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Gifted and talented

Talk to other parents about parenting a gifted child on this forum.

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Original poster

Parents evening soon and dd1 complaining that the year 2 work is too easy (she is year1)

71 replies

AnxiousElephant · 26/03/2012 21:32

We have parents evening this week. In autumn she had been reported as 2b in reading, 1b in writing and maths, so ahead of average. She is in the top work group with the majority of children in year 2 (mixed year 1 and 2/ ability group) and I know until recently that she was the top of her class in reading. She is saying that the work is too easy now.
The question is do I ask what will happen next year when she does move into year 2, as she will then be in the same mixed year 1/2 class? Do I ask for her to be moved to year 3?

OP posts:

mrsshears · 20/09/2012 17:16

simpson dd was started on yellow (band 3?) at the beginning of reception, then moved to blue after a few weeks, she was then kept on blue for 4mths to allow the rest of the top group to catch up

Original poster

AnxiousElephant · 20/09/2012 22:53

simpson orange book band isn't a low level as most bright children will be around 2c at the beginning of year 2 or working towards level 2, or maybe slightly higher at 2b - not 3c! which is five book bands ahead of that!

OP posts:

Original poster

AnxiousElephant · 20/09/2012 22:54

the expected average nc level at end of year 1 for bright kids is 1a/ 2c

OP posts:

Iamnotminterested · 21/09/2012 10:33

I think it's not the norm to have only 1 child working at that level on entry to year 2, OP. My DD2 entered year 2 at similar levels but there were 2 other children the same (I guess, I didn't quiz children or parents about NC levels, just going on what DD told me about groups) and 2 others not far behind who were put into an extension lit group. It worked really well and I never felt that she wasn't being catered for.

I would say your situation is unusual.

crazygracieuk · 21/09/2012 10:48

My son is y2 and group 3 out of 4 for guided reading and they read orange. The higher groups read lime and gold.

purrrfect · 21/09/2012 13:55

I was told my son was at level 3b at the end of last year (year 1). At the beginning of year 2 he has been put on band 8 which is purple for his guided reading as it is the level of the rest of the upper reading group. The non-guided reading books he was on last year were one stage up from white (not sure that colour that is) but so far has not been given those books. I am starting to get complaints from him that he is finding school boring as it is too easy. He is also advanced with his maths. It is so frustrating as I feel I am going to have to battle this one out with the school as he is not being stretched enough.

alcofrolic · 21/09/2012 20:20

Purple for the top reading group going into Y2.
I had three groups above purple coming into Y2 - not a particularly leafy school.

purrrfect · 21/09/2012 20:29

Just out of interest Alcofrolic, I assume from what you said you are a teacher or have done teaching? What guided reading book would you put a child onto who is in the top group and currently at level 3c (not 3b, sorry) I'm just interested that's all!

Original poster

AnxiousElephant · 21/09/2012 21:48

At the end of year 2 the usual is a couple of free readers and some on white or lime in the top group. Of dds year older group i.e the year 2's in her year 1 reading group only 1 was on lime with her and the rest were below in her class (the 1/2 years were split into three classes, so I don't know about them. However, I know she is again the only free reader in the class.
Anyhow, spoke to her teacher who was receptive as her own child was ahead and she has said they can put her into some guided reading with year 3 if she needs to, so I feel happy with that. . She said they were settling children first and then reassess the situation. Fine {smile]

OP posts:

Pooka · 21/09/2012 21:53

My ds read with year 4 top reading set when he was in year 1. Now he's in year 2 he's carried on with the same guided reading group into year 5, only will be given the additional related work - comprehension questions - which he wasnt last year. He's also in a year 2 guided reading group to keep.

He was free reading (comprehension good too, checked frequently) by Christmas of the reception year.

Pooka · 21/09/2012 21:55

Ds really enjoys going to the other class occasionally - or did last year, hasn't happened yet because of settling in stuff. He also uses books from their classroom library as there's a shortage of white or free reader books in his classroom. Or I send him in with books from home.

alcofrolic · 21/09/2012 22:41

purrrrrrr For guided reading with the top group, I normally branch out from colour bands. My lime (L3) readers seem to be lacking vocab, so as our first book this term, we read a very-easy-to-read book (Six Dinner Sid) which actually had lots of new words in it! Then we found synonyms for a number of the words. We talked about Sid's personality, which I followed up in literacy, giving the group a task to describe the personality, in addition to the appearance, of a character.

Next, we'll read a short story (or chapter book), on a level with the BFG or similar, which will be a more challenging text.

Hulababy · 21/09/2012 22:52

I work in an infant school. This is a very mixed state school with an extremely mixed group of pupils. Overall our entry levels are very much below average, end of Y2 are broadly average, and we reach expected levels with some reaching higher than expected levels.

