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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

teacher impressing upon me that dc is September born?

16 replies

drmummmsy · 15/02/2013 21:21

dc is 'very capable', 'ahead of her peers', teacher saying things like 'I could see DC as a teacher', on top tables for everything etc but teaching saying 'dc is September born, and has a head start, that the gap may close' (y2 age 7)

now I'm not fussed about levels etc - but I'm trying to read between the lines, what is the teacher trying to say?

is it that she's just older and not that smart? if she was born later she'd be struggling? that she shouldn't be complacent? or something else that I'm missing entirely?

or am I just being mental?

OP posts:

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drmummmsy · 15/02/2013 21:22

^^teacher saying, not 'teaching saying'

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LilyAmaryllis · 15/02/2013 21:30

I think she's saying relax (and so am I). My eldest is also September born and in Y2. Since she's started school there IS a noticeable difference between how quickly the older ones in the class get to grips with letters/ numbers/writing/ reading etc, compared to the younger ones. (Just on average... there are exceptions). As they get older these age differences in the class will no longer be evident. (For example, my August-born brother has a PhD.) So, I think she's saying, great, she's doing really well, but before you ring Mensa just remember that at the moment she is lucky and has an age advantage. And... relax!

drmummmsy · 15/02/2013 23:13

ok

I thought she was trying to relay some thinly veiled message...

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BackforGood · 15/02/2013 23:17

Agree with Lily

(I also have a Sept born dd)

drmummmsy · 15/02/2013 23:25

oh, btw, I had no designs on Mensa and the like

I mean, she doesn't even do after school activities etc (i.e. I'm not trying to 'stretch' her) despite my own academic background (PhD)

I was just wondering - you know?

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SunflowersSmile · 16/02/2013 07:26

My ds in year 3 and things seem to be evening up a bit.
The September borns do not stand out as much and other children 'catching up'.
I can imagine irritating to hear teacher say that about your September born but also probably telling parents of younger ones not to worry 'they will catch up' too!

ibizagirl · 16/02/2013 07:41

Don't worry about it. I had it the other way with dd. She is very advanced and was born at end of August. So i had "dd did this and she was only born in August" a lot from her teachers and it did get on my nerves. It stopped in year 6!! Dd now year 9 and obviously it doesn't get mentioned.

Sparklingbrook · 16/02/2013 07:44

I second relaxing. By Year 4/5 or even before the gap will have closed.

kilmuir · 16/02/2013 12:43

I would interpret it as your child is doing well, but as Sept born they would expect it and do not become alarmed when summer born children 'catch up"

redskyatnight · 16/02/2013 13:02

DS's year group was very much a case in point for this.
Most of the way through infants the top table was entirely populated by autumn born girls.
Towards the end of Y2 some of the younger children had caught up and now they are in Y4 some of those children that were constantly on the top table at a younger age have ended up somewhere in the middle of the class.

I guess the teacher is pointing out that your daughter may be ahead partly because of being old in the year. And that if she doesn't stay ahead this may not be to do with anything that she has done, but purely due to the age gap narrowing as the children get older.

ajandjjmum · 16/02/2013 13:05

I do think an early birthday is an advantage though, because the DC become used to 'getting' things, and it increases their self-esteem, whereas those born later in the school year often have to pedal faster to keep up.

They all find their own level in the end though!

Sparklingbrook · 16/02/2013 13:07

DS1 (summer born) made friends with an autumn born boy in Reception. Ooh the mother loved to gloat to me every day morning and evening about how 'able' her DS was.

RedPencils · 16/02/2013 13:18

Sparkling - i have the opposite. DS (sept) friends with a child with August birthday. Every conversation with his parents will include the phrase 'and he's almost a full year younger', no matter what you're talking about.

Sparklingbrook · 16/02/2013 13:22

Red you can't win. I did resist the temptation to say 'well your DS should be very able having spent a full year longer at preschool than mine'. it wasn't just school that her DS was better at, it extended to everything else.

Her DS came 2nd on Sports Day so she went to the Toyshop and let him choose something for £50. I think there were deeper ishoos.

CruCru · 16/02/2013 21:32

When I was pregnant, I went to visit a bunch of preschools. I was due on 2 September and one woman kept going on about how important it was that I held on until September. It was surreal - apart from anything, I couldn't see how I was going to do that if DS came early. I think people get quite fixated on where kids fall in the year.

LilyAmaryllis · 16/02/2013 22:45

Yes I was due on 2nd September and was completely blissfully unaware that there were any consequences if my baby came early!

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