Repeating Year 6 - from furious mum!

[Melzie7]

Hello
I need some advice and what better place to come (I hope). To cut a long story short, on Friday I was met at the school gate (I never usually get to the school gate as I'm always at work) by DDs head who casually said 'I've been talking to (DD) about repeating Year 6 as she's getting really anxious in tests'. I know DD struggles with tests but she is a bright girl (I'm a secondary teacher) who needs extra time as she is a slow processor (undiagnosed). Whilst the school has flagged up things in the past, I've been told she is dyspraxia, has ADHD, etc etc but when asked about intervention nothing has been done and another year passes. To be told on Friday that she should repeat the year left me gobsmacked and I didn't know what to say other than 'we should meet after half term to discuss'. When I got home I was furious, and still am. My DD is an October birthday (today actually) and quite socially mature so this would be devastating for her confidence. I wouldn't mind (well I would actually) but she is really quite a clever girl and in terms of emotional intelligence she is streets ahead of many other kids in this respect. I really don't know what to say to the school without going off on one.......any advice out there? I think it probably comes down to lack of funding for extra support but surely having a child in the school for another year costs the school more?

[Blankscreen]

My immediate thought is will it affect her moving on to secondary school?

[HolyShet]

I'm guessing you are not in UK

I have never heard of such a thing.

In UK it would be highly unlikely that any Local Authority would permit that. Secondary schools have to deal with all sorts of abilities and disabilities. Or that this would be proposed in October, when there is the main part of the school year to run.

Are you sure?

[Daisymay2]

Are you in the uk? Isn't it a bit early in the school year for this converstion. Get an Ed psych report. Even if you gave to pay yourself. Formalise the diagnoses then she should get support properly. Why haven't the school suggested it already?

[Ploppie4]

She really needs an ed psych report. Can you pay for one.

Repeating a year can be positive. However usually it’s infants or year 3 that’s repeated

[user789653241]

Get diagnosed and get IEP? I think school should have plans either diagnosed or not, but if she has so much problem, isnt it better to get one privately if you can?

[NWgirls]

My immediate suspicion is that the head will try to avoid her sitting the SATs for tsje results to look better

Sounds like you would be better off getting her to a good secondary with SEN support rather than spend any extra time in the current school.

I would insist on meeting Senco asap to get her assessed, extra time, potential interventions etc. There is still time.

Consider insisting on her sitting the SATs on schedule, and also that the school limits the pressure and stress on your DD wrt SATs, as this will be counterproductive in her case. SATs are mostly for the school, and many make it into far too big a deal.

I think it is very rare to retake year 6 (but I am not an expert) and that she will be better off at a secondary at the normal time

[MissEliza]

Is this in the UK? I've never heard of that in this country but seen it when teaching abroad. God forbid we should start doing that to children here.

[iMatter]

Why on earth aren’t they supporting her properly instead of talking about making her do the year again?

How will retaking the year make things better for her?

What about secondary school?

[Wildaboutoscar]

Agree get I dependent report . Pick a secondary with good SEN support.
I would also complain to governors current head not supporting your daughter.

[Wildaboutoscar]

Sorry on phone - independent

[Jeffers3]

I've never heard of this happening, I'm absolutely shocked!
Get a meeting with the SEN co asap, is she currently on the SEN register? In which case there should be TA hours for interventions. If she has an EHCP (in old money IEP) then she would be entitled to 1:1 support. It would benefit neither her or the school for her to repeat the year, I just can't understand this. Last year 2 of our year 6s were disapplied from the SATs so she doesn't have to do them but the disapplication needs to be thought about soon.

[HeyRoly]

That doesn't make sense. We're only half a term into the academic year, but instead of making plans to give DD all the support she needs for the rest of the year, they want her to underachieve until July and then repeat?

[Steeley113]

I'd just refuse and insist they give her support. SATs mean nothing in the long run so I would not want her held back for the sake of results which will not effect her future at all.

[SenoritaViva]

This sounds very odd to me. We have experience of one child repeating year 1 but this was done after a lengthy process at the end of the year in conjunction with ed psych, parents etc and was a VERY extreme case. Had to apply to the local LEA too.

