Reception

[Kakoo]

Hello, I new to mumsnet and was wondering if you could give me some advice.
My daughter started reception three weeks ago and yesterday the teacher approached me and said she was having difficulty getting Her to understand things and she gave me some examples. I explained that she can be very determined and she has always been quite a handfull. She said she coulnt quite put her finger on it and it may be that they need to get someone in to assess her. I then said do you mean you think she has special needs and she said we have to be carefull not to label. I am really shocked and upset wooried. She has only been there for three weeks and missed quite a bit of pre school before Xmas due to nasty ear infection, she has never come across a potencially special needs just high spirited and very stubborn sometimes. I have just left it that we will see how she settles over next few weeks...I am just quite shocked

can you go in and observe your daughter in class for a morning to see what the teacher means

Kakoo - seems to be pretty common, I can remember loads of threads like this.

Getting her assessed is a good thing. Either there is nothing wrong and it'll put everyone's mind at rest.

Or there is something very mild there and you'll be better off knowing about it...

What didn't she understand?

Thankyou for your reply, thinking about it the teacher did mention forthcoming shadow mornings.
I think I do know what she means, but I thing its just down to wanting to do her thing rather than the teachers and its a learning curve for her. I hope so anyway. I was careful yesterday in my response as I did,nt want to come across to her teacher as a parent in denial.

I appologise for the spelling I am writing this quickly before I go to pick her up.

Thankyou especially IndigoBell that has made me feel alot better.

Apparently she has been very demanding with regard to colours ie will only have red or pink and had told the teacher her scarf did'nt belong to her. Also the teacher gave an example that she will ask her to go and get some pencils and she won't do it as though she has'nt understood. I asked DD about the scarf and she said it ws because she does'nt like it anymore, so she is aware there what she is doing.

any possibility the ear infection has affected her hearing?

Thnaks for that Unis, my mum also suggested this and I am going to contact our Doctor and arrange a hearing test on monday.

Hi - I can well understand your concerns, and it seems surprising to me that a teacher should voice such comments after just a few weeks.

I support a Reception group of five children in a mixed Key Stage 1 class two days a week, and our kids who have only been in school since Christmas have various foibles that can seem strange / annoying to adults. Crying in class; refusing to answer the register; not wanting to stay in the playground, and wandering back into school during lunchtime play; wanting to be accompanied to the toilets; having tantrums.

A good Early Years teacher should be able to absorb all this and more. School is such a big and strange environment for new kids I often think it's surprising they cope as well as they do! Is there other support in the classroom? Teaching Assistant, helper etc; they can usually help resolve such issues. Does your child know any older children in school (neighbours kids, etc) that could watch out for her at playtime, the most scary time for some kids?

Personally, I would consider it much too soon to seek professional advice, unless you or the teacher detect something seriously amiss. If the teacher "can't put her finger on it" it probably isn't anything major. I can see our new ones making progress every week, particularly in confidence and co-operation, once they get to understand the rules and where the boundaries are.

Does DD [Dear Daughter, if you are very new to MN; I only been here couple of weeks, and the FAQ item explains all the mysterious abbreviations!] seem happy at school? Has she told you what they do? Reception should be mostly "learning through play", but unfortunately many parents seem to get so hung up on the child not reading and writing within a couple of weeks!! What sort of things does she like?: painting, crafts, sand & water (which Reception should have access to sometimes, even if not every day), PE, music & singing.

Please try not to worry, and see how it goes for a few weeks. If DD is stubborn that can be quite a useful characteristic in the modern world!

Thankyou Ferguson for taking the time to post, that really has helped me, you sound like a lovely well informed person to have in a reception group.
I've felt so worried and churned up about it over the weekend, and sad for DD if she is having trouble there.
Myself and husband are pretty sure that she just needs some time and lots of support from us.