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. :(

I have one child in my class who isn’t reading books. Reception classes send books that are decodable based on the phonics they’ve learnt. So children can read in reception, they just can’t read words with sounds they haven’t learnt yet. Some children wont be at that stage yet as they can’t blend or struggle to retain the sounds. OP’s daughter is probably doing fine in phonics and therefore doesn’t need to be caught up with reading. Just because she isn’t reading doesn’t mean she is t getting quality interaction. Some of the most important learning that happens in early years is interaction with adults in provision.

I’m fully with you OP - I think this is pretty horrific and there should be no obligation on you to be a reading volunteer just so your obviously able child gets a very baseline degree of 1-2-1 attention!

I’m afraid this is where the British state system falls down massively. There are so many SEN issues, so much need to bring the least able up, that the focus is on lowest denominator standards, rather than pushing and supporting the more able to really soar. I totally understand why, given the lack of resources, but I do think that the best teachers are the ones who have the imagination and experience to give children just the right tasks and attention to push them each further. These are seen in both the state and independent sector. I have sympathy for parents of SEN children, but that doesn’t stop it being frustrating that non-SEN children are just expected to get on with it (and the number of SEN children in a class seems to rise every year, it’s so challenging for everyone - them, the teachers, the other children). The best schools seem to have dedicated SEN areas where all pupils’ needs are properly met.

I think this is poor from the school. My able readers have been read at least weekly 🤷🏻‍♀️

Do you know what else is fucking unfair? Kids who are struggling falling further behind and - if not corrected - having their life chances severely affected because little Jonny has to have exactly 1/30th of the teacher's attention.

Our school takes a "keep up not catch up" approach in KS1 and that means some children get extra help every day and some children don't need so much support.

The school may also be using some of their notional SEN budget towards these extra interventions and some children could be getting funding through an EHCP.

Of course raise any concerns you have if you think your child is going under the radar of the teachers but if they're doing well then please let those children who need it most get that extra bit of support.

It’s sad as the focus in classrooms is often on those that need more focus whilst those more gifted can be neglected as they can get on with things.

Omg! I’m shocked.
At my children’s school, every child from reception up to end of year 3 reads one on one to an adult EVERY DAY! After that just a couple of times a week.
I think less than that is pretty poor. It’s school, learning to read is one of the main objectives!

Um…just no. In a class of 30, are 25 children supposed to be neglected just in order that the 5 with SEN come up to an average standard? Taking that approach will produce a generation of averagely able people and no outliers.

Anyway, that’s just not how life works. We don’t spend every penny of the country’s money on healthcare even though l that would save more lives. We choose to spend on music and art and sport and things of beauty and flourishing; things that enhance life and don’t just save lives (which would be the lowest common denominator). Likewise in education we shouldn’t just focus on the really struggling children at school - we need to balance the needs of all children in order that we promote excellence. For the SEN kids, that balance will involve bringing them up to a lower standard, and for others it will involve pushing them to a higher standard. Both are important.

This is why there really needs to be more differentiation in schools - it’s so unfair to all children for teachers to be forced into a ‘one size fits all’ solution. Because ultimately it doesn’t fit all, so teachers are constantly forced to adapt it and flex to such an extreme degree that they essentially fail half the kids.

You havent got a clue about the "split of attention" just because theyre not being listened to for reading doesn't mean theyre not getting attention in other areas. Be grateful that your child is not behind in reading and get a grip. And even if everything youre saying is true then if your child has their emotional needs met at home then it will make no difference. Teachers should give the most time to the ones who need it most. If your child is not neglected at home then they are lucky cos many are and they need the extra support in school.

I can't relate to what you are saying as my eldest is 9 and middle child is 6 (and just started school in August). My youngest is 3.5 and in his first year of nursery. He is no where near reading but counts very well and recognises some letters... Schooling must be vastly different across the UK, as I don't recognise any of that as normal for first year of school.

Yeah, sure you did.

OP just remember you are your child’s biggest advocate. So if you feel he needs one on one reading with an adult at school then bring it up to the school right away. Then in a week so 2 if it still hasn’t happened talk with them again. They need to know you are an involved parent and you care what’s going on with your son. Please advocate for your dc because nobody else will like a mom/dad will.

As a teacher I disagree. That approach breeds mediocrity. I want my brighter children challenged to become the best they can be and my average children supported to be lifted out of the average bracket and into excellence. And the struggling children I want to ensure understand the required framework and are able to keep up and not fall behind.

