A thread for the average or below average DC...

[oddgirl]

Feeling distinctly depressed by all the threads on here about levels...I have 2 DC-a 6 year old at end of year 1 with dyspraxia and ASD so levels mean diddly squat...still struggling with writing his name but has been able to tell the time since he was 2 so not easy to assess really..an NT DD (4) about to start reception in Sept-she cant read or write but is bloody brilliant at crawling round the garden pretending to be a worm. Have a feeling I have not got 2 geniuses on my hands bog standard for DD I reckon and totally off the wall for DS...anyone else?

[southeasthamster]

i hide the threads, they do make me a bit antsy and i know my ds is way behind in maths, but he's catching up in english

if they did levels in other subjects i know my son would be well i try to imagine what levels i would have got at that age too!

[TheOriginalFAB]

My son makes a great cat so thank goodness there is a worm to play with .

[travellingwilbury]

I think I have got two at either end , They are only 5 and 7 but the 7 yr old is average in most things but obviously adorable and the 5 yr old is way above expectations but equally adorable .

I think it is hard to not look at the results and compare but I am learning to ignore them . My 5 yr olds teacher seemed surprised at his last parents evening that I wasn't more excited about his ability but tbh at this age all I care about is that he is making friends and being kind and good at listening .

They are both excellent at making mud pies

[JemimaMuddledUp]

DS2 is 7 and reads 200 page novels in two languages, but has only just learnt how to hold his pencil properly and can't ride his bike without stabilisers.

"Wide ranging" is the most accurate description of his levels TBH!

[activate]

I would like to share with you (and I have posted this before) that all my children were fairly middling to average in KS1 - none of them have been able to read fluently much before age 8 or 9

DS1 got all A*s and As at GCSE, DS2 has just taken 2 GCSEs early in year 9 (instead of year 11), DS3 is now a voracious reader adn doing very well and DD is a little madam (still KS1)

there's a lot of crap spouted about early reading or early acheivement being important - what is important, in my mind, is that children are children and enjoy going to school

[Tillyscoutsmum]

DD starts reception in September and is nowhere near reading or writing. She's just done a phonics course as part of Pre-school and I cringed inwardly whilst her peers seemingly grasped the concepts quickly and she just really didn't have a clue . ("What words rhyme with bat, Tilly ?" DD "Errrrm mouse and pen ?")

She's a really loving, caring, sociable little thing though and she's always the star of the term end concerts (even if it is just because she has the loudest voice and has stacks of confidence ).

DS is only 19 months so difficult to tell at the moment

[lottie15]

My oldest son was pretty slow with writing and young for the class, its amazing how boys in particular really start to catch up by the time they are in year 6. I always say when they are older nobody is going to ask what reading level they were in year 3 or what age they were allowed to write in Pen!

[youarekidding]

When DS teacher told me he'd worked hard and has now reached national expectations in reading - so more practice and he'll do very well I replied 'yes but once you can read you can read, however long it takes to get there, and when he can he may discover how much fun it can be' Then again - he might not he still tends to just look at the pictures

He is being 'watched' as DEST pointed to possible mild dyslexia. But he loves school.

[scrappydappydoo]

THANK YOU!! I've been meaning to post something similar all week. If I have to read another thinly disguised competitive mummy thread I might explode. I love my dds to bits but they are average. We haven't had dd1's first school report yet but I'm not expecting great things (I'm not expecting bad things either).

DD is happy so I'm happy. Oh hang on maybe I should be worried about what level of happiness dd is at because clearly she is happier than everyone else in the school and should be moved up a planet because of that.

[sugartongue]

DS (7) has just reached the dizzy heights of 1a in reading and I'm bloody proud of him! The amount of blood, sweat and tears which have gone in to reaching this point - he's off the scale for achievement in my book!

[sugartongue]

oh yes, and he's far from average - a total one-off!

[Choufleur]

DS is pretty much average according to his 'report' (he's in reception). The only bit I cared about on the report was teh bit that said "DS is a lovely, caring boy who tries hard. He thinks about others and if someone is lonely in teh playground he will ask them to play."

[VforViennetta]

I have an above average one and a god knows other one. You have to keep it in perspective though, I was an early reader/academically good and have done bollock all really , lots of other factors are more important than exams/levels.

[anthonytrollopesrevenge]

My DD is finishing reception and according to her report is working at expected level (so a 6 I expect) and with some support should manage the yr 1 curriculum. Hopefully the school will provide this! She can't really read a lot, apart from a few sight words, so hopefully it will click at some stage in yr 1 or 2. She is also sweet natured and anxious to please. My worry is she will be overlooked.

[MigratingCoconuts]

I'm trying to get used to the phrase 'slightly below expectations'.......


sounds so damming really, even though I know it isn't meant to be

[BusterGut]

As a Y2 teacher, I am really chuffed that a child in my class exceeded all expectations and got a 1a for reading. She's a star and she's worked really hard to get there.

I am also really chuffed with a child who exceeded all expectations and got a 3b in writing.

Both children have worked so hard to exceed their targets. Whether children are 'average' or 'work at expected levels' is not the most important thing. It's the effort they put into it.

[TheClaw]

Am waiting on report, however I have twins and one of them is way ahead and has friends who are of similar levels whose parents truly believe it is something they have done that has made their children like this.

I love to point out that my other twin is fairly average (will be looking out for the slightly below expectations!) and I have done all the same things with her as the other. She is her own little person though and will be ready for academic work one day hopefully! (Y1 going into Y2 Sept). She has the most wonderful imagination and is so funny and I'm so proud of her!

My one DT started the year at Level 5 reading books and is finishing at Level 10. She is looking at 2bs for the end of Y1. The other started the year at Level 2 Reading books and is finishing at Level 5 and I am over the moon for her - she is looking at Level 1B's and probably 1C's! She is howver starting to believe that she can read and have a little more confidence which is great!

Thanks for staring this post!

[CharlotteBronteSaurus]

choufleur, that is lovely.

dd1 is 4, going into reception shortly
she can't read, or even sound stuff out. no writing. her pictures are barely more than scribbles. she is pretty physically uncoordinated, so is not going to excel at sport either.
we are hoping that she might be musical

she is the most amazing big sister to dd2 though - patient, kind, and loving. and she is one of life's happy souls

[youarekidding]

A year 2 teacher is proudest of one pupil who's autistic and got a 1c in writing. Says it beats all the 3's.

[TheClaw]

Also I meant to add that her writing is dreadful!! No finger spaces if left to her own devices, spelling barely phonetic. (her sister writes 3 pages stories!) I am so mad at the school for not picking up on this and getting her extra help. Will be much more vocal in Y2.

[momino]

Very refreshing thread. Like scrappydappy, I'm tired of the 'thinly disguised competitive mummy threads'.

[doodledaisy]

The bit in my daughter's report that made me most proud was the line 'she is a delightful little girl'. My dd is academically very bright, however she still can't jump, she can skip but can't jump. She told me last night that she ate a leaf for a dare and was sick. So no common sense then!