How did your child achieve Outstanding

[AlertEagle]

Hello, child in Y2 has only one Outstanding in Reading, rest of the subjects are Working At The Expected Level. I’ve been helping him a lot at home with the help of cgp books. I thought he would get more Outstanding but didn’t. I want to ask any parents of children who have got outstanding in all subjects how did you do it, is your child just clever or you helped them and if you did how did you achieve it. Thank you

Yes, all my dc learned chess at school but I can't play. One keeps nagging me but I feel
it's beyond me now 😆

It most definitely is not beyond you @oudle

Both my children were ‘greater depth’ or outstanding or ‘working above the expected level’ whatever they decide to call it at the time, in reading and writing at primary. Some years they slipped into GD in maths but some years were at the expected level. I’ll be honest, we didn’t do anything really, I think it’s probably just a natural aptitude for some things. The only thing we did do fairly religiously was read stories to them every night from being a baby until they could read for themselves and wanted to. Otherwise just all the usual stuff, toddler puzzles, counting games, educational games etc etc. They’ve also been exposed to a different language since they were born (but don’t don’t speak it) so not sure if that makes any difference. But since starting school their progress and attainment has really only been as a result of their own ability, enthusiasm and effort.
One thing I will say is that natural ability when young will only go so far. We are finding this with our eldest now she’s well into secondary. She found primary very easy and didn’t have to work that hard and now things are becoming more difficult she doesn’t have the discipline to work hard and put in the effort required to keep the same high level. So I would say that effort is a huge factor and maybe even more so than natural ability in some cases.

This reminds me of a swimming class ds went to, where the children (around 4/5 yrs) were awarded ‘levels’ at the end of term, according to various competencies achieved in the pool. I was actually approached after one such announcement, by a mother I only vaguely knew, visibly cross, saying “I can’t believe (your ds) went up a level and (my dd) didn’t!”

Both children learned to swim and neither took it up competitively as far as I’m aware! Ds certainly didn’t, despite his apparently unacceptably speedy progress through the levels!

If I could give one piece of advice, having emerged many years ago from the long school years corridor, it would be not to stress about any of this competitive/comparison stuff.
It really doesn’t matter.

In lockdown our then 10 year old managed to checkmate me in 10 moves (5 each) - first thing he said “take a photo show dad” (dad was at his empty office)!

very entertaining

dad was on chess team at school
I’m an ok general player
they learnt young and are quite decent

Start with weekend newspaper chess puzzles together

set up the board as instructed and work out together “how to get white in check 3 moves” etc

it’s a fun way to drink a tea and have time figuring out a puzzle together (plus talking)

well depends on what you call fun but we like this sort of thing! Rock’n’roll us with tea and chess (might throw in a chocolate digestive to you know live on the wild side)

I maybe totally off the mark , but I asked my daughter, a teacher, why her daughter was graded at the expected level In everything ( last year at school nursery) , when we know she functions higher than that in many areas, which nursery have confirmed verbally on numerous occasions. She said it’s partly todo with having to generate far more paperwork for ofsted purposes to prove they are above expected level, so it just doesn’t get that grading, though she says as long as they are at expected level, why worry anyway, once they are at senior school , the GCSE,s will show the level they are actually at

@ButteredRadishI’m not clear what your ‘sure they do’ refers to? That I’m making all that up? Why would I bother? But you are more than welcome to believe that 🤷🏼‍♀️

I don’t think she’s an outlier. I know plenty of kids who didn’t shine until secondary school level. It’s not unusual.

I agree with you that it’s important to identify children who are struggling, or gaps in their ability. What I’m saying is nonsense is focussing on whether a child is meeting the standard or outstanding. As long as they’re not falling behind, getting hung up on grades at that age is chasing butterflies.

@AlertEagle honestly don’t stress out
outstanding in more in Y2 is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things
kids that age have such huge variation in their development still with the age brackets
and much that age is down to a natural academic aligned intelligence

enjoy your son
play
do fun learning

if you push too hard, or seem disappointed with “working at” your reaction or expectations will do more harm than good

he could be as outstanding as you like, hit 14, discover hanging out and girl/boyfriends/gaming and flunk the lot!

so have fun and play with him whilst he still wants to spend time with you

@frozendaisy If I don't pick something up quickly it turns me off, even more so the older I get. But I will take your tips and try this summer.

I had a meeting with the teacher during December and she said she has high hopes he will hit outstanding in everything by the end of the year. I got the cgp books by her recommendation and worked on them (tbh not every time but still helped him) I thought it was enough.

But thats why I am asking the question, did you achieve it by helping her or she did it on her own. I know children can score one year and high the next. I’m not making him do work to be honest most of the time we are at the park. I want to continue making him read every day for 15 min during the school holidays and maybe do a bit of handwriting because his handwriting is not quite there yet.

I am obviously not Mumsnet worthy.

I have no clue what my girls scores were, (in primary school?) let alone what "outstanding" actually looks like in a child. Does it matter?

My daughters just bumbled along merrily at primary school.

At home we did reading, music, running about, and building Motte and Bailey castles out of papier mache.
(The last for homework, not for choice!).

Both came out of uni with firsts... (and were the first generation of uni goers in our families) and have jobs in teaching.

Would be very wary of always chasing the next thing... give what you can, provide as happy a childhood as you can, with parent(s) who support and value a wide range of learning (academic, artistic, sporty).

What does GD stand for?
for example we have the English comprehension book and the grammar, they’ve been bery helpful because he was struggling with comprehension. I have one for handwriting but there isnt a lot of time and the weathers been nice so we’ve spent a lot of time playing.

Just to update:
I’ve read all of your comments and I do agree I shouldnt put this on him. Most of the time we are outside playing but we do read every day for 15min.

it was his teacher who told me she expects him to hit outstanding with more work. So thats why I got cgp books to help him and I thought it was enough. Looking at it now I should have left it. Btw this is a second teacher saying she expects outstanding from him because they said they know he can. He’s only 7😭

We let her be a child ie didn't sit her down with CGP books BUT we encouraged reading, sat down at the table each night to talk about current affairs, did 1000s of museums/galleries etc (still do all these things FYI) and supported her interests.
It's more important to let your child enjoy their childhood + school, don't put pressure on your child.
In the long run what will be will be

Baking, board games, music, reading to them. Letting your child see you read and have hobbies. Going for walks, being curious.

GD is greater depth

Would you mind telling me what is the summer reading challenge

Ultimately, it doesn't matter.

So in yr 6 you sit SATs and can score up to 120, anything above 110 is GD.

@AlertEagle "I want to continue making him read every day". Making someone do something really kills enthusiasm.

Model behaviour that you want to see.
How often does he see mum sitting down, engrossed in a book? Reading something funny and laughing out loud? We shared "dad joke " books from the charity shop.

Take the reports with a pinch of salt.

My child was rated meets expectations for maths and greater depth for reading which I know is not correct, it is the other way around for the work we set him at home.

Unless the results have some bearing eg selective school application there's no need to worry about it. Just focus on where you think they need help at home and ignore the very generic school reports.

He loves chess