To ask DDs teacher for more work for her?

[MissDollyMix]

DD is in year 6 (standard state school, class of 32) - so less than a term left at primary school. She has her SATs coming up in the next few weeks so I guess everyone is very busy getting the whole cohort ready for that. We have parents evening tonight and DD has repeatedly asked me to tell her teacher that she is bored in class and that she doesn’t think the work is stimulating or interesting enough and she wants more challenging work. As a bit of background to this I think DD is probably quite bright- she has been scoring 114/5 in her practice SAT papers and was recently offered an academic scholarship to the local girls private school (she won’t be going but that’s another story) Historically the teacher has been sitting her with less able/challenging pupils and she has been helping them with their work which I’m ok about because it’s a nice thing for her to do and helps her with her people skills. So would I be unreasonable to pass on her message about being bored/unchallenged to her teacher? I feel bad saying it because I’m sure her teacher is already working flat out getting everything ready for SATs and also I don’t want to seem like I’m being critical of the teacher (who I might add is also a parent in my other DCs year so I’m really cautious about offending her!) I also think if DD was really bored and unchallenged wouldn’t it have already been picked up? Maybe I’m over thinking this? - 20 years after I left school and I still get nervous around teachers! Many thanks for reading- all thoughts appreciated. I don’t like to mention it to any RL friends.

Especially if they voice their thoughts amongst, or to, other kids.

YANBU at all…I’m stunned at the number of posters saying it’s not the teacher’s responsibility, they have enough to do etc !!

We had this exact issue when my son was in P5, he was finishing his work then getting bored so distracting others etc….the teacher then had “concerns about his behaviour” it came as news to her (she was a shit teacher and was later managed out) that she could possibly give him more to do…I spoke with the year head after that, he was set extension work and absolutely thrived on it. We had to do similar at secondary in some subjects too.

Teachers are stretched think I know, but when there are multi ability classes as is the norm, it’s their basic actual job to cater to all these abilities, including the higher levels

Sorry but yabu; 114/5 is not an amazing genius level score for SATs. In my DDs class that would be just about mid-table.
But yes your daughter is probably bored because SATs practice is boring, it's going over the same things day in day out.
But if you told the teacher you want her to give your DD (who I'm assuming is also your PFB) more work then YBVVU.

A lot of the curriculum is really boring. It bores bright children, weak children and the ones in between. Some teachers are able to make it a bit less boring but sometimes it is just not possible.

I also thought 114 wasn't that high. SATs are boring though for most children. Sometimes they use online resources which are marked online and don't require any extra teacher input. Dd2 was academically gifted (level 6s) and when she was in year 4 it was decided that she would be given extra work. She enjoyed the extra work but it was never marked and she became disillusioned with completing it. This was many years ago and she is now a high flying Cambridge graduate.

This is so true with good teachers. My DD is only in lower juniors but is academically able and has read all the Year 6 reference books already. The Year 6 teacher, despite the fact she isn't her class teacher, has given her a list of books to read covering topics like Economics, Business, Philosophy and Politics.

It's obviously late for your DD as it's all SATS SATS SATS but also things like starting a school newspaper, writing to politicians about matters she finds interesting (still waiting for your replies Rishi Sunak) are all things that can be done in a school context to make academically capable kids interested and more interestING.

If she has won a Scholarship surely its free? Thats the whole point of one .You want the Teacher to set extra work for one child ,and although shes passed her exam wont be going to the private school! Your Comprehensive is excellent so why put her into the exams in the first place?

Scholarships are usually just for the glory and offer only a small discount on fees or eg free music lessons for a music scholar or whatever. They don't mean a free place. That would be a 100% bursary and would be means tested.

Y6 teacher here.
It’s a rough time of year for the kids and the teachers. We are doing a lot of SATS practice and it is really dull but it’s pushed on us from SLT. I always set my more able challenges but I have to focus on my borderline children to get them through the Sats. This why most teachers hate the Sats and have tried to get them stopped or changed (we boycotted them years ago)!
Do tell the teacher she is bored but it will get better once Sats are over!!

Just adding to everyone else really, my DSis in an ex year 6 teacher she has always said that year 6 is boring for them all. The curriculum is centred around these tests and the teacher has to do everything they can to get as many kids over the line as possible. These awful sats do not take into account practical skills, kids that like history or geography, its awful really. The last term does get better!!

My DS was the same as your DC my Sister advised (as someone else said 😀) novels, next step up reading, looking at the KS3 curriculum and seeing what books they may cover, boosting Home Economics skills, using bitesize on the bbc website in topics of interest- my DS liked the science ones. Building stuff - this was particularly handy has my DS in year 7 had to build a model of the water cycle from rain cloud to river! a representation of the planets, and then in year 8 a fully labelled volcano out of paper mache 😬😂.

Local free museums are good, we have a roman dig near us so did a few visits there during visiting times. Like you we both worked too so we never made any of this a must do it was just if and when DS wanted to do something different.

My DD on the other hand struggled through her sats (she failed the English one) and school really - as she has practical skills (woodwork etc) and is wonderful at art.

Don't ask the teacher. Just give her some things to do at home for additional stretch and stimulation, e.g. reading, cooking, making, or an academic workbook.

If your Dd wants you to pass that message on then that's what you do. You may get another side to the story. There is no way you will offend the teacher, you sre obviously going to be polite and pleasant. I understand your nerves. Also don't set too much by SATS they are simply a tool for?

No she’s definitely not my first born- precious yes- but not first born!!
I couldn’t give a stuff what her SAT scores are. I merely mentioned her averages to show that she understands the curriculum. I couldn’t care less if she gets 101 or 120. No pressure here. If you’re invested enough to comment on the thread perhaps you should try reading a little of it rather than just making of the cuff foolish remarks.

Peak mumsnet right here 🙄

Wouldn’t that be lovely?! No such thing as a free place at private school- even most bursaries don’t cover 100% of fees.
Not that it’s the point of the post but she did the scholarship exams so she had options available. She chose our local state school and as her parents we are very comfortable with her choice.

Why would I do that? She’s not bored at home! Plenty going on here. Anyway, it’s all resolved now. Her excellent teacher said something to us before we even had to say anything to her.

My DD was very good at Maths and was seriously bored in class, I contacted the teacher and he said she needs to do work herself at home if she thinks what he is setting is too easy. Do not allow them to tell her that, keep pushing the school and make them teach her and push her. I organised a private tutor to teach her every week to keep her at the high standard of maths she was already achieveing and she got A's in her highers and Advanced Highers. Where I live a lot of the teachers are friends of mine do not ever let that discourage you from pushing for your own child, their education trumps friendships. I am currently in another battle for my middle child which is slghtly harder because of friendships but my children will alwys come above the teachers feelings!

This. Do not underestimate ‘the wall’.. My naturally bright DD went from breezing through her final year of primary and acing her entrance exams for a top grammar to a crumbling, anxious mess when it came to GCSEs/A levels.

Watch out, OP