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Original poster

Do your DC do extra work after school to help them catch up?

19 replies

Whycantisleeptonight · 13/05/2021 23:52

DS y4 is below where expected academically at school so I'm keen to do some extra work to help him catch up.We had a chat tonight and he is not taken with the idea!

What, if any, extra work do you do with your DC - how much and how do you squeeze it in alongside them doing after-school activities, relaxing etc. Are your DC on board or does it descend into a battle (we already have this over school homework!)?

If he was doing okay/average I wouldn't consider it but am keen for him to catch up before he gets to secondary if he can.

OP posts:

MyDcAreMarvel · 13/05/2021 23:56

Catch up to what? An arbitrary line set by the DfE. The best thing you can do is let him play, do sport if he wants to encourage him to read and relax. Homework has no proven benefits in primary school and can even be detrimental.

TheGriffle · 14/05/2021 00:00

My Dd is in year 3 and is a little behind where she should be. Just doing homework is a battle I’m not making her do extra on top of that. It actually angers and frustrates me so much that ‘where they should be’ has not been adjusted due to the lives we’ve been living over the last year and a bit.

Of course she’s fucking behind she’s missed 2 terms of school!

Original poster

Whycantisleeptonight · 14/05/2021 00:04

I don't disagree with either of you really and am pretty anti homework in primary (though I make him do it). And feel extra mean given the most horrid year ever with lots of missed school.
But he's not a little behind - it's quite a bit...

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Makegoodchoices · 14/05/2021 00:18

Loads of reading out loud - both you to him and him to you. Get the times tables cracked as they help with everything. Small amount every day so it is routine but not excessive.

Bakingwithmyboys · 14/05/2021 00:18

Have you spoken to his teacher about what he needs to focus on next? It could be something you could practice through play so it doesn't feel like work. For example if in maths he needs times tables (or even number bond practice) these can be done whilst throwing and catching, or through games or even just little questions here and there. Handwriting can be improved through fine motor skills practice such as playing with pegs, putting elastic bands into wooden spoons, Even playing with Lego. Reading and sharing stories will help so much with English.

If he's not taken with the idea it will be a battle and could end up causing more stress. Some children have a mindset of learning is done in school. I'm not sure how to get them out of that.

Reading and stories are so important though.

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 14/05/2021 00:28

Reading is so important. That and general number fluency are key. Don't turn it into a slog.

ineedaholidaynow · 14/05/2021 00:28

Are they doing any interventions at school?

Titsywoo · 14/05/2021 00:30

My Ds was about 2 years behind in reading and writing until year 6 when he suddenly surged ahead past most of his classmates. I wouldn't worry at primary age about doing extra work apart from reading (if you can call that work!)

Original poster

Whycantisleeptonight · 14/05/2021 00:34

Ds thankfully has really got into reading recently so we do a lot a bedtime. He sees this as nice 1:1 time together.
School has just started a maths intervention - 30 mins a week - I'm v pleased about this but would like to try to help more if possible as this is his weakest subject.
No school intervention re English.

OP posts:

Original poster

Whycantisleeptonight · 14/05/2021 00:36

@Titsywoo goodness that sounds fantastic he did so well. While I hope that happens to DS it seems a longshot at the moment. His confidence is so low.

OP posts:

Anoisagusaris · 14/05/2021 00:39

Homework is about all I can manage! And I’ll admit I don’t even check the 9 and 12 year olds. Need to make more of an effort.

However they all either read everyday (for fun) or we read to them. And always have done.

partyatthepalace · 14/05/2021 07:50

Op is there anyway you could get the school to do 30 mins English intervention also. And is there anyway - short term - you could afford an hour with a tutor in one or both subjects a week. I’m just saying this so it doesn’t become a battleground btwn you - and the tutor will likely make quicker progress and if they are young and fun your son might enjoy the novelty value

superduster · 14/05/2021 08:24

Get a copy of whatever tracking sheet they use at school and see what they think he is achieving and what be hasn't achieved yet. My son is marginally behind in reading, very behind in writing and about 3 years behind in spelling as he just doesn't understand phonics and never did. He is Year 5. Confidence is really more important than anything else. He now has a new teacher who is teaching him sensible strategies he can use rather than repeating the same things he has failed at since infants. Eg spelling is poor - use a dictionary! Can't write fast enough, he is allowed a scribe. He is set so much (pointless) homework I dont force anything else at home but we did have an Ed Psych report done privately which really helped. For a while he was self harming so we are just happy he is happier at the moment.

worldchampz · 14/05/2021 08:29

Good on you. It is important, as others have said, little and often. In the car, while folding laundry, while bouncing on the trampoline works for us.

roguetomato · 14/05/2021 08:40

If he's behind, doing work to catch up at home makes a big difference, imo. It doesn't need to be a lot or long. Even 5 minutes a day adds up in the long run.

Papadontpreachimintroubledeep · 14/05/2021 09:19

I dont know if this will help but my DS yr4 needed help with literacy because he was just not engaging through home schooling during covid.
I bought him a creative writing roald dahl book off ebay and a mad libs road dahl and he didn't see it as learning he saw them as activity books which he did whenever he wanted to.
Pleased to say it really really helped him and his teacher was over the moon with the difference within 3 months.
Maybe gave a look on amazon and if there's anything you think he may find fun rather than homework like.

Gettingthereslowly2020 · 14/05/2021 09:27

10 minutes a day of whatever they need to catch up with and then some reading before bed.

10 minutes is manageable and they can do something nice afterwards like watch TV, Roblocks or whatever they enjoy.

Original poster

Whycantisleeptonight · 14/05/2021 09:38

Thanks everyone - it's great to hear your thoughts.
@superduster it sounds like you have a great teacher and very good things in place so you probably don't need any more. But I have found this good website called spelling tutor which we did when homeschooling with DS (he sounds very like your soon with spelling) I'd really recommend it - it helped a lot doing just 15 mins a day. This is one of the things I'm thinking of starting to do again.

OP posts:

TeenMinusTests · 14/05/2021 10:28

We didn't do catch up in term time as the DC were far too tired after school.

However we did do catchup in holidays (especially Easter and Summer), involving some formal maths & some level of writing daily. Over time this definitely made a difference. Instead of a summer slide there was a summer climb each year.

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