Worrying year 1 parents evening feedback

[catsheepteacher]

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

Don't worry - if they haven't called you before with any concerns, it means that with the support she's getting at school she's doing perfectly fine. If she gets support with maths at school and then sails through her maths homework, it means the school are doing a good job. Those reports are box-ticking exercises, with very rigid assessment criteria, and not a reflection on the children's intelligence or aptitude for learning. As for the lack of confidence, it's a personality thing. My daughter took two years to start contributing to discussions at school and volunteering with answers. It will come as long as she feels happy and supported at school, which seems to be the case.

The spellings and maths worksheets sounds excessive. My y1 child only has reading.

I do wonder if teachers are looking for different things than parents. Mine is exceeding for reading/writing because of her curiousness. It’s something I’ve taken for granted but the teacher has picked out the fact she makes connections, delves quite deep into the comprehension, makes quite detailed stories. I have been concerned about her handwriting and spelling as I think it’s still a bit ropey but the teacher doesn’t actually seem that concerned about it.

On maths, she’s expected but I thought she’d be exceeding. Give her a worksheet and she can do the sums but she doesn’t get on well with the sorts of questions ‘Elaine has 10 apples and gives 3 to David. How many does she have? It may be that yours is the same in that she can do the maths but possibly can’t explain or justify it.

I do wonder if teachers are looking for different things than parents.

Unfortunately this is often the case. Teachers are looking for what is mandated by the National Curriculum 2014, which brought objectives down to much younger year groups. What I previously taught in Y5 I now often teach in the latter part of Y3. In genera, l I find parents are surprised by the level children are expected to be working at. In particular, if children are good at calculations (say times tables) it can be a shock if they are not meeting age expectations because they can't apply their calculation skills to word problems and different areas of maths. Same with decoding words versus comprehension of what they're reading.

She sounds like she’s doing well to me tbh and some of the threads I read about expectations for 5 and 6 year olds are eye popping. I’d keep doing what you’re doing, do ask for more regular feedback, and I’m a big fan of extra curricular activities that build confidence and are fun and have nothing to do with school.

@MadKittenWoman

Tutor here. She may be able to read the words in a book, but is she just ‘barking at text’? Can she retrieve information, infer hidden meanings / read between the lines, predict what will happen next, comment on the use of vocabulary, etc? Regarding maths, does she understand place value? Can she use different strategies to add and subtract? Does she understand the concepts of more and less? Grouping and sharing? It is unusual to get negative comments in Year 1, so it could be worth getting an experienced tutor in to assess and give an opinion. PM me if you want signposting for Y1 curriculum and expectations.

Are those expectations for 5/6 year olds? 😳

Try not to worry. My daughter was absolutely terrible at English at that age. She is now doing A Level English at the best state sixth form in the country and getting consistent A*s. I would have no way imagined that in a million years.

Just to say, when my eldest DS started school his reception and yr 1 teachers constantly told me he didn’t interact with others, he didn’t want to play dress up, or things like that. When I questioned them about how he was academically they brushed me off with “he’s doing ok”. It took an assessment by an educational psychologist thanks to the SENCo who happened to be his teacher for Yr 2 for him to be told he was “gifted and talented”. The yr 1 teacher actually apologised to us for not recognising it and put it down to having to teach so many children she didn’t have time to focus on him.

I wouldn’t worry too much about Yr 1 parents evening. If you feel your daughter is doing well just encourage her as best you can.

Year1 teacher here. If you want to send me a piece of her writing, I'm happy to look at it and tell you where I think she is at and how to move her along.

One of my children was in year 2 before he could write his own name properly. Fast forward a few years, and he's looking at top grades for his GCSEs. I wouldn't panic yet.

Apologies if posted earlier, just arrived at this thread and my gut reaction after 1 page is:
Did the teacher make a huge mistake and either muddle you with another parent
or
muddle DD with another child?

My only other suggestion is to have your daughter's eyesight checked. When I was young I had massive spelling and maths issues in the classroom, home was fine. It was because my eyesight is terrible and I couldn't see the whiteboard the teacher wrote on! Glasses fixed this immediately (I still remember the shock of being able to see haha).

All you said point to a very able child. I think it is her shyness getting in the way in school where she is not answering or doing her work as she does at home cause she is feeling uncomfortable in the loud busy classroom environment. I am a shy person and I know it has gotten in my way in group settings no matter how well versed or interested I am with something.

@RedPanda901

Are you sure they didn't mistaken you for the parent of another child?! Was it in person? Could you see her books and where the teacher had marked?

