Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

AIBU to complain to school

96 replies

kandykane77 · 30/11/2016 23:57

DS is in year 1 and has been in the top phonics set since the start of the year. Teacher always very complimentary about him, even commented at parents evening 3 weeks ago that he's doing extremely well for a summer born boy. Yesterday he was moved into the bottom phonics set after performing poorly on an assessment last week. I don't understand how a kid's reading can deteriorate from top set to bottom set in a few weeks. Either a) he's been in the wrong group and struggling all term, which is not ok, or b) something went wrong with the assessment and he's been moved down to a group that's too easy for him, which is not ok or c) his reading has got dramatically worse in 3 weeks, which is worrying.
Having spoken to the teacher today she contradicted herself several times and I've got no clear answer. So I've drafted a letter to the headteacher. AIBU? Am I being "that mum"? Or would you want answers too? (Fwiw DS is very cross he's been given a "baby book" instead of the books he was rather enjoying.)

OP posts:

Mummymummymummyhi · 01/12/2016 00:04

I'd ask to speak to the teacher again and say you're really quite concerned and don't really feel you got any clear answers last time, can she expand? If then, no clear answers then short note/call to head.

misshelena · 01/12/2016 00:15

Maybe "he's doing extremely well for a summer boy" is the teacher's polite way of saying that he is not doing so well compared to fall and winter kids? Maybe the teacher already sees you as "that mom" and was therefore too scared to tell you straight up?

JosephineMaynard · 01/12/2016 00:15

I'd want to know what's going on too.

Original poster

kandykane77 · 01/12/2016 00:20

If the teacher was scared of me maybe she should grow a pair. Why keep a kid in the wrong set if he's supposed to be elsewhere?
To clarify: I don't mind if he's top middle or bottom, he does his best and that's good enough for me. I mind if he is in the wrong set for his ability, which he either has been for a term or is about to be.

OP posts:

avamiah · 01/12/2016 00:32

I've never heard the term "summer born boy/girl?

catkind · 01/12/2016 00:36

One possibility is that he has been reading well by learning sight words, and they did a phonics test and realised he wasn't actually able to sound out new words. Or he somehow got the wrong end of the stick or had a bad day and they thought he wasn't able to but actually he can. Is he shy at all?

Another is an administrative tangle of some kind (is there another child with the same name in the class?). The no clear answer thing makes me wonder if it's that.

Has he actually gone down levels in the reading books brought home? Or is this just guided reading in school?

I think mummyx3's suggestion is good. Do tell the teacher about DS's being disappointed about the books too. I'd maybe ask her in advance if you could have a quick chat after school/when convenient, that will also give her the chance to formulate what actually is going on to tell you more clearly, and maybe to re-check your DS's reading too.

Though may well be they've already gone and done that after your last chat - at least that's what I do if I feel I've fluffed a conversation at work.

SpeakNoWords · 01/12/2016 00:36

There's a belief that summer born children are often behind older children in their classes, as they can be as much as 11 months younger.

I'd want to know how he is doing against the expected standard, irrespective of whether he's summer born or not.

FATEdestiny · 01/12/2016 00:38

Or (d) you have the wrong idea about the table groups the children are sat in and they were never "sets"

Original poster

kandykane77 · 01/12/2016 00:41

Fatedestiny they are definitely in sets. Reading is streamed by ability and I have been told clearly he has been moved from the top set to the bottom.

OP posts:

caroldecker · 01/12/2016 00:41

speakno It is not a belief but a fact. A child born on 31 August will be a year ahead in school than a child born a day later. They are behind at 11 and selective tests take account of the age difference.

catkind · 01/12/2016 00:43

FATE, that doesn't sound a likely answer if the DS is complaining about the books being suddenly much easier.

catkind · 01/12/2016 00:43

Sorry OP x-post.

IMissGrannyW · 01/12/2016 00:47

Not a teacher, but work in primary schools, and often read and leave threads abut schools, but in your case, I would go in and ask. And depending on HOW you ask, I don't think you'd be 'that' parent in this situation (but ask, don't tell, and don't storm in with guns blazing).

