Kumon for year-one child: good idea?

[choucroutegarnie]

Our DS is in year one at our local primary, which he absolutely loves. While the school is brilliant at making children feel happy, the staff do not provide much guidance on how to help children along. DS is well below average in reading and writing, according to his teacher. She recommends 'more practice' but I don't know where to start.

While searching for tutors online I came across the Kumon method and popped into our local centre today. It seems like a helpful method - a little every day, tailored to every child.

Anyone out there who's tried it? Insiders' views and tips much appreciated.

number shark is brilliant if maths is a difficulty

also nessy for reading/spelling

Thanks everyone, very helpful. I will talk to the school and ask for online resources. Will post back.

No - ask what the school is intending to do about it. Honestly - get answers to the questions I suggested. Don't let them get away with leaving you to fill in the gaps - if there are any. He's only 6 - school should be able to provide waht he needs.

I have only come across Kumon amoung friends once (maths) and was not impressed. Ideally at year 1 you want them to be understanding how numbers work at a fundamental level, which is best done by coming at simple concepts from loads of different angles.
I think Kumon is a last resort for children wno are utterly incapable of "getting" maths, probably for ever, in which case it drives basic sums into them by rote. Very few children are I think this weak, and Kumon is a sticking plaster - it doesn't give a good platform for further development (my mother was a primary teacher and head, and agrees, for what that is worth).
I second the ideas above. Play on education city or BBC bitesize for your screen time (or try whizz maths), and, probably more valuably, play with adding and subtraction ideas, work is number bonds and make a start on tables when he is ready to understand multiplication. I really agree re Maths for Mums and Dads - gave me great confidence to make sure that I was explaining things in line with modern thinking.
And I do think that school is being really unhelpful - what on earth are you supposed to do with guidance like that. Agree with poster above - go in and ask for specific guidance on what needs work (and what they are going to do about it, as well as you) - is it his phonics, his letter sounds, his sight words, his comprehension, etc etc.
Good luck, and well done on getting right on it.