I was in Y1 but this year moved into Y2. At this point in Y2 orange reading level is about average for the Y2 class I am in. However we have several on reading bands above this including a group reading gold and white books. We don't have a "free readers" group as such as white and lime generally include such a wide range of chapter books that we have a lot to go through. We are aware many of our children read higher books at home but for guided reading sessions white and lime do us well so we can focus on the other areas.

In Y1 we also had children working on these levels. It was not uncommon to have children working at this level in reading, writing and in numeracy.

Last year alone in my y1 class there were 3 or 4 children working at level 3 in reading, similar numbers for numeracy. Reading at our school is also higher than expected as a whole.

Whilst your DD sounds very able, a decent school should have no problem whatsoever with stretching her and challenging her. There is no reason whatsoever why she should not be able to continue in her own class with the teacher differentiating work for her.

Original poster

AnxiousElephant · 21/09/2012 23:51

holababy its not really just about reading level but that her comprehension exceeds her reading i.e. she reads a book about dinosaurs, it tells her it is a reptile, she has seen jurassic park (under supervision) and asks ''so if the dinosaurs are reptiles like a crocodile/ alligator then can you use DNA from a crocodile/ alligator to create a dinosaur?'' . Thats about far more than reading text, it shows lateral thinking which isn't really assessed. She has been able to understand characters since age 3!

OP posts:

Hulababy · 22/09/2012 09:28

Again, though, whilst it shows that your DD is very able ime of working in an infant school with a wide range of children of this kind of age it is not overly uncommon. Many children have great comprehension of things they have read and can then make inferences and considerations of how other things they know would link to it in this way. That is the great thing with comprehension style questions - they are so open ended, or should be, that allows children to do this. I have some fantastic conversations with some children in this way - some children are very knowlegable and because of their age they are open to all manner of considerations which we as adults might not think about.

Your DD sounds very able. BUT I am still adamant that any half decent school should have no problem with challenging your DD within the normal school setting. There is no reason why a teacher cannot differentiate for such a child. I am suprised that there are no other children in the school working at a high level, but sometimes that happens - but it is fine anyway, as it is easy enough to challenge a 6 year old child.

Your own example of the question is a good way it could be challenged. You extend it a bit more - you get her do some research to find out. There are great resources out there for such question answering, esp online. Or you have a look at DNA with her. Any decent teacher or TA should be able to do that.

Hulababy · 22/09/2012 09:28

BTW - this kind of thinking IS, or should be, assessed.

Jinsei · 22/09/2012 11:00

Agree hula. My dd was levelled at a 3b in reading at the end of year 1, but the school has never had any difficulty in challenging her appropriately in the classroom. She is an exceptionally good reader for her age, but she is not some kind of freak - just a bright little girl who happens to love books. Nothing that a good teacher can't deal with. :)

simpson · 22/09/2012 17:10

I thought orange level is stage 6 which is around a 1a which is low for the top group starting yr2.

DS started yr2 on gold which level9 I think....and was levelled at a 2c at the end of yr1.

He goes to a very average school and he was not the only child on this level.

To me orange seems the average but not the top iyswim.

alcofrolic · 22/09/2012 20:00

I agree simpson. 15 of my 27 children are gold and above, which is not unusual, particularly since there's been an emphasis on the teaching of reading.
I'm not sure how some schools get away with things really. We worry, worry, worry about our standards.

MadameCupcake · 09/10/2012 16:10

I think the issue you have is that the school has a lower ability across the board than some which means that the next children down to your DD are a lot lower.

DS is at a higher reading level than this and has just started Y2 and the school are having to extend their book level to accomodate him but it isn't really an issue as they will just keep pushing him. There were 4 or 5 DCs at a 3c at the end of Y1 as well but it was one of the top 5 performing schools at the end of last year so I this is not unexpected. There were honestly quite a few YR children on orange band and above in the last few years.

I don't think anyone is disagreeing that your daughter isn't very able at reading but the issue is really more that there are no other children at a similar level so the school need to work a bit harder to differentiate so if that means her going to Y3 for guided reading then that is the best thing for her.

I think numeracy/writing sounds ok as this isn't too far ahead so there really shouldn't be an issue there.

Meeknmild · 15/10/2012 10:04

I think the best thing to do is to also make an appointment to see the SENCO. As other people have said, it is the teacher's job to differentiate and provide your daughter with the correct resources for her ability. Is she on the Gifted and Talented Register? If so, then the school will be receiving funds for resources. I agree that moving your dd to a different year is not ideal from a social point of view, away from friends and so on. If you don't have any joy after that then speak to the Head.

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