Recently retired deputy head. All children in all classes were heard read at least once a week by an adult (teacher or TA) with the lowest achieving 20%/pupil premium children being heard more often. This was really difficult at times but was made a priority.
A teacher cannot comment on a child's progress in reading if he/she is not listening to them read regularly.

Pretty sure I didn't say that children shouldn't be stretched to achieve their full potential. I merely pointed out that access to education isn't a timeshare scheme and the fact that some children get more one-to-one reading time isn't necessarily to the detriment of others.

Every child should be able to read to an adult regularly but maybe the school has staffing issues? The ones that do get chosen to read may have specific needs.

Schools do encourage parents to listen to their child reading at home regularly. This might be a good option.

I'm actually going to agree with OP here. Children are sponges and they pick up on everything. And of course never being selected to do activities that others are will feel like a negative thing.

With more able children it is important not to have them feel like they demotivated to be excelling because they miss out on other things.
And I know that from personal experience. I missed out on games and play sessions because I could read early. I got sent to advanced classes because I was ahead of my peers
And I hated it.
OP I would raise with the school as an issue.
You need to be willing to hear them out but nothing wrong with saying you're concerned and would like to understand how they are supporting your child's needs.

At my children's school they read once a week to teach/TA with a book change.
Then my children read to me morning and after school everyday and once a day on weekends.
My DD is 4 and in reception and can read 📚
My DD who is 7 struggles alot.
My DD who is 9 is actually reading Harry Potter books.
Every child is different and teacher just don't have enough time unfortunately.

many kids in reception can already read so will be taken to different reading groups to practise.

can your child read books yet? If they’re still working on phonics and can’t join the words together to read them independently yet then maybe this is why?

It’s Just a harsh reality that at school they’re not going to get 1:1 care; it’s school, it’s 30:1 and if lucky an extra TA or SEN support staff. That’s just how it is. You can’t compare based on what other kids are getting as maybe they have different needs or ability you aren’t aware of. You could always ask the teacher how it works when you next have parents evening (if not before?)

if you were worried about your child being so young in the year (and I would have been too), then it was open to you to delay their start until 5 so that they’d be a bit better able to cope with independence and less teacher input. Did you apply for that and have it rejected or just not look into it? I agree it really is so young to start school and get so much less support, there is a big developmental difference compared with those born in the early autumn.

are you reading at home with your child? They should be hearing you read stories to them every night. That’s the best thing you can do to help them.

Whether it’s fair or not, I can’t imagine when my son was 4 he’d have any idea he wasn’t getting one on one attention. He would be much more focused on his little mates than whether or not the teacher listening to him read. I’m sure most infants wouldn’t give a shit.

Lots of working parents still volunteer. It’s incredibly hard to juggle and some jobs (clinical, retail etc) this would be impossible, but if you wfh occasionally you can spare half an hour to go in and then make up the time over lunch or after bed time etc. that’s what many do so that they still get to go in occasionally.

I used to volunteer at son's school, too.

My friend knows a 'Pets as Therapy Dog' Whippet who goes into schools and ''Listens'' to the children reading. {Pets as Therapy dogs are assessed and follow strict guidelines of hygiene and good manners as well as quiet behaviour}

The children don't feel worried reading to a quiet dog, and she loves being read to.

"The school may also be using some of their notional SEN budget towards these extra interventions and some children could be getting funding through an EHCP."

This is very true. My son is in reception and they read with an adult twice a week, or daily if not meeting their expected level. My son isn't behind but reads with an adult daily because he has a 1:1 LSA and isn't able to go to the daily assembly so reads with her then.

What he actually needs, is a specialist school but despite all professionals saying that, I'm having to go to court to get the LA to actually provide that.

My son has a late July Birthday and started school at age 4.
In retrospect I wish I'd held him back a year.

He was almost a year younger than some of the other children, which makes a big difference to size and maturity when they are so young.

Firstly, are you actually sure your child is never heard reading? In my experience what a 4yr old tells you about school can be very different from what actually happens. Secondly an opinion on mumsnet is not going to solve the problem, you need to make an appointment to see the teacher or alternatively parents evenings are the place to bring things like this up and usually a parents evening for reception is quite early on in the academic year.

Your child won't be the only one stop being so precious about it I bet the other parents aren't sat having a paddy because their little darling isn't getting special 1:1 time with the teacher