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Original poster

Worrying year 1 parents evening feedback

236 replies

catsheepteacher · 30/03/2022 17:22

We recently went to parents' evening for our eldest child, who is in year 1.

I'll probably sound a bit PFB here but I was expecting pretty positive feedback. Obviously I'm biased, but to me DD seems to be getting on really well:

  • She loves reading and sails through the books she brings home with no issues.
  • We go to the library regularly and she chooses "chapter books" (90+ pages) which she reads at home independently.
  • She gets 12 spellings to learn every week (which seem pretty challenging to me - words like adorable, eighty and applause) and gets close to full marks in her tests.
  • She does her maths homework in no time with very little support.

However, the feedback we got wasn't glowing at all. We were told that she is meeting the expected standard on reading (but not exceeding) but below expected standards in both maths and writing. Apparently she doesn't use finger spaces and full stops consistently in writing, and often needs help to come up with ideas for her stories. But more worryingly, in maths she's apparently on an "extra support table" as she needs help to understand the questions and work through them, and they are not sure if she is on track to meet the expected standard by the end of the year.

This was a total shock and I'm really disappointed that nobody has mentioned before that she needs extra support with maths. I'm also confused because it doesn't match up with what I see, which is a bright, able child (accepting that there's probably some PFB bias going on there).

I'm not sure what to do next. DH thinks I'm overreacting but I would like a second opinion to properly understand what the issue is so am considering getting a tutor who can assess her and give us more feedback on what exactly she is finding difficult. I'm also going to push for more regular catch ups with the school to keep track of her progress. The teacher mentioned several times that she lacks confidence and needs to build her resilience so I'm also wondering if I should sign her up for something which might help her develop her skills in this area e.g. a drama club.

Feeling that I've let my DD down by assuming she was sailing through with no issues. And really disappointed that her school don't seem to be seeing what I see Sad

OP posts:
MinecraftMuppet · 30/03/2022 19:45

[quote Invasionofthegutsnatchers]@MinecraftMuppet would you prefer that year 1 children were allowed to coast along, nit understanding or achieving, then in year 3 they have cery little knowledge of number and so are unable to access the curriculum? Interventions needed?[/quote]
What on earth are you talking about? The standard expected which the OP describes is extremely unusual for Year 1 in state education. Most kids would absolutely not be at that standard.

OP's DD is clearly very advanced and yet it's not good enough for her teacher? Hells bells.

MrsSkylerWhite · 30/03/2022 19:47

Tutoring at her age is a complete over-reaction.
you were very happy with the way things were until school told you she isn’t advanced. Very few children are! Lots don’t blossom until they are much older.
Let her be herself and don’t start putting pressure on so young.

MoonOnASpoon · 30/03/2022 19:48

If I'm just supposed to chill out and not care about how she's doing at school, why bother attending parents' evening at all.

You can care, and keep tabs on it, and be reassuring, but avoid adding pressure or making her feel you're disappointed. Also it's good to do parent's evening and be involved and get to know her teachers - just don't take it all to heart.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General education Primary education
FiveForAPound · 30/03/2022 19:49

Homework is often easier than the work that is completed in the classroom as some dc will not receive any help at home so it needs to be accessible to all of the children.

I would look at the National Curriculum for maths so you can see where she should be.

www.gov.uk/education/primary-curriculum-key-stage-1

Wnkingawalrus · 30/03/2022 19:49

@catsheepteacher

I did point put that she's getting close to full marks on spellings, and the teacher said it is not really about knowing how to spell the words it is knowing how to use them in a sentence. While this made a lot of sense, it really annoyed me to be honest. Why are we spending our time learning 12 (challenging!) spellings a week then? Wouldn't it make more sense to spend half the time learning fewer words and then using the rest of the time checking understanding and finding ways to use them in a sentence?
Do they not set an extra challenge which is to write sentences using the words?
sweetluar · 30/03/2022 19:50

Yes, there is! Ask your school, every school has one.

sweetluar · 30/03/2022 19:51

@sweetluar

Yes, there is! Ask your school, every school has one.
I mean SEN register.
PurpleFlower1983 · 30/03/2022 19:51

@SpringsSprung The SEN register is the list of children throughout the school with SEN.

