In Year 6 but Maths ability that of Year 4. What can we do?

6 replies

pepsi · 02/11/2006 14:12

My niece is in Year 6 and last night was parents evening. Her teacher said her Maths was poor, ability wise its that of a Year 4 student. He is going to give her extra work and hopefully she will be taken out of class when possible for extra help. She is weak at spelling, normally getting 3 or 4 out of 10 a week and her story writing doesnt have any punctuation. My children arent as old as this so I dont know whats what here. Should her parents be sitting down at home 1:1, getting her a tutor or just make sure she sits down and does her work at night and then check it. MY SIL has always told me her girls to their homework as soon as they get in so its not like they have a dd who is refusing to work. Is the government levels of expected ability pretty average. How worried should her parents be?

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sylvm · 02/11/2006 15:03

Has this come out of the blue? You say your niece is Yr 6 - how has she done in the past? If this is a sudden problem, have there been any changes in her personal/school life that might have upset her. If this is a long term problem the school have left it rather a long time to draw it to the attention of your niece's parents. If the school think there is a problem, they should be differentiating in class ie. giving appropriate work for her ability or perhaps taking her out for 1 to 1 or small group work to try to help. The most important thing here is for her parents to keep talking to the school. If they are not really sure what is going in they should ask for another appointment with the teacher or even the head. I don't think they should necessarily be worried. Some children are more academic than others. However, it seems a little strange to me, that it has only just been mentioned.

Whizzz · 02/11/2006 16:20

Like sylvm, I think the school should be giving the parents advice & guidance on what to do & certainly saying stuff like that in Year6 sounds a bit 'out of the blue'. The expectations of where kids should be at at various levels is quite broad.
If this is a sudden thing - it may be down to not understanding the teacher, getting distracted in lessons etc.
I'd ask for a sit down with her teacher & some decent explanation of the strategies that the school will be using to help her.

Whizzz · 02/11/2006 16:20

Whizzz · 02/11/2006 16:21

oops posted twice!

bigfatred · 02/11/2006 20:43

dd is poor at maths - tried a tutor and she was fab when she was sitting next to him and hopeless when she wasn't. tutors son't come with guarantees. may be she needs some one - one at home (short bursts)and check work with her not for her. school should not have suddenly just realised so there are questions to ask. good luck.

Original poster

pepsi · 06/11/2006 18:13

I can remember, not this summer just gone, but the one before my SIL saying that her school had said her maths was not good, I remember whenever she was down at my Mums my Mum used to set her some sums and stuff to help as she is good at Maths, so this must have been a problem from at least Year 4. Im cross with my SIl to be honest in not pursing this more over the last few years, the school are going to send home work sheets and also sheets to explain to parents how things should be done. My niece told me on Saturday that she is graded as an average Year 4 ability and with help they hope to get her up to average for year 5. Are loads of kids like this. Somehow I always seem to assume that everyone elses kids are mini-einsteins. I have a special needs son myself so I never know what ability is average for each age.

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