Moving back to UK system concerned for Yr 1

[PoppetUK]

Hi all,

We are returning in June from Australia and I am quite concerned that my YR 1 hasn't had much exposure to some of the things that she would have had in the UK.

I am working on her reading with her, she hasn't had a lot of practise at writing although doesn't do too bad. She has only just starting getting sight words. I've been teaching some before this but I just don't think she's been getting much practise at school so things aren't reinforced.

She's fairly switched so I hope she can catch up but I am worried that there will be things in the curriculum that she might be expected to know and will not be taught again.

Hopefully someone out there will me I've got nothing to worry about. We are moving back in 9 weeks and I am trying to stuff with her but right now seems fairly burnt out. School terms here are 10 weeks long without a break and my DD has always been one of those kids that gets worn out.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Poppet

I don't think you should worry, the range of ability in Yr1 is quite large and she's well within it (ime).

I really do hope so. I found something today and her spelling is probably at reception level judging by this. Perhaps once we have the school sorted I can speak to them and put my mind at rest.

Eg...DS (yr1) wrote in his homework book today

"I went to the swiming pool yestrday. It is fun. I go scayting. I am a catcher. I cot some people."

I reminded him about full stops, and to put an e at the end of "some", and I helped with most the spelling of "people". Rest was his own work. As near as I can tell he is about average, maybe a nudge above average, at literacy for Yr1.

(They played ladders at skate session yesterday, with a small number of catchers and a large flock of catchees, in case you wonder what that is about).

I honestly wouldn't worry, I moved my dd from an english school to a welsh medium school in the middle of yr1 and the teachers were never worried about her progress, she's now back in english school in yr4, due to another move, and is still doing fine.

Your dd will catch up really quick, if she is behind at all. If you are worried, talk to your dd's current teacher and her future school and see if they can recommend any websites so that you can see whereabouts she should be and maybe do a bit of extra work in between schools.

Link to National Curriculum site giving an idea of standards in KS1&2. There's still a lot of learning through play in Year 1 - I wouldn't worry.

It won't be a problem.

IF your DC was 8 or 9 I might be a tad more concerned, in that I happen to know 3 families whose DCs spent time in the Oz state system and all the DCs concerned had to be given extra tuition to catch them up with their UK peers- and I mean all- when they returned!

One went for her UK Y1 (5-6) to Oz. The upside was she was exposed to subjects like 'public speaking' which she'd've never have had in a UK school. She returned to the UK, in Y2 spent a term in PIPS club (slightly more intensive literacy which both my DSs also did!) and you wouldn't know there was ever a 'problem'.