Is there a big jump from Y2 to Y3?

[bequiet]

Ds just about got there by the end of year 2, now I'm wondering how year 3 will compare.

Is it the case that now year 2 SATs are over, year 3 is fairly relaxed, or is there a big jump in expectation?

[goldrock]

In my DCs school there is a big difference. Not just in the difficulty of the work but in what they expect e.g the have to take more responsibilty for handing in stuff, remembering their reading books etc. I think its a good thing and it did suit my DCs although I have spoken to other mums who don't like it as they feel their DCs aren't ready for that level of responsibilty.
I only have experience of one school but I think this may be common as I've seen books you can get for the summer hols called things like "preparing for year 3" which suggests a big change from year 2.

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

I teach Year 3, having taught Year 1 for 5 years. I think there is a massive jump. There shouldn't be but with the new frameworks, maths especailly, there is a really big jump in expectations. The biggest difference I think is the change in reading approach and also the level of responsibilty.

Sorry have loads more to add but I have the worst morning (joke) sickness ............................

[goldrock]

trying to be - I'd be interested to hear more when you feel better as I have an August DC and don't know what the transition to yr 3 will be like (older DCs are all older in the year)

[Goblinchild]

Agree with Mary Poppins, and I'm a Y3 teacher too. However, it's also a very exciting year with a lot of maturing and discovery for all of them, so it does work out.
Parents fight the changes and expectations harder than their children I find, especially if the child is a firstborn.

[bequiet]

big hug for tryingtobe...

Please come back when you're feeling better, I am especially concerned about maths. Is there a link you could post so I can work out what we're aiming for. What did you mean about the reading?

Morning sickness, go away!!!

[missmapp]

I teach year 3 and the biggest difference from yr 3 seems to be the level of individual responsibility we expect from the children. For example , we expect them to put their reading book in a tray when it is ready to be changed, and to be able to work more independently BUT we do spend most of the first term'training' them for this, so dont think this will be expected from day 1. Work wise, it is a heavy year as the difference between a yr2 level 3 or 2 is different from a year 3 level 2 or 3, mainly because yr 2 work is mainly teacher assesed and yr 3 work is test assesed so the children are expected to work more independently IFYSWIM, sorry if this is all garbled, its been a long day!!

[GrimmaTheNome]

There may be a jump in expectations, but my observation is that there is also a jump at about this stage in many of the children's maturity and ability. There really does seem to be a divide between infants and juniors.

[missmapp]

I agree grimma, I look at my class now and they really have matured and are ready for yr4, they are real juniors!!

[bequiet]

That's interesting. How does it pan out with the summer borns?

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

Hello again

Maths: The new framework has moved many objectives lower down the years and so I think Year 3 will have a harder time for a few years whilst the children catch up IYSWIM? For example, Year 2 children are now expected to know 2,5,10 and 3 timestables learning them all by early year 4. So early on in Year 3 where they have now put fractions and division the less able Year 2's do struggle to move beyond the visual as they don't have the timestable knowledge. They are expected to partioning 2 digit numbers straight away and understand rounding. Often summer borns are still getting to grips with numbers to 100.

Reading: Only having half the TA cover of the infants means that 1:1 reading with the teacher is long gone. I hear Guided Reading groups each week and then they work on a task based on what they have read. This means I only hear each child read once a week and they need to be able to organise themselves and their work independanly much more of the time. I hate it!!

Children who move up to Year 3 with underdeveloped phonic skills need a great deal of support and if they don't get it I really worry about them. Year 2 spelling and phonics seemes to have drifted in recent years and many children are really struggling. I have weekly phonic based spellings and link this to DAILY handwriting every morning for 10 minutes - I am soooooo mean!

The timetable is far more packed but I think the new currciulum will help unlike APP (don't get me started).

Send me back to the infants any day!

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

Here is a lovely chart for us all too look at - how exciting!

nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/strands/34759/34267/110210%2C110211%2C110212%2C110213%2C110 214%2C110215%2C110216

Poor babies!!

[slowreadingprogress]

oh blimey.

My ds can't read, and he certainly doesn't know any times tables!

bloody hell. I am quite scared for the poor little boy now.

Is year 3 even set up for children who can't read???

[tryingtobemarypoppins]

Oh yes! I am sure he will get some extra help, do ask though!

