Advice please - Year 2

[Lizcat]

I would like to raise a couple of issues with the teacher, but I am looking for some advice on how to do this without raising hackles.
DD is not the greatest speller in the world and is on the standard class spelling test which she does well in with some practice, however, the last two weeks she has been tested on the extension spellings without the chance to practice. The 'better' spellers in the class have these spellings at home to practice. Now I don't care whether she does the extensions or not just that she has a just to at least practice writing the spellings she is going to be tested on as correct handwriting is part of the mark.
Secondly reading the children are heard read everyday (I know we are very lucky) by a member of staff and prior to half term a teacher rather than a TA heard DD read once a week. After half term DD was moved up a level without being heard by a teacher though at parents meeting the teacher in as many words admitted that maybe she had spent a bit long on the last level. In spite of this no teacher has heard DD read since half term (I recognise the writing of all the staff in the book) which is now three weeks.
I don't want them to push DD up a level or onto extension spelling tests if they are not suitable, however, I do feel like in these two areas things are a bit casual. I know she is an easy child she works well and I am fortunate she is very good at maths and teacher has remarked she doesn't need to teach her she is just able to do it.

Really a question for teachers is my DD flying a bit beneath the radar? and do I need to make sure she just registers on the radar?

It sounds a bit like micro-managing, tbh.

I'll just crawl back in my shell then.

Can she read the books at the level she is now on?
Easily, or with some effort?
Are you reading with her daily?
When you say no teacher has heard her read, do you mean that a TA has, or that no one has?

Fair enough to ask for the spellings to practise at home before the test.

Thank you Goblin a member of staff hears every child read everyday at the school. Prior to half term a teacher heard DD read once a week since half term it has been a TA all the time. I read with her daily and she reads the books easily with accuracy and expression. When you discuss the books with her she has good understanding.
Last term I went into query the level she was on and was pretty much slapped down and then earlier this term to have it pretty much admitted that she had been left to languish for a while on the previous level.
I have also been in this term to discuss a bullying issue and was told DD was really making too much of it and was a 'glass half empty child' only to discover that other children are experiencing exactly the same problems with the same child.
I want to approach this in the best way as the last two times I have been really told I am making too much of things only to find afterwards I was partly right. Prior to this year I have never felt the need to query anything beyond normal parent teacher meetings, but things are not right this year I feel.

A TA hears Ds read everyday. I don't think his class teacher ever hears him read, at least if she does it isn't noted in his reading diary - it us always the TA's signature. Never thought to question it. The TA, I assume is qualified to listen to him and move him up levels as required. What would reading to the class teacher add?

Sorry, Lizcat, didn't mean to have a go. Just... I think they're a bit young to worry about them fulfilling their potential. Is she happy about being at school? Is she making steady progress? Those things are invaluable in themselves, already.

NO at the moment she's not really happy and no she's not really making progress

I hear all children read via guided reading each week. This doesn't go in their reading diary, however. The teacher may well be doing this.

Having said that, if she is not happy and not making progress there is an issue somewhere. Please make an appointment to speak to the teacher. I would be more than pleased to speak to you if she was in my class.

Ah, fair enough.
I reckon you're still on dodgy ground if you say too much about how they do things and how you think that's unsatisfactory. That will only get teacher's back up.
Saying "DD's both unhappy and not improved in the last X months" would be very fair points, though. Make it sound like a collaborative effort to better meet your child's needs.

Lizcat, I can't realy offer any advice re the spelling etc, but I would pursue the bullying issue. I'll hold my hand up though and say it's because it's a particularly sensitive point for me as we had bullying issues ourselves. I think there can be a bit of a tendency to pretend it isn't going on.
I must say, I didn't much like the 'glass half empty' comment either...
Hope you get it sorted, if you feel things aren't right, you have to go with your gut x

'NO at the moment she's not really happy and no she's not really making progress'

Then that's what I'd go in and say, with some specific examples of where she's not progressing and areas she is not happy about.
Very focused and expect clear responses from the teacher. if not, I'd keep asking.

goblins right ive also found they are often dismissive which can be very annoying, id be tenative as they do do guided reading regularly as panzee say's but you have valid reasons why your worried the reading /spelling issues easy to sort out and come to a mutual agreement with , but the bullying id be stern and unyielding in attitude, ive experience of this with my poor ds it went on for far too long in a school that refused to accept (HT Quote)" my little angels would never do that bullying doesnt exist in MY school" i had this time and time again untill i had to resort to a new placement (best thing i ever did) so give them a chance to place new stratagies and force them to acknowledge your dc is experiencing this and it has to be addressed by law she is entitled to feel safe whilst under their care, they seem to need reminding of child protection and safegarding rules and regs, my dc was so badly bullied he ended up self harming and has massive self worth issues due to this so dont let it carry on , good luck with it its never easy dealing with teachers

'good luck with it its never easy dealing with teachers'

Oi!!

Some of us aren't that bad.

I reckon some of us can be quite scary though. Especially if you didn't have a very nice time at school yourself. :o

Just to answer some points, there is no longer any guided reading.

I have chosen to e-mail the lead teacher with my concerns. I have read the school bullying policy and hope to get some response to this. Particularly as the school policy points out that negativity can be a response to bullying.