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Original poster

Reception DS will not meet EYFS goals. School not helping - what can I do?

62 replies

RaisinsNotGrapes · 30/05/2015 15:47

I would really appreciate some help and advice from anyone who has experience of this, as a teacher or a parent.

DS attends a local primary school. I have just been asked to go into school to meet the Inclusion officer. She stated in no uncertain terms that DS will not meet EYFS goals in handwriting and a couple of behavioural areas (listening). He is in reception.

Has class teacher has had a quick word with me at pick up, perhaps 5 times throughout the year. She has said things like, DS refused to do handwriting today. Or DS did not listen today. I have been talking to DS about this a lot. I did not get the impression from his class teacher it was a severe problem. Nothing has been mentioned at the 2 parents evenings we have attended.

The inclusion officer told me there are incidents of DS not listening every single day. Why have they not made me aware of this before?

The inclusion officer also said DS will definitely not meet EYFS goals/targets. There is no time for him to turn things around because the reports are being written in 3 weeks. The school did not propose anything for helping or supporting him, or addressing the problems. They said if DS was unable to do the things being asked of him they would help, but as he is CHOOSING not to do the things asked of him, they will not help.

They repeatedly asked if he behaves like this at home.

I am completely confused. What should I be doing next in regards to getting the school to support these issues? I am working with DS every day at home and talking, explaining to him what is expected at school. But I am not there throughout the school day and clearly me supporting him at home with this is not enough.

OP posts:
pudcat · 30/05/2015 17:56

What do they mean by excellent handwriting at the beginning of the year? Surely just then he would be mark making and doing all the fine motor skill work we have mentioned. At this age they should be making learning fun to do.

McFarts · 30/05/2015 17:56

When you say your son had glue ear but then it cleared, how long ago was this?

Have to say his school sounds bloody hopeless! i would absolutely go in there Monday morning and inform them that you have Parent Partnership coming out to help you draft a letter to the LEA to request statutory assessment for an EHCP assessment!. Sounds like the type of school that spends it SEN budget on anything but SEN.

pippop1 · 30/05/2015 18:03

Could he be very bright and have decided not to cooperate because he is bored?

Silvercatowner · 30/05/2015 18:18

Do you know his strengths? There seems to be a lot of focus on what he can't do, and it must be terribly dispiriting. What is he good at, what does he enjoy? Focus on those.

Asheth · 30/05/2015 18:20

My DS 'failed' most of his EYFS targets. I think only three were marked 'as expected'. He's currently expected to achieve all of the yr one targets with flying colours!

The more structured approach or yr 1 may suit your DS better. Once he starts there arrange a meeting with the yr 1 teacher and discuss any concerns you or they have.

CountryMummy1 · 30/05/2015 18:21

I second requesting an EHC plan. It certainly got my daughter's nursery moving to get her an IEP in place!

BlackeyedSusan · 30/05/2015 18:23

ds met very few of the early learning goals. he is now in year two and doing fine. he was bottom of the class groups in year one but worked his way up. not sure where he is now but not at the bottom. (far from bottom according to teacher , so guessing somehwere around the midddle, just above middle)

ask the school what they are going to do to ensure that he meets the goals and makes progress. they are the ones with the issue, they are the ones that need to sort it. email them with a summary of what you perceive they discussed, even if that is that they intend to do nothing.. especially if they intend to do nothing.

if they refuse to do a daily report about his behaviour, then I would presume that it is not that serious and or there are several worse behaving children.

we had a meeting at scoool and were warned that it was likely that a few summer borns would not meet the new criteria. it is not surprising really. some would be stiil only four not turning five until after the assessments in May.

DD did not do that well on the early years learning goals either... did not do enough of the stuff that needed assessing. also refused to write until after the assessments. this was a physical issue rather than intellectual. age played a big part too. she has been tested as well above average...ie just because they don't reach some of the profile does not mean there is anything that bad to worry about. (she was spikey profile and inconsistent with achievement)

m0therofdragons · 30/05/2015 18:28

My friend's ds was like that in reception. He improved a bit in year one but now in year 2 it has all clicked and he's exceeding all targets. I know it's hard but you can't make him do writing if he doesn't want to and you're not there so really the school need to put something in place that you can support at home.
One boy in dd's class hates school. He just wants to be at home playing with lego. My bil is a teacher and when I told him his reaction was "well why doesn't the teacher use lego in lessons? Other dc would enjoy it and it could be used to engage that dc in his learning!" So find out what ds likes and try to link it with learning.
Don't worry too much. I'd just be keeping an eye on it at this stage as reception really is very little.

Original poster
RaisinsNotGrapes · 30/05/2015 18:30

DS' class teacher describes him as exceptionally bright. He is exceeding in maths for example, and very articulate.

His emotional development clearly isn't as developed. He likes to have things his way and finds it difficult to let friends choose the activity. He likes to think he is making his own decisions on a lot of things. I work on this with him, I am teaching him to be more flexible. This is his temperament. I have another child who does not behave like this at all.

If the reason he is not handwriting anymore is because he is bored, what can be done? At the beginning of the year he was writing 4-5 sentences happily, with perfect letter formation, very neatly.

OP posts:
TheTroubleWithAngels · 30/05/2015 18:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Silvercatowner · 30/05/2015 18:39

The notion of a 5 year old being judged to be failing is abhorrent - what sort of society do we have, that judges its young people so negatively.

Original poster
RaisinsNotGrapes · 30/05/2015 18:41

In the end, I don't know how to proceed with the school and with helping my DS.

In a nutshell, they have asked for a meeting with me because the LA recommended it after being concerned about DS's 'spikey' profile.

