Six year old just learned to write a sentence.

[clairemaddox]

I would like to gauge an idea of whether my six year old needs more work or not. She has been concentrating on sums and learning how to write.

She just turned six and she wrote 'i got a bag' on her own without help.

This is the first sentence she has written all by herself in her book unaided.

I know every child is different, but is this "behind" or not?

What is the reason you are worried, OP?
In most European countries children start school at the age of six or even seven years old and most of those would not be able to write until that age at all.
Some homeschooled-unschooled children cant write or read until the age of ten or even later.
Why did you pick this example of writing a sentence on her own? I'd say its great for six year old but its not really relevant to what she is going to achieve in life.

Look at the early learning goals for the end of reception year. They show what children should be able to do when they are younger than your child.
Compared to an average UK school educated child, your child is behind. Simple sentences like that should be happening around 5 years old. I would be expecting several simple sentences from 6.5 year olds. But, there are lots of countries around the world where kids don't start writing till 7 years old and they end up doing better academically than those that start early.

I used to teach Year 1. By the summer term I'd expect to see the neat letter formation, capital letters, finger spaces, full stops, conjunctions in longer sentences, adjectives and adverbs.

My bag is heavy because it has books in it.

I got a new bag and I love it.

I can carry my bag carefully.

I got a big red bag.

I got a bag.

See the difference?

The two main areas of writing in Yr1 are stories and recount. Could you do a fun activity with her and ask her to write about it? It's fine to model some trickier words and use a word mat, but she should be writing longer sentences now. The key is to be able to plan and say what you're going to write before writing it. Please look at the national curriculum online for some guidance.

Just to give you an idea op, this was written this morning by my just turned 6year old. He did this alone with no help. He is considered by his teacher to be slightly behind with his writing.
I would echo what others have said though children who are home educated learn at a different pace to those at school. I really wouldn’t worry at this stage, she’s still very little.

No plans, we'll just respond to her needs.

That's really good and really helpful. Thank you.

My child is 6, turned 6 at the end of March. She can write simple sentences, same as your child. She knows her common words and can spell them. Her teacher is pleased with her progress and has said she is exceeding those set. So I would say your son is doing well and as good as his peers. As you home school is their a curriculum you follow for literacy with benchmarks? For example if you are in the UK and in key stage 1 it tells you what children should be able to do by age 7.

She wants to be a scientist so I envisage her taking GCSEs in science subjects when she is ready.

It’s just the way this was written, I’m sure, and I know you will be aware that the interface between home schooling and conventional education becomes most difficult at the point where a child wishes to pursue a particular academic route. To become a scientist will involve going to university. To access the very best Universities, she will need more than Science GCSEs. I’m assuming that’s not what you meant, and maybe you anticipate her taking GCSEs in science earlier than her other GCSEs?

Ds went to school and by year 3 couldn’t read or write.

I ended up taking him out of school because he wasn’t being taught anything and having to do homework which involved him copying my writing in pencil was just torture.

School broke him and he has never really recovered

I'm not worried, I'm just looking to hold myself to a high standard in what I get her to do.

I agree learning through play is good but we are just beginning to be much more structured now that I've lessened my work commitments.

It's funny you know. Just in this microcosm here where I've sought input I've seen people say that yes, she is behind and that school is best because professionals deliver the education.

Then a couple of things like this where it seems perhaps the teachers weren't best.

Well, why leave it up to chance when I can deliver the education myself, basically.

Sorry to hear about your son. I hope he's doing much better now.

I home educated my now year 2 child for a year after the initial covid lockdown. She remained on roll during this time and she returned to school a year ago at exactly the point your child is currently at the expectation by this period was that she could write about half a page of text. They’d been working up to this since before Christmas. So I’d say she’s behind where and average school educated child would be expected to be. Home education is very different, though and as others have said education is different across the world. I think it depend on what your long term plans are re education. We always intended for my daughter to return to school but if you’re wanting to know the curriculum objectives these can be found online. I used Twinkl PlanIt a lot to ensure my daughter remained on track and she returned to school perfectly on track. This was with only 1 to 1.5 hours of education a day so was easily achieved. Your child is an individual though.

What happens if you don’t see that

What do you do with children who don’t get to that standard

I work with 6/7 year old.
This is perfectly normal and certainly not a cause for concern.

I'm not sure what you are suggesting I don't realise, sorry?

Others here have said different.

Why do you think this discrepancy exists?

It’s absolutely fine.

I didn’t say school is best because it is delivered by professionals. You said that the reasons you chose home ed were the same reasons that other people chose school ed- i.e. because they want the best for their children. I agreed, but I said that part of the reason people choose school ed is that it is taught by professionals, which is the exact opposite of the reason some choose to home ed. Home ed and school ed are so different, you really can’t compare them and you really can’t compare where a home ed child would be educationally with where a school ed child would be, in many ways both positive and negative. As I said, apples and oranges.

I think if you’re teaching her you really need to start reading more about child development and milestones. Coming on to a forum like this to ask such a question when it’s easily googleable suggests you’re not quite sure what you’re doing.

I was looking for an idea of where to bring her up to, which I've got. I was looking for harsh criticism and harsh judgement, which I got.

My dyslexic 9 year wouldn’t manage that alone. Don’t compare, just support and encourage. Celebrate every effort even if not perfect

Have a look at the CLPE writing scales. This will give you a good idea of progression in writing.

I have 6yo twin boys and they do a writing workshop every Monday at school. They write about something they did over the weekend and draw a picture to illustrate it. I think it’s a lovely way to let them write about something of their own choosing, and they often chat about their chosen subject in advance.

Saying that, one of them has always been enthusiastic about writing independently, creating his own books. They wrote a book about colours together over Christmas. Just try to give her lots of opportunities to write independently about subjects she enjoys. One of mine has terrible handwriting and the other has awful spelling, but their teachers and I just gently continue to work on that stuff while being enthusiastic about what they have created.

DS in year 6 would never have created anything like that in year 1. His writing was basically illegible. Even now he forgets capital letters and his writing is pretty messy. However is he working between expected and at greater depth for his English sats so I think what they can do in year 1 varies a lot.

My sister teaches 6-7 year olds. Most of them can't even read letters yet. They just run feral "learn through play" all day long.
You should be asking your DC's teacher about their progress not a bunch of strangers on the internet.