yr 3 curriculum irrelevant to dd's current levels

[PeanutButterOnly]

From dd's report it seems like the new year 3 curriculum is pretty much inaccessible to her at her stage with reading, writing and maths. School have put this in context for us but anyone else? She waa 2b/2c at the end of year 2.

[MMmomKK]

Maybe it's me, but 2b/2c doesnt sound that much behind average expectations for Y2. And definitely not so that Y3 content should be inaccessible. They should be able to differentiate for various levels.

What is the school's suggestion they (and you) do about it?

[auntpetunia]

Why do you think she can't access the yr3 curriculum. Levels of 2a /b are normal for end if year 2 so she's perfectly positioned to move up with the new work. We've had children in our school who've left year 2 with level 1a but still Learnt. Who has told she can't access the curriculum?

[mrz]

If she was a 2c/b at the end of Y2 there is no reason why she can't

[mrz]

Sorry don't know what happened

If she was 2c/b at the end of Y2 there is no reason why she can't access the new Y3 curriculum. Has the school given any reason?

[shebird]

Marking my place as my DD finished Y2 at these levels and seems to be struggling with the gear change in Y3. She is summer born in a class of mostly autumn born which probably doesn't help either.

[PeanutButterOnly]

Sorry think I was overreacting to the level descriptions on the report card where she's at the bottom of 5 categories and it says working towards being able to start the age appropriate curriculum. Will speak to the teachers. Think its the transition to the new 'more challenging' curriculum. I know she is generally average or slightly below. I just interested in others experience of this transition. I can see beyond all this and she has a great attitude to school and learning which is most important and I've listened to the school's explanation of the new curriculum and levels. But at the same time I reacted emotionally and can't help thinking that others must too which is not good for parents or kids....

[shebird]

You could be talking about my Y3 DD Peanut

I agree it is hard not to panic when you hear that your child is not at the level NC determines they should be working at. I was a bit disappointed at a recent parents evening when DDs y3 teacher seemed to focus a lot on what she was not doing well rather than acknowledging the progress that she had made. She seemed unaware of the fact that her reading and handwriting had come on so much since Y2 until I pointed this out. In fact I have seen little evidence that the teacher has even read with my DD. IMO they are trying to introduce too many concepts in maths and literacy when some children do not have really solid grasp of the basics so it is likley that they will struggle.

Meanwhile I have asked the teacher for specific areas to work on but like you I try to focus on the fact the DD loves school and enjoys learning and I know she will get there in the end.

[InfantTeacher]

Don't worry PeanutButterOnly - it just means she is working towards the end of year expectations for Y3 - and who wouldn't be during the first term?! (Especially true considering that she won't have completed the new national curriculum work in Y1 and Y2 so there will be some catching up to do here).

The 5 categories are probably something like Working towards, Emerging within, Working at expected level, working beyond expected level and working well beyond expected level (although wording may differ). They will be thinking that by next term she will be emerging and by the summer term she will be working at expected level.

Some schools have called them by names, some by ABCDE etc, but what they all mean is that during the Autumn term most children are doing some form of working towards expected end of Year levels, with the aim that most will be meeting or exceeding end of year expectations by the summer. Then in Year 4 the cycle will start again, and she will be working towards end of Y4 expected levels. This is all in it's infancy, and you are not alone in trying to fathom it out - schools are in the same boat!

[PeanutButterOnly]

Thankyou Infantteacher for taking trouble to explain, that makes perfect sense.

[toomuchicecream]

I agree with InfantTeacher. Schools seem to have mostly been left to sort out for themselves how to assess children, how to describe what they can do and how to record it internally so progress can be tracked. Even in the very organised schools/local authorities which are ahead of the game and have produced new assessment systems, there's still a lack of experience at what it all means. Typical Gove - announce a change but not think through the implications or implementation...