SpringsSprung · 30/03/2022 19:52

@sweetluar

Yes, there is! Ask your school, every school has one.
Our school most certainly does not nor does our previous school
PurpleFlower1983 · 30/03/2022 19:53

@SpringsSprung All schools have them.

SpringsSprung · 30/03/2022 19:53

[quote PurpleFlower1983]@SpringsSprung The SEN register is the list of children throughout the school with SEN.[/quote]
Ours doesn't have anything like that. It's just on each of their records. Same in the last school (moved recently). No other data kept about the children except by their respective teachers

PurpleFlower1983 · 30/03/2022 19:54

@SpringsSprung It’s a requirement. I think you’re misunderstanding what it is.

SpringsSprung · 30/03/2022 19:55

[quote PurpleFlower1983]@SpringsSprung All schools have them.[/quote]
I'm the SEN Lead for the school and the school administrator! We most certainly do not have any register or list of children with additional needs.

sweetluar · 30/03/2022 19:55

Do you work at the school? They might called it something else, it is just a list of children in the school who has Special Needs. This is usually for the SENco of the school to know how to support them, and anyone else who might need this information within the school.

Invasionofthegutsnatchers · 30/03/2022 19:57

@MinecraftMuppet please elaborate on your own teaching qualifications.

With a PGCE and QTS plus 13 years' experience teaching in UK mainstream schools I'm well placed to advise the OP that the expected standard in year 1 requires children to write coherently and phonetically in full sentences, demarcated with full stops and capitals although not consistently. Children should be forming most letters accurately. They should use phase 3, 4 and 5 sounds in their writing independently.

What exactly is your beef?

sweetluar · 30/03/2022 19:57

@SpringsSprung so how do you know which children have SEN? How do you report back to SLT? Unless it is a super small school.

PurpleFlower1983 · 30/03/2022 19:57

@SpringsSprung Wow, really? Ofsted usually ask for it and the provision etc.

ArianaDumbledore · 30/03/2022 19:58

It reads to me that your DD could be struggling in the class environment and I'd wonder if she's getting a bit anxious and overwhelmed?
I once failed a hearing test because I was too shy to speak, my mum always described me as being able to hear the grass grow.

Does the maths group have a TA supporting? I'm wondering if DD has felt the shy to ask questions when stuck and has lost confidence and that group is working better for her.

I think lockdown has seen a few children struggling to adjust to whole class teaching in the classroom again.

PurpleFlower1983 · 30/03/2022 19:58

[quote sweetluar]@SpringsSprung so how do you know which children have SEN? How do you report back to SLT? Unless it is a super small school.[/quote]
This! How do you keep track of professionals involved etc?

SpringsSprung · 30/03/2022 19:58

@sweetluar

Do you work at the school? They might called it something else, it is just a list of children in the school who has Special Needs. This is usually for the SENco of the school to know how to support them, and anyone else who might need this information within the school.
I AM the SENCO! I'm genuinely shocked any other school would do such a thing and would remind them of their responsibilities with regards to GDPA.

I know of every student in our school with additional needs and/or their diagnosis and which (if any) have an EHCP. Details of such are kept with their corresponding school records.

FiveForAPound · 30/03/2022 19:58

When we had OFSTED in they had a list of all of the SEN dc and they went from class to class and asked about every one of them.

SpringsSprung · 30/03/2022 19:59

@FiveForAPound

When we had OFSTED in they had a list of all of the SEN dc and they went from class to class and asked about every one of them.
I provide the information myself.

Yes it is a super small village school but the last one wasn't. Although it was split into two

Invasionofthegutsnatchers · 30/03/2022 20:01

Dear Lord. Completely uninformed and entitled parents taking their position on the high horse and brazening it out to assert themselves in the midst of highly trained and experienced professionals.

You are not the experts here

sweetluar · 30/03/2022 20:02

@SpringsSprung This is an excellent approach, you should know each child really well, however, in your absence or in case someone needs to access this information, a list like this might be helpful.

PurpleFlower1983 · 30/03/2022 20:03

@SpringsSprung It’s very unusual not to have a central register for this, at least in my area. Ofsted often ask to see it but I suppose some schools do it differently. Every school I have come across has a SEND register.