Does anyone else feel their child's potential is underestimated?

[Cortina]

Ok, first off DS is no child prodigy and has shown no signs of genius as yet :).

It's a new school year and DS has just started back in Y2. He's doing well now (he missed much of reception due to illness) and made up a lot of ground in Y1.

He's seen as low to middle ability and the teacher described him as pretty average in Y1 - he finished at level 2c. I was looking at the TES website a while ago and I saw teachers talking about their HA, MA, and LA pupils (high ability, middle ability and low ability). Although the teachers didn't say as much reading between the lines these arbitrary groups don't really change that much. It's a rare LA child that becomes HA etc. We can use this sort of thinking to predict where a child will be in the years ahead etc, etc.

I suppose I need some reassurance that DS isn't just going to plod along as it is believed his self esteem will suffer if he goes too far out of his depth etc?

To give an example, last year a group of children were extended in their reading. My son has been on the same book band since last March - I would say he reads about 4 levels ahead at home. It's early days in the new term and I am sure things will change. He's a good reader with very good comprehension but I am not sure he has shown what he can do at at school? It's not quite Noddy at school and Shakespeare at home but it's getting close :)! :)

He's done some guided reading so far but, from what he said, it's at a level which didn't give him any stretch and very within his comfort zone.

New teacher seems very capable and we'll see how it goes. I probably worry far too much about these things :) I do have my reasons.

Does this anyone else feel this way and can any teachers hold my hand and offer any reassurance?

See how it goes this year and what the new teacher says at parents evenings before you worry.

There is an awful lot that gets re-assessed at the over Year 2 anyway as a lot of children have uneven learning (spurts and plateaus) up to that age and they have SATs near the end of the year.

Yes, I will do. I just have this feeling that if my son was put in the top group, extended into year 3 etc with his reading and comprehension etc he would be able to deliver at that level in time. Not sure about his maths etc.

Working to an average level and being at the top end of a group with current lower attainment (which is where it was believed he was best placed) isn't an ideal long term strategy to my mind.

I do believe that children will deliver what we expect of them to a degree (and even adults). I have done a lot of reading on ability and potential and it's surprised me.

My child went from LA/at risk for reading in reception to HA in Year 2. It does happen.

Just keep up healthy and open communication with the teachers. If you have reading records, for example, maybe occasionally jot down what you're currently reading at home.

My dd went from level 1 in yr 2 so low ability to level 5's in yr6, level 8,7,7 in yr 10 and is an Oxbridge candidate this year.

Some children are slow developers and some make fits and starts with progress. At no time did I feel the schools didn't see potential in fact I was surprised that a dd who could barely read write and spell on leaving infants was considered top of her year in year 5.

Cortina, if your son finished Year 1 at a level 2C, then I wouldn't describe him as low to middle ability, especially if he was making up lost ground from the previous year. Are the rest of his classmates particularly high achieving do you think? Personally, I think it takes new teachers at least a few weeks to get to know the children properly and assess their abilities, so I would just keep on reading with him, and talking to him at home, and bide your time a little. Do you have a parents's evening in October?

Great to hear that asdx2. Yes, a parents evening in Oct or Nov I think.

Yes, it is quite a able year I think/high current attainment.

I was looking at TES for something else and was struck by teachers talking about their HA, MA and LA groups. Probably just for ease of reference rather than meaning these were in any way fixed but it did seem they had a tendency to remain as they were. Last year DS was seen as a LA for the best part of the year and this was independent of his level it seemed (or at least I felt I had to fight against this way of thinking- have mentioned it in previous posts).

My groups are fixed but the children aren't if that makes sense; although there isn;t a great deal of movement there is some.

re reading books i'd aim for the child to make 1 mistake a book or half a book on those i send home depending upon length. i also look for comprehension, expression etc

Must be a high achieving year if 2c is considered low to middle ability.

Yes, it seems it is lovecheese. It seems a lot of the class also turn 7 around October-November time if that makes any odds?

In Yr2 my ds read to the teacher once every 2 weeks for 5 minutes, and had one guided reading session the whole year. Being in a high ability table would have made no difference to his progress as most of his reading practice took place at home - where I had the option to choose the level of books he read - he left Year 2 with a Level 3 after being labelled as a real struggler in Reception.

Maths didn't stretch him either as he was put in a low to middle ability group, again I helped him a little at home and he left year 2 with a 2A in his Maths - not genius but certainly not the struggler they had labelled him as.

I do believe a little help at home can go a long way, especially for the kids who do not fit into the mainstream mode of learning.

No idea what this year will bring - maybe he'll have matured enough to find classroom time more useful - or maybe his the teacher will understand his needs a bit more....I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised.