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Original poster

Anyone elses child done the Early Literacy Support scheme at school?

44 replies

stellar · 13/01/2004 16:25

My DD2 who is 5 yrs and in Year 1 has been put under this scheme by her new school. She had her first session today.

When I picked her up today she had a folder with some homework in it. The homework was "these are the words we are learning today" and it was her first name, the initial of her first name, her surname and the initial of her surname.

I was really shocked when I saw it as there has been no mention of her having any learning problems etc before now. To me this is all stuff she should have done when she started in reception - she shouldn't be having to do this half way through year 1.

I went and spoke to her teacher and showed myself up by getting upset and crying (I'm 31wks pg with no4 and DS 3yrs didn't sleep very well last night). She tried to reassure me but am still very upset - I feel like she's been put in a "thick class" (sorry for the non PC term).

Can someone whos child has been through this please reassure me as its really got to me (well no-one wants to think of there being anything wrong with there child do they?)

thanks

Stella xx

OP posts:

KathG · 18/01/2007 11:54

at the moment she is just revisiting (learning for the first time) combined vowel sounds - I think this has been a revelation to her. I am not as convinced by the kumon English as the maths (where she is speeding ahead and very fluent in both remembering sums and extrapolating them). I definitely didn't learn by any phonics scheme as I have had to work them out...

KathG · 19/01/2007 09:39

meeting about ELS today - have passed the first hurdle and convinced DD it is a treat to be allowed to do it!

KathG · 19/01/2007 20:03

just an update: they start next week, and at least the kids on it think it is a treat. The school's version of ELS seems to be a "conventional" mix of skills, but as I think my DD mainly needs confidence, just being in a small group will help.

KathG · 01/02/2007 19:35

How are the rest of you getting on with this? I am not impressed so far....

EMMinthepink · 25/02/2007 12:58

Hi Stellar, hope you get this, even though it was a while ago you posted. My DS was put into 'Pips' class in year 1 as his literacy was not very strong, at first I was shocked by the homework, it was really easy, but it really built up his confidence and now he is in year 3 he loves reading. It has nothing to do with their inteligence, my DS is now in the 'more able pupil' group at school and the teachers are expecting him to get into a very good secondary school . Pips just takes them back to the fundamentals and once they have an understanding of that 'the world is their oyster' so to say. So don't worry, it really is a good thing and we just did the homework with him, he didn't need extra outside classes, if anything it might have confused him more.

dinny · 25/09/2007 19:02

hello, my dd has just had a letter back saying she is doing ELS (year 1)
have to say I thought her reading etc has really come on so far this term, so am quite shocked really. and am also worried about the other kids teasing etc.

dinny · 25/09/2007 20:48

bump - any more experiences

jennifersofia · 25/09/2007 21:58

We offer this in my class, (Y1) and it really is a great opportunity - that isn't just 'enthusiastic teacher speak'! I have seen children make great progress with it - and have turned from either reluctant, or 'it hasn't quite clicked yet' readers into good readers. Never had any feeling that the children participating feel left out or 'different'. We have many children in the classroom getting support for all different sorts of things so it is just one more 'group'.

dinny · 25/09/2007 22:01

thanks, Jennifersofia - good to read positive things like that.

am just feeling so guilty and puzzled - I have read to dd (and ds) SO much since they could sit up, if not younger - books at bed, in the bath, in the park, everywhere!

so infuriating to speak to some mums who have barely read their dc one book before Reception yet they have clicked and are boxes ahead of dd. gggr, sorry to sound disgruntled!

KathG · 27/09/2007 21:48

My dd did it last year - my initial reaction as you can see earlier in the thread matches yours. However, I don't know how effective the scheme itself was but she thoroughly enjoyed time out from class lessons. She is trying to read, mostly successfully everything around her now.

jennifersofia · 29/09/2007 11:09

Don't feel guilty - you have been doing all the right things, which is far more than many parents do unfortunately! The process of learning phonics and learning to read is somewhat mysterious in that with some children it clicks right away and others are late bloomers. My dh was quite late to read, but went on to further education, my dsis(in law) was reading when she went into reception and left school at 16. I think it depends partly on how the child develops, what their learning style is and how their brain functions. I don't think a child's reading age necessarily maps directly onto their intelligence or further success in education and job/life. Just keep gently encouraging, keep reading with/to/helping her to enjoy books and words, and helping her to do homework, and give it time.

garland · 14/12/2007 11:59

My youngest chid will be starting the ELS programme in January.
As with everyone else here I was initially concerned as I have always read to, listened to and given positive encouragement. It somehow felt like a reflection on my inability to help my child.
However I was reminded by my 1st child who also completed a similar type of course at the same primary school that the course is designed for those children who will excel given that extra bit of help in smaller more structured groups.
My 1st child said the most sensible and encouraging thing to me in relation to my 2nd starting this course which was - "It helped me to build up my confidence in class and I now appreciate the fact that I was given the opportunity rather than being allowed to just struggle along and remain average" - funny that a child can say the most sensible and encouraging things sometimes. My 1st was offered places at 2 selective schools upon leaving the primary school so I am more than willing to give this a go.

ticandtoc · 12/01/2008 01:09

Hi there

I am in a similar situation - just today I got a letter from the deputy head of my 6 year old's school. They got my name wrong for a start - even though I used to sit on the board of governor's...

the wording went something like this:

Dear wrong name,

I am pleased to inform you that your son has been selected to take part in Early Literacy Support which takes place every day for 20 minutes.

If you have any questions please call... etc ect.

Well, firstly I had no idea what ELS was - I had to look it up on the internet! The way they said they were "pleased to tell me..2 made me thing we'd won the lottery or something.

I am completely shocked I've been told in this way and of course there's no talking to any teachers as it is now the weekend.

I am very upset. My son loves reading and writing - he often spends an hour at a time just writing stuff he likes to write... and I have always been really surprised by how good his reading is.

I know I am a biased Mum... but I am really upset to hear that the first homework is to write a name... my son has been able to write his four-part name since he was 5!!

Could the school have got it wrong? Children don't know they're being assessed and often won't perform for assessing teachers...

I know I should be pleased he's getting help if he needs it but what I am worried about is that being excluded from the rest of the class and made to focus on something because it is a problem - I'm worried he might be a bit sensitive about that.

I haven't even talked about this to him and won't because I don't want to make it into a big deal but first thing on Monday I am down the school.

Anyone with any words of advice?

jennifersofia · 12/01/2008 11:43

It is like winning the lottery! There are only 6 children in my class that can do the ELS programme, and that means that they get more than 1.5 hrs extra intensive teaching time per week with a specially trained person. I would love to have many more in my class do the programme, but it has to be limited and I feel sorry for some of the ones that we have to leave out.
As to writing the name thing, they have to follow a very specific programme, and it progresses from there. It might even be as an emphasis on just doing the homework, rather than 'can they write their name'.
I do think the school should have given you a bit more information about the programme, but if you speak to the teacher, or person doing the ELS, I am sure they will be more than happy to explain.
They do assess very carefully, so I would be surprised if they had got it wrong.
I really have never had any feeling that the children doing the programme felt excluded. If anything, some of the other children (including my best readers) wish that they were doing it.

Roobie · 12/01/2008 11:51

My 5 yo dd has just started this this term - one of 6 from her class. I think it's great and I might even be miffed if I were a parent of one of the 24 who weren't getting the benefit of this special class. My dd is there or there abouts with her reading and writing but just needs that little leg up to really take off.

maverick · 12/01/2008 21:04

If any of your children are doing ELS, make absolutely certain that it's the NEW updated (to bring it in line with the Rose Report) version. The new ELS is available now online so there should be no reason not to use it.

www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/primary/publications/literacy/63469/nls_els0076707intro.pdf

I've had a quick look at it and it's not wonderful, but better than the old version - and is designed to work alongside any good synthetic phonic classroom programme including the DCSF's Letters and Sounds.

Isinic · 22/01/2008 19:40

My DD2 came home yesterday and told me she didn't go into assembly she was going to a different teacher to do work. I had had no notice from school so wrote them a note,(they go to after school), and received a reply tonight, apologising for not getting in touch and with some info on ELS. I wasn't told why she was doing it. She is an August birthday and has always struggled with reading and writing, but I never considered her to be unitelligent. But it does feel like she's been put with the thickies. I really struggle with the idea that there are children just 4 weeks younger than her who have only just started school and she is in Y1. It doesn't help that DD1 is only in Y2 and being one of the oldest is doind really well.It is a bit insulting when you are sent home info which patronises you about reading to your child and being seen to read at home, when you know that's what you have always done. Sorry about the rant, but feeling loads better having seen I'm not the only one, and it looks like a good think. If only schools could try to communicate with parents like adults, it might prevent all this angst.

bigdonna · 31/01/2008 07:59

my son was put in this in yr 1 he came on in leaps and bounds and now is expected to get level 5 s in his sats this year so dont worry it helps them.

cory · 31/01/2008 09:26

My ds struggles a bit with reading and writing, despite us being a very academic family and dd being top in literacy. I don't take it personally, I'm just pleased that he gets the help that is suitable to him. Patricularly as I think he is quite intelligent, and not being able to do what his friends do is knocking his confidence, much more than getting booster lessons.

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