6 year old doing really well at school

[AlienLady]

My 6 year old is in the “top” of the class for both reading and maths.

How do I be proud of this without creating a boastful child? I want him to be proud of himself and keep going without boasting at school etc.

Hand on heart we had a child in Year One whose Father would have scorned the "what colour book" your child is on.
He was very proud to say his DC read the financial times over breakfast-since Reception.

Twenty years later and he's fine but not Prime Minister or anything.
It does level out a lot.
It is a marathon not a sprint.

Who was it who decided that if you're the best at reading and quick maths that you're 'top of the class'. Why isn't the child who is the best at comprehension, art, music, running, football, being a friend, having the most patience, dancing, art, science, languages, history, geography, drama, singing, cooking, sewing, has the best imagination, is the most creative etc etc 'top of the class'

If I was a year 1 teacher my 'top of the class' would absolutely be the child who listened, tried hard and had good manners. I couldn't give a shit if they can do their 7 times tables.

My DS and youngest of 3 is extremely bright and in a manner of speaking his teachers have always expressed that he is "plus,plus, plus advanced for his age academically" he's now 7. Whether he is top of his class or not I do not know.

For me this is just the way he is and actually this takes very little effort. Where he has struggled is with hand writing, but he put so much effort into this, so this is my focus, the effort and improvement seen with that as it was good to see him really having to try and something.

Regarding his intelligence I do say it's great that he has a good brain so he needs to use it well and continue to work hard to get the most out of it and do good things with it, it's not a passive gift he has!! However I am very keen to point out that there are many other qualities that are equally, if not more important than academic ability such as being a good friend, being kind, helping others out when things are tough for them,
Listening to others, compromising with others etc. with all my DC I emphasise this a lot more than academics and so far its seemed to have kept them all pretty grounded.

Because it's a school. Obviously it's great they they help socialise the children and provide a broad education but the main focus is on academics (as was the op's question). That's why the end of year report scores for reading, writing and maths rather than running, social skills etc

Anyway, I don't see it as the school's job to teach my DC to be decent human beings - that's mine and DH's responsibility.

Congratulate him for working hard but not for doing better than others or being top/best at things. It might be that he has a natural aptitude for maths which isn't a cause for congratulations it is just luck.

Those things are definitely part of the Early Years Curriculum and are intended to have equal value.