Is anyone a year 1 teacher?

Wombatbum · 2023-04-01T16:15:29+00:00

My little boy came home yesterday with his end of term report. It says he’s working towards in every area apart from spoken language which he is ‘on track’ for. I was shocked as nobody has ever said he’s behind with anything. I was certain his last report (the first one of year 1) didn’t say this but when I dug it out it did, I think I must not have read the supporting information and thought that they only needed to be ‘on track’ at the end of the school year. I know at the end of Reception he was where he was meant to be, he’d also achieved a lot of the 40-60+ bits of the EYFS at pre-school (I know this as i work at the pre-school). It’s come as a bit of a shock really. Our 15 and 16 year old went to the same school and I have been thinking it doesn’t seem to be as good as I felt it was back then. They got outstanding at their last inspection but that is 10 years ago now! The teenagers have always been fairly high achievers and the only difference I’ve noticed between him and them is that it took him a little longer to grasp how to read but now he’s doing well. I guess I just want to know how I can help him and try and get him on track! He is so knowledgeable about things and loves to learn about animals/dinosaurs/space. I’ve found some reading books in the charity shop so we can do extra reading at home. Can anyone recommend any apps/work books? We have numbots and he hates it he says it’s boring.

lilyboleyn · 01/04/2023 17:41

Assume he’s working towards because it’s not the end of the year yet, and they are end of year 1 expectations. Ask them if he’s on track to meet expectations by the end of the year.

Lovanna · 01/04/2023 17:44

If you are helping him to read independently, please ask the school which phonics programme they are using and use this, including the matched books.

Phonics has become so prescriptive that you risk confusing him.

Please do carry on reading to him though.

Pinkflipflop85 · 01/04/2023 17:47

Read to him every day.
Make sure you're knowledgeable on which phonics scheme they are using.

Numbots will really help with his maths. The children in my class who use it regularly are doing extremely well in class as they now have really good number sense.

HubertTheGoat · 01/04/2023 17:48

Speak to the school. Bear in mind the curriculum became much harder after 2014. What I used to teach in Y5 I now teach in Y3. The standards aren't achievable for all children.

PetitPorpoise · 01/04/2023 17:52

I do the CGP daily practice workbooks with my Year 1 son. He likes the maths one the best but we also do a bit of handwriting, phonics and English a couple of times per week. We also read his reading book every night and then I read him a chapter of something he couldn't easily manage by himself, such as The Ickabog, Roald Dahl or The Magic Faraway Tree.

Original poster

Wombatbum · 01/04/2023 18:14

lilyboleyn · 01/04/2023 17:41

Assume he’s working towards because it’s not the end of the year yet, and they are end of year 1 expectations. Ask them if he’s on track to meet expectations by the end of the year.

That’s what I had assumed it was but on reading the info sheet it’s saying it’s for this point in the year, so he is behind.

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Original poster

Wombatbum · 01/04/2023 18:16

I do read to him every day, he gets at least one story at bed time. I will try and encourage numbots more, I think I may need to bribe!

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Wombatbum · 01/04/2023 18:16

I will definitely speak to school, but it’s now the Easter holidays and I was hoping to try and get some things done in the next fortnight!

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Genevie82 · 01/04/2023 18:53

Check out reading chest book club online - really good and affordable. Ask his teacher to give you specific book band to match up at home x

Newuser82 · 01/04/2023 18:55

lilyboleyn · 01/04/2023 17:41

Assume he’s working towards because it’s not the end of the year yet, and they are end of year 1 expectations. Ask them if he’s on track to meet expectations by the end of the year.

Yes I made this mistake once.

BridetoBee · 01/04/2023 19:06

What band reading books is he bringing home? Look at the maths and writing objectives online and see which bits you think he may need in the meantime!

FiveDrinkingGin · 01/04/2023 19:12

Also, try to remember that this is just Year 1, they're only just out of reception. Lots of kids take a little while to shift into more classroom learning as it is quite different in Year 1 compared to Reception.

We did number things on the way to school (odd/even house numbers and adding numbers on car registration plates). Eye Spy is a good phonics game (we started with phonics sounds not letter names). Even things like helping with baking (weighing out), how many cakes can everyone eat (12 cakes and four people), or how many will be have at the end (6 cooling and 6 in the oven) etc. Building Lego was also a good one, we'd follow the numbered instructions, then my son would describe the bricks to me so I could help find them, so how many studs, shape name etc. I would help him build by reminding how how many studs along it had to go etc. It takes a bit of brain power and time, but I tried to get any extra 'work' into our everyday life rather than insisting on sitting down and doing extra worksheets and things.

runforyourdog · 01/04/2023 19:12

What sort of level is he at OP? My DS is in Y1 but I wouldn't say setting the world alight academically but I think he just needs confidence, so I'm not too worried. His maths seems pretty good and his reading has improved loads recently (on yellow at the mo but reading them well), his handwriting though is poor. Hoping he will 'get it' all of a sudden!

Itstarts · 01/04/2023 19:12

If he was 40-60 at the end of reception then that is behind. They should be GLD by end of reception.

1AngelicFruitCake · 01/04/2023 19:18

A few things
I think it’s poor of the school to not let you know he’s working towards before the report came out. It’s better to have honest conversations early on.

Try not to see it as the school going downhill. As another poster said, standards are higher now than they were 10+ years ago.

Try to view it all more objectively (it’s hard when it’s your child). Think about what he seems to struggle with. Reading and maths is easiest to practise at home. Lots of maths questions when out and about.

Original poster

Wombatbum · 01/04/2023 19:52

BridetoBee · 01/04/2023 19:06

What band reading books is he bringing home? Look at the maths and writing objectives online and see which bits you think he may need in the meantime!

He’s on the green band

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Wombatbum · 01/04/2023 19:57

Itstarts · 01/04/2023 19:12

If he was 40-60 at the end of reception then that is behind. They should be GLD by end of reception.

So I worked at his pre-school up until 4 weeks before he left. That following year coincided with the new EYFS framework. His Reception report did not say he was behind. I can’t find it to see exactly what it said but I know it didn’t.

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Original poster

Wombatbum · 01/04/2023 19:57

FiveDrinkingGin · 01/04/2023 19:12

Also, try to remember that this is just Year 1, they're only just out of reception. Lots of kids take a little while to shift into more classroom learning as it is quite different in Year 1 compared to Reception.

We did number things on the way to school (odd/even house numbers and adding numbers on car registration plates). Eye Spy is a good phonics game (we started with phonics sounds not letter names). Even things like helping with baking (weighing out), how many cakes can everyone eat (12 cakes and four people), or how many will be have at the end (6 cooling and 6 in the oven) etc. Building Lego was also a good one, we'd follow the numbered instructions, then my son would describe the bricks to me so I could help find them, so how many studs, shape name etc. I would help him build by reminding how how many studs along it had to go etc. It takes a bit of brain power and time, but I tried to get any extra 'work' into our everyday life rather than insisting on sitting down and doing extra worksheets and things.

Thank you, I will try and do it like this

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Original poster

Wombatbum · 01/04/2023 19:58

runforyourdog · 01/04/2023 19:12

What sort of level is he at OP? My DS is in Y1 but I wouldn't say setting the world alight academically but I think he just needs confidence, so I'm not too worried. His maths seems pretty good and his reading has improved loads recently (on yellow at the mo but reading them well), his handwriting though is poor. Hoping he will 'get it' all of a sudden!

I’ve always thought he was really switched on, I know he doesn’t like writing but thought that was a boy thing. It’s surprised me that he’s behind on maths too.

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1AngelicFruitCake · 02/04/2023 10:44

Sometimes parents can perceive their child to be ‘bright’ but don’t realise how bright the actual bright children are. My daughter seems bright to me but I know she’s just above average.

Also private day nurseries (in my experience as a Nursery teacher) tend to be more generous with their assessments, whereas I am more realistic and need to be because it impacts further on in school what I assess them as now.

Original poster

Wombatbum · 02/04/2023 10:47

1AngelicFruitCake · 02/04/2023 10:44

Sometimes parents can perceive their child to be ‘bright’ but don’t realise how bright the actual bright children are. My daughter seems bright to me but I know she’s just above average.

Also private day nurseries (in my experience as a Nursery teacher) tend to be more generous with their assessments, whereas I am more realistic and need to be because it impacts further on in school what I assess them as now.

He didn’t go to a private day nursery

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1AngelicFruitCake · 02/04/2023 18:41

Sometimes children find the jump to KS1 quite hard. There’s lots you can do to catch him up. If you search on mumsnet there are lots of great apps to use as well.

saladfingers · 02/04/2023 18:45

Green bookband is exactly where he should be at this point in Y1 and hopefully orange by the end of the summer term.

Monstermoomoo · 02/04/2023 18:50

Not sure how helpful this is but my son was a bit behind in most areas in reception and year 1. Now in year 2 he only really needs to work on his letter formation but he's on track for reading, maths and all other areas. I think they grow up a lot in year 2 as they're still so very little in year 1.

I also can't help but think that if the teacher was concerned about your child's learning they would have said something way before the end of term report

Rayn22 · 02/04/2023 20:27

To be honest this is not just your little boy. My reception class are behind and we are still feeling the impact of covid. Especially in speech and language. Read with him lots and play number games! Look at Jack Hartman on u tube for maths.