

[MisterPip]

She's summer born yes, my only gripe is that I could have been doing more with her on weaker areas rather than merrily thinking she was average. If I knew she was reluctant to try challenging work for example I'd have tried some things at home to build her confidence with what she was struggling to attempt. If I'd known number formation was apparently an area of weakness I'm sure and extra few minutes a few times a week with me would have helped her, rather than solely doing a lot of oral number problems.

[Runnaway]

The descriptors given by the ELGs are a little misleading. In fact to be 'expected' for writing your child would need to be using their phase 3 sounds in their writing e.g. Using 'igh' when writing 'night', 'oa' in boat etc. It's not as straightforward as writing CVCs or initial sounds. They also need to spell common exception words accurately within their writing e.g. he, she, go, no, to, said etc. You should have had all of this explained to you though and been given some kind of prediction at parents' evening.

[Runnaway]

By the way you don't need to be able to form numbers to achieve the ELG, but obviously it is helpful for Year One if you can.

[glub]

it was in the news recently that many teachers were marking children down so that they could make amazing progress...

[pookamoo]

OP (and others)

Have a read of this blog post about reports

It is very telling and reassuring at the same time.

[Runnaway]

Also counting in 2s, 5s and 10s is EXCEEDING for number! Your report seems a little confusing. Def worth a chat with the teacher/head/EY lead to clarify.

[MisterPip]

I wouldn't, having just read the goals, hugely disagree with being 'emerging' writing. I'd say she's borderline with hit and miss extending further than cvc and initial/ final blends being squashed together. Number I think is plain wrong, physical...not a scoobies as to why. I'm just upset to be in the position that I don't actually know why, is it a case she's miles off expected, or that one small improvement would make a difference? Over the 6 weeks holiday I could make a difference if I knew... not hot house her, just help her have a good start to next year with a little bit of fun targeted work in between the usual stuff.

My next dd has sn, and I'm really worried about her progress now for when she starts.

[MisterPip]

Runnaway I've just asked...

One more than 92 (answer: 93)
One less than 123 (122)
One less than 100 (90)
count in 2s (stopped at 20)
count in 5s (stopped at 50 then when back to 40)
Count in 10s (stopped at 100 then stuck)
double 5 (10)
double 10 (20)
double 13 (couldn't do)
tell the time (quarter past 6)
10 more than 50 (60)
10 more than 52 (60 again)

No prompting or support, doesn't seem different to report....can you comment on that?

[LilyMayViolet]

Parents not even allowed in the playground for reception children?! That alone feels uncomfortable and wrong to me.

[MisterPip]

We have to drop them at the gate then press our noses to the gate to see they go the right way Once my friend's ds caught us up on the main road after we'd sent him in, little people can be good at slipping out below waist height. I've have been ready to kill if it was dd, she just told HIM off. Took them to the door only for two weeks settling in then told to stop.

[Runnaway]

Sounds like exceeding to me! Definitely not emerging!!

[Runnaway]

Is it possible that it was a typo? It sounds like you have had the exceeding statements written alongside an emerging judgement!! Weird!