I had this happen to me. My lovely rule abiding child had disappeared into a naughty, non listening or trying one. I went home and said and I’m really disappointed because the teacher said you don’t pay attention, can be naughty and keep disrupting everyone. I was mortified because when I questioned the teacher she got all abrupt with me and the teaching assistant looked really uncomfortable. My daughter was beside herself and next morning school refusing started. I took her in and was called in and told she owed me an apology because she’d got the wrong child. She did apologise to my daughter but she’s never forgot that. But OP she’s year one. Finding her feet, so just encourage her because she sounds like she’s got the skills in her bag and she will be fine I’m sure.

My daughter last year was well behind at the end of year 1, in both literacy and maths, but now in year 2 is back on track. Don’t underestimate the disruption from the pandemic and how this has affected the foundations for many children.

I would echo what others have said about playing games. For imaginative play, I would recommend story cubes to “scaffold” invention.

When is her birthday - DGD is youngest in that class and can't do any of the reading you mention.
Is she a very advanced reading youngest or a shy but clever oldest.
I think it makes a lot of difference at that age.
I wouldn't panic - it's such early days.

I'm with your DH. Given your experience of your daughter I think she's doing fine.
Reading between the lines I'd say the criticism probably boils down to two things

Comprehension... can be rectified by asking questions while reading,...
what happens next
what would you do
what do you think this means

And secondly maths confidence (which is widespread)... she needs to know that getting things wrong is okay as that's how people learn. Kids often get this due to...
Parents or wider family say I'm rubbish at maths.
She sees a natural at maths child at school and feels overwhelmed.

I don't think a tutor is needed but don't worry about if she's been given help..

I ran a boosted reading (and some time ago maths) and it's generally a good thing and can be very temporary. All my pupils you could see improved generally after 3 20min sessions 1-2-1 weekly for 10 weeks and most improved by between 6 months, reading age improvement, to 2.5 years.

Oh finally a shy child if given a reading age (Salford) test can score worse than their ability, especially at young ages.

Don't worry, take the help given, if Y2 you get the same feedback then look up the booster schemes but ask the school.. what are you doing/suggest what I should do.

long answer sorry

I had similar feedback about my daughter in year 3. The teacher even suggested a tutor - which as a teacher myself I found an admission of failure and an abdication of responsibility. I didn't get a tutor. My daughter convinced herself she was no good at maths. In secondary school she had a series of lovely, talented maths teachers and by GCSE she was in the top set. I wouldn’t worry at all at this stage.

My DD is same year, but slightly older. We've found Rainbows has hugely boosted her confidence. She loves working towards the badges (which are based on different skills and the assessment is very easy-going and can involve writing, drawing, creating a collage or poster, talking to people etc) and the work they did really helped her when we moved house, school (and Rainbows company!). The First Aid badge includes a 'mental health' section and it really helped her work out what she was worried/anxious/happy/excited about. She's working on a Recycling badge at the moment and has had to create a 'recycling superhero' as part of that so there's lots of imagination involved too.

It's an hour a week usually and doesn't cost huge amounts (ours is £25 per term). Rainbows is age 5-6, then Brownies is 7-10.

I think you're very lucky to have a teacher that's looking into so much depth and hopefully can follow through with any necessary improvements

Be thankful your DD isn't bored, distracted and is being pushed

Taker her out and send her private. Sounds like she’ll excel in smaller classes.

She's year 1 so last year she was reception? She's so young for all this worry!! I hate that so much pressure is being put on children at such a young age and I know it's not schools fault, they have to try and meet targets it's the system that bothers me. It's too much. Does she get 12 spellings a week?? That sounds like a lot, my son is in year 4 and gets 20 and I think that's a lot!

Year 1? Seriously, the school sound like utter arseholes she’s basically 5 and they want her at MENSA standard

People on here suggesting a tutor or sending her private you really are the CF Mumsnet mums aren’t you,

Teachers are under pressure to get results particulary with covid lockdown , so many year 1 parents have been told the same , my granddaughters teacher said she was behind in her reading and receiving extra intervention , personally with my own experience in reception class I don’t think she is behind at all but on task. After 2 years disrupted education no wonder children are slightly behind in some areas, they missed the socialising with other children , routine and demands of being taught . I told my daughter not to get anxious just support her as she always had 🤷‍♀️

@Jessicafirsttimer

Taker her out and send her private. Sounds like she’ll excel in smaller classes.

Do you think people can just start crapping money?