[lottysmum]

Hmmmm interesting my dd is just about to go from yr2 to yr3 but most of her class are already independent in many respects...they change and choose there own reading books and do computer based comprehension...only referring to teacher if they need to go up a level.....

Dd's headteacher just indicated on my dd report that the pace would increase in yr 3 ....My dd hasn't had any homework as yet apart from reading... this will I assume change....which is a pity...I still object to homework at such a young age

[slowreadingprogress]

thanks....hope you're feeling a bit better now btw

He is on an IEP so I imagine he will get extra help and we've spoken to the head of yr 3, but we've found that the IEP and the reality can be two different things in the past unfortunately. And it suddenly struck me that of course nowadays we get no idea of DS position in the class; I don't know if he might be the only child not reading and be standing there on the first day of juniors trying to read labels etc!

In a normal year 3 class how many might not really be reading at all? Ds still not recognising all the target words from year 1, for instance.

[PerfectPrefect]

I want to disagree with much of what has been said academically (from a parents perspective).

I don't think there has been a huge jump. But my DTDs were top half of the class - there may be more of a jump for those that are not such high acheivers? I have to say though that I don't feel that they have been stretched in all areas. Some of the more novel area's of maths for example (digital time) has stretched them. But recapping and expanding on already taught foundations (for example basic addition/subtracion/multiplocation) doesn't seem to have stretched them.

They don't seem to have been stretched in other area's hardly at all.

I agree that more responsibility is expected. Knowing when to chaning reading books. Relying on them to choose something suitable from library. Less letters home for day to day reminders of activities (hence being told at 8:30am that they need to take tracksuits for PE!).
The "topic" area's are also deeper and more inspirational. They want to learn about the romans etc.

Probably the biggest thing I have noticed is that the school trips are actually vaguely educational now. Last year they had a wander round the village and looked at some scupltures etc. This year they talk a clipboard and had to answer (very basic) questions...that force them to look at the sculptures....

personally - I haven't seen a huge amount of difference

[LyraSilvertongue]

Urgh, now I'm really dreading year 3.
DS1 (PFB and August-born) moves to juniors in September.

[Goblinchild]

Been teaching Y2 and Y3 for a decade now.
Sorry to worry you further, but I've only taught a few with English as a first language who were at the stage of not recognising the target words for Y1, all had IEPs and were at School Action+
Do you know what he got in his May SATS, and what the Teacher assessment level is?
He'll get a lot of support, and having parents who will work with the school is a bonus.

[LyraSilvertongue]

Sorry Perfectprefect but areas doesn't have an apostrophe.

[slowreadingprogress]

Thanks Goblin. DS just been assessed for dyslexia - awaiting report. I guess that makes him school action+. It has been really hard getting infants to take our worries seriously. I hope in a way that Juniors ARE worried about him because I think they may help more.

We are convinced he is dyslexic. As you say, we'll work with the school and get private tuition if necessary.

I just want DS not to have that horrible 'out of my depth' feeling every day. And I really worry that he just will be. If he's as behind most as it sounds from your post Goblin then the school, with the best will in the world, can't really meet his needs totally. Because his needs will be all day, every day, and no doubt his 'targeted support' will be minutes...

sigh.

[PerfectPrefect]

[Goblinchild]

LOL Lyra
One of the skills you learn in Y3 is to proof read your writing to check for errors, poor grammar and ways of improving your work.
I even have a special writing checklist in a fetching shade of blue that they use.
I'd be interested to know if you have actually helped in a Y3 class on a consistent basis Perfect, or whether you are relying on odds and sods of information when you say that your high achievers haven't been stretched in all areas.

[PerfectPrefect]

no I haven't helped in class at all Goblin - which is a fair point.

I make my judgement on the following basis' (am I allowed an appostrophe there?)

1. How stretching their homework has been this year compared to last
2. Teacher comments on progress at parents evening.
3. General chat in the evenings about what they have been doing and have learnt.

I guess the point that I was trying to make is that the feedback that I get predominantly from my DTDs is that there isn't a huge jump. And regarding the stretching what may be more accurate is that they don't appear to have been stretched as much as I would have expected.

[LyraSilvertongue]

Sorry, no apostrophe there either.

[PerfectPrefect]