Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU To Dig Deeper into Child's Reading and Spelling Difficulties

32 replies

Sleepy104888 · 30/03/2026 00:10

Reposting here for traffic as I'm trying to figure out where to start. Recently went to parents evening and was told dd is a year behind in reading fluency (around 40 words per minute and is in Year 3) and also struggles in spelling. Since Year 1 the gap in reading and spelling continue to grow bigger. I see improvements but dd is still lagging behind peers in these areas. She is a very bright girl and is starting to enjoy independent reading, but I notice she will get stuck on words a lot. Teacher has noted she will do well with long words and then trip up on short words like 'zone'. Her spelling is a mess and she can only spell 5 of the 100 common words correctly so far, and often comes up with spellings that are way off unless they are easy to sound out.

I was worrying about dyslexia so tried a home screening test from Literacy Gold which suggested she may have eye tracking difficulties. I've read old threads and not sure where to start...behavioral optometrist (pricy and far), NHS orthoptist (if I can get her referred), or some other specialist. I do realise a home screening is very basic so also don't want to jump to conclusions and shell out a lot of money unnecessarily, but she's been falling further behind in these two areas since Year 1 so it is worrying me. I was blaming myself for not giving enough school support and now wondering if there's more to it (though I'm sure more practice at home would help too).

AIBU, to think we need to push for an assessment? And, if we should, where would you start from experience with a child with similar issues.

OP posts:
pepperminticecream · 30/03/2026 07:21

Tutorpuzzle · 30/03/2026 06:28

I would suggest starting with the basics before spending on expensive tests. Read, read and then read some more with her. Actual books, not screens. Read to her, and get her to read to you. Listen to audiobooks on car journeys. Build familiarity with the language. Even if you go on test none of this will do her any harm.
All schools now use synthetic phonics to teach reading and, in my experience, there are a minority of children who need other methods alongside. Eg, you mention the word ‘zone’, which suggests she is not confident with ‘magic e’, a quite basic phonic rule. But if she’s reading/spelling longer words then learning to read almost exclusively with phonics (which is most schools’ approach in KS1) may just not have been suitable for her.

This! Most children will need more than one approach to reading but schools don’t have the time or resources. Get her to a really good tutor who is not dedicated to just one teaching method and will instead teach based on what she needs.

Hangerbout · 30/03/2026 07:17

Also, has she had a regular eye test?

Hangerbout · 30/03/2026 07:16

TeenToTwenties · 30/03/2026 06:52

How did she do in the y1 phonics screening?

I'm just wondering whether she is reading by whole words and not phonics? That would explain reading longer familiar words and then tripping over rarer simpler ones.

Similarly is her spelling phonically plausible?

I was thinking similar. The OP said her spelling wasn’t good either.

The bad news is that the more she struggles, the more she will be ‘practising’ and learning off by heart poor reading and spelling.

The good news is that she can learn. If she’s doing well in other subjects then the deficiency isn’t within the child, but due to teaching.

She probably scraped through the phonics test but her knowledge of the sounds that letters (and combo letters) make wasn’t secure. If she’s quiet, hard working she’s probably gone under the radar. In the absence of secure knowledge, she’s started guessing words.

If the school has said ‘she’s behind’, have they also said what they’re doing about it? Every agency, including Ofsted, will/should be seeing her as a priority.

She needs another, thorough phonics screening. Then she needs remedial teaching of the phonics code. Then she needs structured additional interventions factoring lots of practice. This will help both spelling and reading. It is absolutely her right, and the school SHOULD be providing this. Working together in partnership, which means a parent doing daily practice with the child using the same techniques as the school, will massively speed things up.

Do not get fobbed off with a SEND diagnosis. What is the school’s phonics scheme used in reception and year 1?

TeenToTwenties · 30/03/2026 06:52

How did she do in the y1 phonics screening?

I'm just wondering whether she is reading by whole words and not phonics? That would explain reading longer familiar words and then tripping over rarer simpler ones.

Similarly is her spelling phonically plausible?

Tutorpuzzle · 30/03/2026 06:28

I would suggest starting with the basics before spending on expensive tests. Read, read and then read some more with her. Actual books, not screens. Read to her, and get her to read to you. Listen to audiobooks on car journeys. Build familiarity with the language. Even if you go on test none of this will do her any harm.
All schools now use synthetic phonics to teach reading and, in my experience, there are a minority of children who need other methods alongside. Eg, you mention the word ‘zone’, which suggests she is not confident with ‘magic e’, a quite basic phonic rule. But if she’s reading/spelling longer words then learning to read almost exclusively with phonics (which is most schools’ approach in KS1) may just not have been suitable for her.

hellotomrw · 30/03/2026 01:03

Schools can usually do tests for it first so ask them and then they can help with referrals

Redbushteaforme · 30/03/2026 01:02

Sorry, I don't have direct experience but can the school not give you some advice? Or can you take her to your GP, or optician? GP or optician should be able to refer her on to an NHS specialist.