They say DS will not meet EYFS goals, and there is nothing that can be done to change that. They say there is no problem with learning difficulties. They believe DS chooses not to cooperate and does not care about being reprimanded by senior teachers.

With his handwriting, DS was writing beautiful, neat sentences with properly formed letters in terms 1 and 2. In term 3 he has refused to do handwriting. Is it correct that he will now not meet EYFS goal for handwriting?

OP posts:
guggenheim · 30/05/2015 18:43

Try this- look around the classroom,all walls with examples of drawings and writing on. Then tally up how many of the displayed work is from girls and how many from boys. My prediction is that the majority,at this stage will feature writing from girls.

Then please ask the inclusion officer to explain that situation to you.

AAAAARRRRRRGGGGH! 4/5 year old children do not fail fucking anything! The EYFS targets have been shifted about again. Children will be made to feel 'failures',parents will be unnecessarily worried. FFS!

My handwriting sucks,that's ok though because luckily, none of my exams nor my professional career relied on bloody handwriting.

guggenheim · 30/05/2015 18:47

Ok- I'm ranting now.

When they do their writing,is it a whole class sit down and write kind of thing?

OR

Might it possibly,possibly be that they do it in small groups. So children might be in the middle of a game and are called away to do some,oh so exciting,writing. Maybe it is a teeny,weeny bit boring to do writing while some of your friends continue that great game of lego/ construction/ Elsa V Spiderman?

Sheeesh.

Aeroflotgirl · 30/05/2015 18:52

Thank feck in my day of primary school there wasent this type if rubbish, standards seemed to be better. This was over 30 years ago.

Original poster
RaisinsNotGrapes · 30/05/2015 18:55

The handwriting is done in small groups, called away from group Lego making or running around in the garden outside.

OP posts:
VoldemortsNipple · 30/05/2015 19:00

Ask to see his profile. Read the observations, look at the gaps at where he is not meeting targets and ask yourself if you feel he is meeting them at home. Look at where he exceeds and what he seems to enjoy then ask the teacher how you and they could encourage literacy in these areas. For example if ds is always in the construction area, do they have writing material there too. Could they ask ds to write what he is going to build or how he will achieve it.

guggenheim · 30/05/2015 19:06

RaisinsNotGrapes please forgive my ranting.

I think that you need to either smile and nod at the inclusion officer- it is all twaddle and they are just box ticking.

or call them on it and push back as has been suggested earlier.

If he was older and had been in school longer then I can see situations where handwriting could improve and assessment by an OT might be called for.They haven't really helped you in any way by calling in the inclusion officer.

Ask for details of his 'problem' including what is happening in the classroom when writing occurs.
Ask for referral to an ot and ask for a written strategy for handwriting intervention.

It is only my opinion but it doesn't sound to me as though your ds has a difficulty at this particular stage. They are right to keep you informed but they should have something positive to say.

SolidGoldBrass · 30/05/2015 19:10

It sounds to me like this school is shit. I do actually work in education (but only at a very low administrative level) and my work takes me into a variety of schools: the good ones would not react like this.

Also, quite outside of the current, frankly disastrous, Government obsession with box-ticking and bean-counting, your little boy is five. He has plenty of time to catch up on his writing and the rest of it. I bet the school is pooing its collective pants because Ofsted are hanging around and licking their chops so everything's about finding a way to shift the blame to the parents.

Are there any other, better schools nearby? Don't go by Ofsted, ask local parents, have a look at the place.

And if you really feel the teachers aren't doing what they should, remember that a parent can always appeal to the school governors.

Aeroflotgirl · 30/05/2015 19:17

Yyy solidgold I was very delayed at school, I guess a late bloomer, even my handwriting was rubbish at 12. I have a good MSc and BA in Psychology and hope to do the Doctorate in Clinical psychology, 5 is a mere baby. Learning is a lifelong process that does not end at 18. The older I got, my understanding, reading and writing got better. The school are trying to write off this little boy. I would seriously look for another school.

Silvercatowner · 30/05/2015 19:26

Actually thinking about it my son had similar ;'issues' at the same age. He's now almost completed a doctorate so I don't think the dire prognosis was justified.

Original poster
RaisinsNotGrapes · 30/05/2015 20:18

My experience with the school so far is worrying, I fear they are writing him off.

But why on earth would they write off a child that is exceeding in so many other areas? This is an outstanding school with an excellent local reputation. They are one of the best schools in the country according to the league tables. On paper, DS should be thriving at this school. He is so bright in so many areas. His class teacher has told us he is exceptionally bright at both parents evenings.

OP posts:
cheminotte · 30/05/2015 20:31

My ds2 will not meet his targets by the end of Reception either. But this hasn't come as a great surprise to me as I've had regular meetings with his teacher and the Senco since he started and have a home / school book that is written in most days.
His brother is very bright but still struggles with handwriting in Y3.
I don't think they are writing your son off. I would ask them how they can support him, e.g. an assessment by an Educational Psychologist who can recommend next steps.

Original poster
RaisinsNotGrapes · 30/05/2015 20:38

Thanks for the reassurances chemincote.

Why are they not agreeing to a home/school book I wonder? Do they think this is a problem, or do they not think it's a problem?

I would feel much better if the school were actively suggesting some strategies to help resolve the issues. So far they seem to be intimating it is a behavioural issue I need to resolve at home, and does not come under the schools' remit.

OP posts:
pudcat · 30/05/2015 20:43

All the best people have rotten handwriting - just look at drs. Maybe the problem is that your son has a lot he wants to write about but doing perfectly formed handwriting stunts his thoughts and imagination. You really do need to ask the school what they are going to do about it. If I was called from Lego or running around the garden I would not hear them either.