Page 2 | What age/year at school, would you put my Dc ar?

Original poster

Nonstoprain · 21/01/2025 22:32

fanaticalfairy · 21/01/2025 21:08

My DD is 5, in Reception, reads at Year 2 level, writes like a 3 year old!! It's shockingly bad. Like you literally cannot read it, even when you know what it is supposed to be.

She writes nearly every day, and it's only just getting vaguely legible when she's sitting, focused and using the "correct" pencil.

Edited

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Using phonics, taught by me, her reading is great. Her writing isn’t, but i’ve tried not to step in and teach it her, even though i’ve been itching to!

OP posts:

Trainors · 21/01/2025 22:06

Nonstoprain · 20/01/2025 22:01

Yes

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Well of course her writing and spelling might be a little behind others who only speak one language. It’s not comparable really

Oodlesandoodlesofnoodles · 21/01/2025 21:55

Given the information you’ve given I wouldn’t worry. Children in school systems that start later catch up with and often surpass British children with our earlier formal start to education.

katepilar · 21/01/2025 21:25

Taigabread · 20/01/2025 21:55

I'm surprised with a reading age of 9.5 that her writing would be so much less developed to be honest. Has she learnt to read properly using phonics and decoding, or was she taught using lots of whole word recognition and repetition. The latter can make children appear stronger readers than they are

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She isnt at school yet.

katepilar · 21/01/2025 21:22

Why are you actually thinking or possibly worrying about this, OP? @Nonstoprain

fanaticalfairy · 21/01/2025 21:08

Taigabread · 20/01/2025 21:55

I'm surprised with a reading age of 9.5 that her writing would be so much less developed to be honest. Has she learnt to read properly using phonics and decoding, or was she taught using lots of whole word recognition and repetition. The latter can make children appear stronger readers than they are

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My DD is 5, in Reception, reads at Year 2 level, writes like a 3 year old!! It's shockingly bad. Like you literally cannot read it, even when you know what it is supposed to be.

She writes nearly every day, and it's only just getting vaguely legible when she's sitting, focused and using the "correct" pencil.

Gremlins101 · 21/01/2025 20:50

My son will be five soon and cannot read or write anything like this. He knows the alphabet and can copy words but no "comprehension" as such. He hasn't started school as also not in UK. I think he is doing well as far as I know!! Well done to your daughter!!

MyRoseBee · 21/01/2025 20:49

4/5 years old. Y1

MySpringAir · 21/01/2025 20:46

Well she hasn't started formal schooling yet so this is surely normal for her and her peers in your country?

Oioisavaloy27 · 21/01/2025 20:39

Your child is doing very well.

Yourcatisnotsorry · 21/01/2025 20:32

Year 1

tightarses · 21/01/2025 20:30

age about 6 .

Lefthanddownnumberone · 21/01/2025 20:22

Reception

KrazyKaffs · 21/01/2025 20:13

I'd probably put it around year 1. Please don't fret though. My DD18 used to have the biggest handwriting ever that would fill the page up quickly probably well into yr4. She was an August baby, didn't appear to struggle with school but huge writing. All of a sudden during yr7/8, her writing stated changing drastically and by yr9 her writing was the most beautiful work of art to look at - I have neat writing but DDs is just beautiful. It's almost like she started trying and caring, whereas before it was a case of it's on the page so it'll do! They all develop at their own pace and come into their own eventually and as your DD is enjoying reading then she will too!

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 21/01/2025 19:58

I was going to say that it really depends on where you live. In the Netherlands they start school at 4 but don’t actually learn to read or write until 6 so wouldn’t expect that from someone under the age of 6.
mid she hasn’t had any school yet then it can’t be compared against children who have.

Gonners · 21/01/2025 19:57

Feetupkettleon · 20/01/2025 21:30

I wouldn't worry about her being "behind" her peers in the UK. I'm from a Scandinavian country and couldn't write a single word when I started school (age 7). Managed to do well in school and have a MSc from LSE.

You probably also speak (and read, and write) at least 4 languages! I have a Finnish friend who says everyone just picked up Swedish (widely spoken in his area), at primary school they were taught Russian (for political reasons) and English, then went on to German and French. And that was just at school. He can get by in Italian and Spanish and - my favourite - spent a fortnight in Wales and had a bash at that too!

olympicsrock · 21/01/2025 19:40

I’d say handwriting is 18 months behind. Could she do some handwriting practice books ?

HWS · 21/01/2025 19:31

As a handwriting tutor I would say Y1, and as you rightly said I would wait for the school to teach her handwriting as not all schools teach handwriting the same way. This will avoid any confusion. Judging from her drawing she seems to have good fine motor skills so if there are no other issues, she should pick up handwriting quickly. Hope this helps.

DragonFly98 · 21/01/2025 19:25

No it’s not poor at all, children are forced to write far too early in the UK. Seven is the ideal age. Before then children should be doing activities that improve their dexterity such as bead threading and colouring not writing,

Shetlands · 21/01/2025 19:24

For a 6 year old who hasn't been taught to write at school, she's doing extremely well! In addition, she's bilingual and has a reading age of 9.5 so she's flourishing.

I echo others who say it's probably best not to teach her to write unless you know exactly how they'll do that at school - it's to do with how they teach them to form the letters, whether they teach print or straight into cursive. Keep up plenty of access to paper and drawing tools. I'd let her start typing if she wants to, using a font similar to the ones in the books she reads. That way she can enjoy recording what she wants to say or even make her own little books.

Julimia · 21/01/2025 19:16

Sorry just read your follow up. Her reading age will eventually make up for her lack of dexterity. Writing has two major elements what it says and what it looks like. Work on what she would like to say and scribe it for her. Provide her with lots of dexterity exercise cutting threading baking etc. and hep her wirh getting it on the page left to right gor example. Forget about lines just now and limit the page for now eg give her long thin strips of paper towrite on. Give her a variety of writing tools. Stop worrying it will come

Julimia · 21/01/2025 19:07

Wouldnt even attempt to age a child from just this (one) piece of evidence. Too many factors that contribute. Eg. Is the child left or right handed.
Why do you need this judgement please?

BoldAmberDuck · 21/01/2025 19:06

Nonstoprain · 20/01/2025 15:37

Looking at this?

About 6 maybe?

NadiyahZ · 21/01/2025 18:54

Older reception/young year 1.

Vynalbob · 21/01/2025 18:45

Nonstoprain · 20/01/2025 21:13

Thanks all, been at work and just reading through all comments.

Dd is 6, she wrote this at home, could use own pen, paper etc, I just wanted to see her writing.

Her friend is called Gabriel

The picture is hers and all writing and spelling lm her own

To a Pp who commented about the bitten nails…it’s my hand 😂

So, I wanted to see how she compares to others, we live abroad, so doesn’t start formal learning until September.

I’ve read to her since she was a baby and taught her sounds etc when younger. She’s always known her letters, but writing is the one thing I’ve not actively taught her, as she will learn quite differently in September, when they teach it and I didn’t want to confuse. I’m thinking I should intervene a little and work on where to put capitals and where to use lower case and work on presentation? Should I or leave it to the teachers in September? She only writes her name and the copied date at school, she writes sometimes for fun at school.
Her reading age is 9.5, it’s just her writing, it’s poor in comparison to others in her age group, isn’t it?

Well I was close on ages but rubbish on factors.....you could do a little bit on focussing on lower case but I wouldn't worry too much 👍