Really bad school report

[Pippapotomus]

DS aged 5 bought his school report home today. It's bad. I wasn't expecting it to be brilliant but this is something else. Socially he is OK, is well behaved and has friends. Target wise he is behind for his age in every single thing.

Fuck.

Or perhaps the school are fully aware of everything that has been going on and realise that there is more than targets at such a young age

If he's spent two thirds of the year struggling to see and has also had newly diagnosed diabetes to cope with, it sounds as if he's done pretty well. Give him time to settle down.

Thank you for all the replies. I'm feeling a bit more positive. He does enjoy school, his friends are nice and the school have been amazing with managing his insulin and blood levels.

It's just so unfair. He woke up with a stubborn hypo (low blood sugar) this morning, so spent 45minutes eating dextrose and pricking his finger 3 times for blood before he could even inject his insulin so he could eat his breakfast. Him having to do all that to get to school and then struggle whilst there is heartbreaking.

He is amazing @Pippapotomus. I want to give him a big hug and take him to the zoo.

Are school saying he’s struggling though? Yes he’s behind academically but does he know that, does he feel that as a struggle.

By way of example my DD8 has a developmental delay which means she’s very behind academically. Her school value her and praise her progress as she gets there, she has very discrete additional support and is never treated or made to feel different from her class mates. She’s got room to grow academically but she isn’t struggling with it because work is paced for her and no one ever says she’s behind.

Her learning will come in time, at the moment she has other fish to fry and the school and I both agree that academic achievement is secondary to her social, emotional and mental wellbeing. I wonder if that’s maybe the conversation to have with school, while your little boys health is still precarious, maybe focus on him being in school, enjoying being there and coping socially. His learning will come in time.

Again, in Scotland he wouldn’t even be in school yet. He has lots of time.

Personally I would be unhappy with the school, behaving well and having good social skills is important at 5 the rest is not!!
He is FIVE,a child, he should be playing, this country is appalling at pushing kids too early, he will develop at his own pace, he may not be destined for academia but who cares! He will get there eventually and should be being encourage to follow his interests. It’s no wonder we have mental health issues here!

Wow, he has had a lot to contend with not being able to see and being diagnosed diabetic.

At his age all that matters that he is happy, is being sociable and being well behaved is an added bonus. With these key building blocks, he will be all set for year one.

Just a few thoughts :

The school should really keep you updated with his progress, even if it's informally. It shouldn't have been a shock to you that he is a little behind. Going forward, tell School that you would like to be kept up to date so that you can help him where you can. however, it could be that School understand that his health is a priority at the moment and they'd rather you worry about getting his diabetes sorted.

With regards to his diabetes, have a look at getting freestyle libra on the nhs. NICE have allowed it for use for certain patients so your child may qualify. Also, if you go for an EHCP, you might get some TA support.

There's also a fbook group for mums with children who have diabetes that might give you some extra support.

He has a dexcom g6 which we self fund, we wouldn't do without it now.

The school has funding for an extra TA for 3 hours a day for him starting in September, based purely on medical needs. His year 1 teacher is new to the school, and I have a meeting with her and his DSN prior to the new term regarding care plan. I will bring up concerns then, and will ask the current teacher for specific targets to work on over summer.

Good! It's looking positive then. Hopefully things will settle down and he can get on with his learning. The main priorities at this age is that he loves to learn, and his diabetes doesn't stop him. As long as he continues to be happy at school, I'm sure he will catch up.

I think you should take so many positives from this year. Your boy is making friends and socialising well, despite having to manage the diagnosis and management I’d a long term condition. I think the fact that he now wears glasses might make a difference to his access to the curriculum in the future.

For the new term, regular communication between you and his teacher/TA will be really helpful for all of you if you can manage it. Then you can work together on his progress.

I’ve taught children who have received a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and I think if he’s able to do all of the sorting out of the medication required, go to school, make and keep friends and generally get on with stuff, then I think you and he are doing a marvellous job and you should be proud.

DS 11 has year 4 handwriting. Above average for reading. They should have brought it up with you sooner. Although when you said the report was bad I was expecting, hell raiser bad. Behind on targets for a 5 year old isn’t really a bad report. They are only just starting out.