High standardised test scores (yr 1 assessments) What can I expect from the school?

[WinterHouse]

Hi.
I’m posting on this board not because I think dd is a genius, but because people on here will have an idea of what schools should provide to able pupils.

Dd goes to a primary with an excellent reputation. She sailed through early years (teacher said she was exceeding most areas before the end of Autumn term). She’s now in Year 1 and at her parents evening in Sept I was told that she had already met and exceeded the expected levels for the end of the year.

First week back after Xmas the class were given NFER assessments in reading and maths. Dd scored a standardised score of 138 and 137 respectively. She was also graded ‘well above average’ for writing.

She’s obviously doing really well which is great, but I’m worried that she’s just coasting. She finds everything easy and I can’t see that that’s healthy as she’s not learning about effort or resilience.

It’s parents evening again soon and I’d like to go in with some idea about how they should be supporting her and keeping her challenged. I know that high attainment in year 1 doesn’t mean high attainment forever, but right now she needs more and she doesn’t seem to be getting it.

Thanks.

Sport and music are quite good - though I suppose music is extra curricular. Maybe she could write stories or there’s NRICH maths website?

Thanks.
She does swimming and a dance class (although it’s a very relaxed dance class - no competitions or exams). I’ll look into other more competitive sports too. She likes the idea of playing piano so I’ll look into that too.

She loves writing stories so does a lot of that at home anyway. Is the NRich website one I can access from home?

What can I expect the school to do to offer her a bit more challenge whilst she’s there? If the work they’re giving her is differentiated (which I assume it is) it’s still seems to be easy for her.

My daughter is getting work from higher years - maths from Juniors, she's currently in reception. She's doing the maths workbooks in her own classroom and seems supported by the teacher in that setting rather than having her do lessons with the older children. I know people say it's easier in reception as it's more free play than Yr 1 so reading with interest to see what we can expect next year.

She also does gymnastics which we have found more competitive than dance, as well as playing the piano.

I'd just give her some taster sessions of other sports (maybe hockey, tennis or similar) and see what she likes?

Music is a great one to challenge.
Also Sport NO ONE is good at everything. DD has awful hand eye coordination (squint) so her target for Year 6 is to catch a ball.

Other than that I have found Primary curriculum is limiting and they cant go further so DD has found helping others (her own idea) helpful. But certainly she cant wait for high school (selective grammar)

In school, probably not much more if the work is already differentiated for the top set.

One of my best friends sisters is the governor at an Ofsted rated outstanding primary school and is the governor in charge of SENCO and gifted children. The school does differentiate work for the top 15% but there is no further differentiation specifically planned for the top 2% and there is a big difference between what challenges those two profiles.

Her son is gifted (top 1% probably) but she recognises the school doesn't have the resources for significant further differentiation as the priority is to support children with learning difficulties not fall behind.

She has to spend a significant amount of time outside of school stretching him. For instance, at home she is teaching him the next year up's math lessons.

It may be different at other schools but this is a well regarded popular and well funded school so I imagine most will struggle to do more the extreme upper end of the ability range.

Coasting is a problem so music / sport are great ideas as is doing more outside school academically if you have the time and resources.

School is unlikely to do much other than the odd thing like allowing her to skip a few reading levels in a go, ime. I used to be frustrated (it’s an outstanding primary) but now I can see what the cuts have done, and how many children have SEN and need a lot of support, and I completely get why my kids aren’t a priority.

We use school for the basics and socialisation and provided the extra stimulation at home through a variety of things over the years - ballet, football, chess, choir, learning instruments, tennis, maths club, museum visits, National Trust visits, online kids courses on everything from drawing to philosophy.

As pps have said, music is great for actually having to try! I’d highly recommend a choir, if there’s a good one locally, and that will link you in to lots of other musical stuff.

We have chosen an academically selective secondary, though.

Thanks everyone. That’s all useful to know. I’m generally happy with the school. She has a good group of friends and she’s happy there. I’ll ask what they do to stretch their more able pupils, but I won’t expect a lot.

At home I’d been concentrating on enrichment and experience. She loves visiting galleries and museums etc. I’ll find something she wants to do that will involve continued effort though. Thanks for all the suggestions. There’s bound to be a few things that pique her interest.

I think the main thing from infants is to leave loving learning and loving reading. You dont need to keep pushing and challenging as long as she is enjoying school and learning to make friends etc.

Keep up the reading with books she enjoys, dont always rush to something more challenging if what she really wants is a blinking fairy book.

Follow her interests outside of school - visit interesting places, try out different sports.

Remember its a marathon not a sprint (from someone who has been there...!)

Remember to play! And follow her lead and have free time and fun. Its so easy to get caught up in challenging and wanting to teach it all Right Now you dont want to miss the wonder of visiting the park and the farm and the beach etc when they are so small.

Thanks. That’s good advice!
She’s an only child and I’m really aware of not turning her into a “project”. She’s incredibly playful and gets lots of down time.

She reads a good range of books - and yes those fairy books do feature in there!

Have a look at STEM activities online OP. They are great for developing problem solving skills and building resilience and will build on her existing maths knowledge without just pushing her through next years learning.
Lego, robots, nrich maths puzzles are great.

Thanks. Those are all great suggestions. I actually bought a book with stem activities in it last month and I’d totally forgotten about it.

I just found this and wanted to see where everyone's kids were at five years on?

DD continued to do well with standardised scores of 140 for maths and English. Sport got binned off around Year 4 and we have a big focus on music. She plays 4 instruments to a high level.

Juniors was much better at stretching than infants.

Now starting to look at secondaries which is why some of these threads are coming back!