It all sounds off to me.

[WellThisIsShit]

Sounds very odd - I’d say he’s talking out of his arse!

[Dozer]

Must be an independent (with shit SEN provision) or overseas.

If the former I would complain, and move her to secondary in the allotted year group.

[AgonyBeetle]

Regardless of school type or country, it's just completely inappropriate to discuss this with the child without having previously discussed it with the parents.

It does sound as if this is not a UK mainstream state school, as this would not be in any way standard practice. But wherever it is, bypassing the parents to discuss it with the child is outrageous - undermining for the parents and confusing and potentially distressing for the child.

[Melzie7]

Thanks for ALL your words of wisdom, advice and support. I am in UK and in an 11Plus area which I'm wondering now if that's making a difference. Anyway there has been no mention of EP report as SENCO and Head reckon it's medical (ADHD and dyspraxia) which EP won't diagnose (?) To hear this story you'd think my DD had SEN intervention all along but no, nothing, except being kept in at breaks sometimes, put in front of a computer and told to do extra maths. She loves school though and they've always said she's a great character. The SENDCO was her class teacher in yr3 and 4 and her advice was basically to get DD on medication. I kid you not. Whilst I know medication can be great and really sorts some kids out, I feel for DD some support and encouragement might have been better. I'll do what I need to do but when DD was 'borderline 11plus' in Year 4, to fail massively in Year 6 means something has gone wrong. Yes anxiety plays a part and speed is an issue but surely they should have intervened before now. DD knows her tables (slow but accurate every time) can identify loopholes in every argument (wondering if there's a touch of aspergers perhaps?) but is a logical thinker and methodical in her approach. I has resigned myself to the fact I may have to pay for EP report even though I will need to borrow money to do it. Being a teacher myself I know that it's only the very very weakest kids or those that have missed a lot of school that get put back a year. My child is really quite normal and that's what infuriates me. I admit grammar school wouldn't have worked for her and I'm fine with that but this???? Grrrrrrrr! Thank you for letting me rant and I'll let you know what happens.

[Allthebestnamesareused]

I'd be looking at other primary schools and getting her out of there pronto!

[BertrandRussell]

Are you absolutely sure? Repeating a year is incredibly rare in English state schools. It just doesn't happen.

[ASDismynormality]

In your situation I would ask the GP for a referral to paeds who can diagnose neurodiversty such as ADHD, dyspraxia, ASD to either diagnose or rule out these conditions. Ask the school to write a list of their own concerns.
I would also tell the school your daughter needs an educational psychologist to asses her before you make any decision with regards to holding her back a year.

[LewisThere]

She needs a diagnosis ASAP.

I am extremely surprised that they are talking about keeping her a year behind. This is not something I've ever come across in the uk at all. Esp not for a child born in October.
As a secondary school teacher, what's your experience on that? What do you think the secondary school reaction would be?
So I have to say, my first question word be as to how this would even be possible TBH.

[educatingarti]

If she isn't making appropriate progress, even with additional school support, you need to apply for her to be assessed for an ECHP ( statement as was) and talk to IPSEA who will guide you through the process. Also see your own gp for her to be assessed by a consultant for ADHD.

[educatingarti]

All the above should be done before any consideration of repeating the year.

[LewisThere]

Oh I wouldn't go through the GP for a diagnosis through CAMHS.
Because this will take you YEARS to be able to get the diagnosis. And she will need it when she starts secondary school.

The more I think about it, the more I'm thinking you need to go and have a chat with the HT and ask him

• what is his reasoning about keeping her back (I suspect he is worried about the SATS resukts this year)
  
• what has been implemented so that your dd can get the support she needs. Ask for REAL actions (they should be specific, measurable etc ). In particular, talk about her progress in the last two years and ask to review why she hasn't progressed as much as she should and what actions plans are in place about that (the school should have something in place in a child isn't meeting the targets they should btw)
  
• just REFUSE for your dd to be kept back.
  

I personally wouldn't change school just now UNLESS things are getting so bad that it's really detrimental to your dd