My other thought is, maybe the reading of words is good, but it's been realized the comprehension isn't good? That would be a reason to go down book bands - the children DO need to also understand what they're reading as well as being able to read the words.

You haven't said how you've found reading at home. Do you do this? What's your assessment?

Original poster

kandykane77 · 01/12/2016 00:49

Catkind he's the other way round, he sounds out very well but finds sight words harder. Yes his books have gone down several levels, he looked at them tonight like something the cat had brought in!

He can sometimes be a bit shy, yes. Apparently he's quite quiet in class but seems to have a good rapport with the teacher.
I don't want to alienate the teacher by emailing the head, but on the other hand the teacher is contradicting herself. She also said he's in the bottom set because there's nowhere else to put him even though he may find it easy. That struck me as weird.

OP posts:

ScarletSienna · 01/12/2016 00:50

Definitely ask again for some more information. Maybe by email to the teacher.

5to2 · 01/12/2016 00:51

DD1 is July born and was one of the most academically able pupils in her year at primary school.

SpeakNoWords · 01/12/2016 00:52

caroldecker do you mean that every single summer born child will behind at age 11? Or that on average they will be, where some are behind, some are average and some are ahead?

Original poster

kandykane77 · 01/12/2016 00:54

Missgranny thanks for contributing. We read at home lots and he reads to me every day. I thought they had it about right to be honest, but I'm not a teacher so if they need to move him down a level I'm cool with that, it was the sudden big drop that has concerned me, along with DS's disdain for the "baby books"
I think his comprehension is ok, we talk about what we've read and if there are questions in the back (like the biff chip and kipper books) he answers them

OP posts:

caroldecker · 01/12/2016 01:02

Speakno on average summer born children are behind at 11. Some will be ahead obviously, but being up to a year younger has an effect.
research and explanation on the link.
government paper and evidence link

catkind · 01/12/2016 01:03

Definitely another chat. Can you keep asking for clarification if she doesn't make sense? Nowhere else to put him how? How about the second group for example? What aspects of reading do they think he's fallen behind in? And why couldn't he stay on his own level for home reading books whatever group he's in?

I'd give it one more go with the teacher still. Hopefully she may have formulated a more coherent answer by now. If not is there an English coordinator or someone you could talk to? It doesn't quite feel like a headteacher conversation at this stage, but I don't think you're unreasonable wanting answers.

mathanxiety · 01/12/2016 01:04

What you should be complaining about is the setting itself. It gives children a really unfortunate and unnecessary view of themselves either as 'highest' or 'lowest' at an age when they are busy defining themselves in their own minds.

She also said he's in the bottom set because there's nowhere else to put him even though he may find it easy.
And if they insist on having setting, then rigid set sizes are not the way to go about it. There should be the maximum of flexibility. Children should not be cooling their heels in the wrong set, bored, feeling they have been knocked down a peg, not able to get back to where they were because the higher sets have gone over new work. Or struggling in a higher set because there is no room in the lower sets.

I am not sure this teacher is really on top of things.

Original poster

kandykane77 · 01/12/2016 01:11

^I am not sure this teacher is really on top of things^ You've hit the nail on the head. She's messed up somewhere imo and I'd like to know exactly where. Unfortunately she is the KS1 English Coordinator as well as his class teacher so it's her or the head.

OP posts:

AnnieAnoniMouse · 01/12/2016 01:42

If I were you I'd make an appointment with her to discuss it, give her a chance to sort it out before talking to you again. She's clearly messed up somewhere along the line and needs to get her thoughts in order & sort it out properly. If after that you still aren't happy, then go to the Head.

It's worrying though that she's screwed up something so basic. How long has she been teaching/at the school?

DixieWishbone · 01/12/2016 02:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

kandykane77 · 01/12/2016 08:03

Annie I don't know exactly but she has been at the school since my now 20 year old niece went there so quite a while

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread