To expect a child to read with a grown up at least a couple of times in the first term of reception?

[Benibidibici]

DC is late aug birthday so only just four on starting school. Happy there and enjoying it etc, settled in fine.

They are never heard read by any adult. Teacher has acknowledged this.

Have found out this week some kids are reading with an adult one on one three or four times a week.

I know they have to focus on the ones who need a bit of help but come the fuck on, how does a little 4 year old feel if they never get that little bit of one on one time with a grown up and others get loads? Its not just about the reading - its about that bit of attention, the teacher or TA learning who they are and how they respond. Surely they can fit in my DC once or twice a term if they can find 3 or 4 times a week for other kids. Dc hates never getting picked to go and read. :(

It is the parent's job to listen to their child read.
It is the teacher's job to teach them to read.

These are not the same thing.

If your child is not making progress then make an appointment to discuss that with the teacher. If they are making progress, then the teacher's methods are working for your child.

Anything about another child's learning none of your business. If their parents are concerned, it is up to them to have that conversation with the teacher. If you go in all-guns-blazing, based on the report of a 5 year old, you risk embarrassing yourself. It’s likely your child also tells their teacher half a tale about things that happen at home as well and if the children really are being heard read different numbers of time a week then it will be because their needs are different.

WFH is quite a thing now these days. I go in one morning after drop-off, then log on at 9.45 to work a full day. It's possible with many jobs (not all, of course).

Ive already taken all the flexibility i can plus wfh to be able to stop at 3pm to collect a couple of days a week. I am not allowed to take time out of the working day to go and volunteer at my children's school.

If they have time to hear several children read 40+ times in a term, i don't think i'm asking a lot that my child get a turn maybe twice a term.

Please all rtft.

Other parents told me their children were heard several times a week routinely as recorded in their reading journals.

They assumed all children were and were chatting positively about the staff/school approach.

Cannot believe the amount of people on here essentially giving me shit because ive got to work to pay for a roof over our heads and food on the table, so can't volunteer to help in school between 9 & 3.

I volunteer outside of working hours as much as i can but like most parents i have bills to pay and have to work.

Are you able to volunteer during your lunchbreak at a school near where you work?

It wont help your son directly but it will spread more volunteering around.

I would love to get back to my volunteering role but my job wont allow that at the moment.

I think that’s pretty poor of the school. My DC who is now y3 was also hardly read to. He reached a fairly high band by mid y1 but he didn’t progress from here and has only just moved to the next band by y3. That’s 2 years on the same band ! He used to spend all of the reading time in y2 helping others to read. From what I have observed children were coming in at a lower level in reception due to Covid or whatever and the school has focused its efforts on the lower abilities. Which is wrong in my opinion as the children need to PROGRESS at whatever level they are at. I would complain. When I did they didn’t listen to me and just waxed lyrical about how good my child’s maths was (missing the point…). I would ask questions in his reading record about what he needs to do next to improve fluency, comprehension, etc to continue to make good progress etc. That may sharpen their attentions.

@Benibidibici

You said in an earlier post that the teacher told you, that your child is a very able reader - to which you agreed. The teacher obviously listens to your child reading to know this. Given this might be in group session but the teacher still knows. A 1.1 intervention is just that. An intervention to support a child not meeting age related expectations. The standard number of children in a class is 30, there is then 1.1 interventions for reading and writing. It would be impossible to give 1.1 to every child. The ratio is reception is 1 adult to 30 children so no legal requirement for a TA. The teacher won’t be deliberately not listening to your child, there simply isn’t enough time in the day to teach 1.1. The lowest achieving children will always get support because they’ll have the biggest impact on data. At the end of the reception year schools submit reception data to the local authority. The schools data is constantly judged by the local authority and ofsted. Teachers are constantly measured by the performance of the class by the above, their head teacher and parents constantly want extra support for their child. Teachers are asked to do the impossible because there simply isn’t enough time in the day.Teaching is governed by politicos and data not the reason passionate teachers got in to the profession but definitely the reason we can’t retain teachers in the profession.

You child’s teacher would probably love the chance to listen to all the children read 1.1. It isn’t a viable option.

Greenfrosted

There's a teacher, a TA, and at least one volunteer who hears readers. I don't expect the teachers time, I'd be happy if he could just have a turn reading with the volunteer grown up as he notices he's never chosen to.

Bellac11
I don't take much lunchbreak. I work as much as i can between 9 & 3 to minimise after school childcare costs
When I'm retired i'll gladly volunteer in schools.

Our school asks for volunteers to come in and read and supervise forest school, trips etc all volunteers are police checked through the school. Works very well. I've enjoyed many hours working with the little ones at school!

I don't understand why you're getting so much slack!! I would be appalled and most defiantly complain.

I would let the teacher know i'm not happy as my DC feels singled out. My child shouldn't be punished for being more able. I would say if some kids are reading 4 times a week I think it is acceptable to expect my son to be twice a term minimum. If they don't agree then write a letter to the head teacher.

I understand resources are limited and there are time constraints but honestly that is appalling.

Just ask my DD (Year 4) how many times she's sat with a teacher or TA and done reading this week and she said in October 🤯

I could read very well before I even started Reception and I too was late August born so only just 4 in Reception. DC could also read before Reception?

Utter nonsense! The children highlighted will be behind in reading! They absolutely cannot 'highlight' children who receive pupil premium ffs

@ichundich What? I would be furious if some random none-DBS parent who I've never met was sat with my child reading! Jesus Christ. They could do anything whilst the staff are not looking.
Obviously I'm not implying it's likely but some people out there are capable of anything. It only takes one twisted monster

@GladioliandSweetPeas parent volunteers are DBS checked. (I certainly was 20 years ago)

Having a dbs doesn’t automatically make someone “safe” it just means they haven’t been caught!

but a parent volunteer isn’t going to be left alone with a child. They will be in a corner of the classroom surrounded by people.

GladioliandSweetPeas

Why is that nonsense?
PP children are often prioritised. They bring additional funding which helps pay for additional help and their progress is monitored. You don’t need to say why any child is highlighted as being at the top of a reading list but children falling behind or those that have SENS, IEPs, PP and EHCPs will all be focused on.

In most reception classes- actually in most year groups in primary, children are heard in groups now. It's called guided reading. They are taken out of the classroom and in group of 3/4 are talked through the book, it's phonetically read to them, then they read it themselves. They are not distracted by each other, often are at different speedS and the teacher moves around and hears them all (although not every word). This is the core way reading is 'heard' in schools now. Some children, those who are struggling, who clearly don't read with a adult at home, or who have problems working in group, may get 121 with an adult at other times. IME this has never affected a non-participating child's self-esteem. This system is time-efficient and aims to leave no child behind at the very beginning of their education.

Does you child bring home a reading book and diary? Do they read in a group with the teacher?

I can't believe this thread has turned in to criticising OP for working and not hearing her son read at school! (I say that as someone who has been a reading volunteer in the past but was lucky enough to have flexibility to do so. I never read with my own child when in school anyway as they used my time for the children who were either struggling or not heard read at home)

My son is ahead in reading. He has been heard read about 3 times since starting Reception in Sept. Not sure the class teacher has heard him read (maybe once at the start, but she has heard him read signs etc in the classroom) but the TA and cover teachers have. It's a shame your son hasn't had this.

@Benibidibici have you actually asked the teacher about it?

Wow!

My DD got books a month after starting school.

She started with a weekly library book then a phonics book was added.

Every Friday morning for 30 mins at the start of school a parent/carer is expected to stay to hear their kid read. A lot of dads make this weekly commitment when they aren't involved with the school run otherwise.

Regardless she has had lots of people reading to her since she was a baby. We refused to teach her to read before starting school as a friends kid who is equally intelligent learnt was reading fluently at Christmas.

Parents and others who volunteer in schools are DBS checked.

Your kid is ahead of the class, and you read with him at home. He doesn't need special attention from the teacher, i expect they will have heard him read in a group and know he doesn't need additional support.

The other children clearly do need additional support because they're recieving it. Not hearing him read 1:1 doesn't mean the teacher doesn't hear him read at all. At my kids school they read in groups, and take turns. Occasionally they'll read 1:1 if there's a volunteer available. The teacher was fully aware of how they were progressing.

I honestly can't see why you're so upset. Just be pleased your son is doing well. Talk to the teacher but i wouldn't approach it like you have here, as in "woe is he, why are you ignoring my child?". He's got a lot of years left to go at school.

YANBU

I teach 10yps and listen to them individually, all of them, 3-4 times per week and I have 5 different levels within my class. I prioritise it tbh as imo it is very important and it's fantastic to have that one on one time with them. Three children are heard 5x a week on top of that.