Reception report shock bad grades

[Cons]

My DS1 brought home his first graded school report, mainly 5's or 6's. I thought this was fine until I compared it to his friend's reports, mainly 8's some 9's, I was horrified. My husband and I are very academically minded, we both have masters degrees and believe wholeheartedly in the importance of education. What are we doing wrong? We are devastated by this report as it is the first time he has been 'graded' At home it is hard to get him to do his homework, he is not interested at all in reading, writing, maths etc. He would rather be playing. I thought this was the normal behaviour of a 5 year old boy but thought he was doing OK at school, which he obviously isn't. Should we get a tutor? It seems a bit ridiculous when he is so young but I don't want him to get even further behind next year. Are our expectations too high??

He is 'average', not behind. Also, he is only FIVE!

My ds was below average at the end of Reception and is above average at the end of Y2. I don't know what he will be like in 10-15 years time. My other ds doesn't know how many beans make 5 but I don't love him less or want to swap him for one of the many brighter dcs he is friends with.

If it helps, average children with clever, interested parents who read them stories and play games with them will generally do quite well.
On the other hand, average kids with parents with unrealistic expectations, who feel that they never quite measure up, tend to be thoroughly miserable do less well.

(hmm scroll up for first page of pdf)

Snicker, you are dead right.

You need to stop comparing with other parents and ask yourself whether you are happy with his reception year - has he made progress, is he happy, does he enjoy reading/being read to?

The rest doesn't matter. Some children develop at a faster rate, and some children are generally more academic - there will be always someone getting better grades at some point, unless your child is a genius!

There is ONE question you need to be asking right now.

Is he happy at school?

The idea of such a young child with a tutor is abhorrent. Really really awful.

DD is about to enter reception, she is a summer born too. I just want her to enjoy it and PLAY. That is how children learn. Her school does not set homework in reception other than reading with a parent, but I know plenty of schools do set it that young. Depressing.

My DD is in reception and September born. She got mostly 5-7s. I'm aware that her friend got much higher grades - which is to be expected because she was a very early reader and reading has helped her develop to a greater extent than my DD. I'm quite sure my DD will do well in her own time and in her own way. It's not a race.

I really wouldn't worry.

His friends parents are either very pushy, talking shite, or pushy gobshites.

Actually mathanxiety that's what he's got

Scale Point 1
Shows an interest in classroom activities through observation or
participation
M couldn?t wait to start the pancake race. It was the end of a lovely day! M had
been busy all day in all the areas of continuous provision making pancake day resources

Scale Point 2
Dresses, undresses and manages own personal hygiene with adult support
J had been playing in the
beach area. She had been
wearing the flip flops. She
needed help to find her own
shoes and socks from the pile!
When she had found them she
proceeded to put them on.

Scale Point 3
Displays high levels of involvement in self-chosen activities
N built a car over a period of time. He collected items from both home and school to improve it.

Scale Point 4
Dresses and undresses independently and manages own personal hygiene
J carefully planted his sunflower seeds
then commented that he needed to
wash all the ?dirt and grime? off his hands
before having his snack!

Scale Point 5
Selects and uses activities and resources independently
The children decided that as it was a beautiful day they would take the bricks outside.
They even remembered suntan cream, a hat and the blue mat!

Scale Point 6
Continues to be interested, motivated and excited to learn
N became really
interested in cutting. He
has been finding
pictures to cut out.

Scale Point 7
Is confident to try out new activities, initiate and speak in a familiar group
Scale Point 7
Is confident to try out new activities, initiate and speak in a familiar group
We had been talking about the sea and
different types of fish. J did not like the
look of the fish after it had been cooked
(because it did not have any batter on
it!) but he became confident enough to
try it! In the end he really enjoyed it!

Scale Point 8
Maintains attention and concentrates
Scale Point 8
Maintains attention and concentrates
These three children had to
work out how many times to
press bee-bots buttons to
direct him along the street
to various shops.

mathanxiety that American report card!!!

Reading

Is developing an interest in books

Knows that print conveys meaning

Recognises a few familiar words

Knows that, in English, print is read from left to right, top to bottom

Shows an under-standing of the elements of stories, such as main character, sequence of events & openings

Reads a range of familiar & common words & simple sentences independently

Retells narratives in the correct sequence, drawing on language patterns of stories

Shows an understanding of how information can be found in non fiction texts to answer questions about where, who, why and how

Reads books of own choice with some fluency and accuracy

or
Identifies consonant letter sounds

Identifies short vowel sounds

Blends sounds to read one-syllable decodable words

Reads given high-frequency words

Reads simple text with 95% or above accuracy

Fountas and Pinnell
Reading Level

suggestions - read more to him, get him to read to you religiously every day
get a maths kit such as Numicons and play numbers with him
practice his shapes.
play board games with him that include some maths.
Please don't get a tutor, just play with him more.
integrate more learning stuff into your every day activities such as weighing ingredients when you bake, measure things with a ruler or with a tape measure (my kids love this)
Please don't go out buying work sheets! Integrate more learning material into your every day conversations/play.
Get him to play with things that will make his hands stronger, such as play doh, or use large plastic tweezers to find bugs in the garden www.amazon.co.uk/Learning-Resources-Jumbo-Tweezers/dp/B0041RXI16/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311106216&sr=8-1

DS in reception and they had no homework, except from reading some key words, new books every week, some maths work but they were things like 'please copy down the number plate of your parents' car. Put a circle around the numbers, and try to add them all up together'. Very simple.

Yes, Mrz, imagine -- thousands of people who were graded on report cards like that at age 5 or 6 ended up well qualified to take their places in Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Cornell, Chicago, Stanford, etc., a mere 12 or 13 years later.

He is five years old. His attainment at 5 (and grading a child of this age seems pointless quite honestly, just a way of pigeonholing) has very little bearing on how he will "perform" (dreadful word to use but am sleep deprived) later. Also, you being academic will not make your DS so. Encourage him but no hot-housing. He is a child who needs a childhood, not a plant to be forced to show early. Beware of burnout, beware of putting him off. Can he not have some fun?

Cons, don't worry. At the start of year 1 my DS was struggling with his reading in a big way, now at the end of year 1 he has gone up 9 reading levels, is working at a level suitable for the end of year 2 and is on the gifted and talented register for 3 subjects.
They each have their time when they are blossoming, some it happens early, some it happens later. Relax and enjoy him and let him enjoy being a 5 year old boy.

I think you missed my point totally mathaxiety ... you regularly condemn EYFS yet the report card you linked to is far more formal in format and expectations! and a mere 12 or 13 years later the children following EYFS and learning through play will take their place in Oxford and Cambridge

My son has just received his Year 6 SATS results: two 4 bs and a 3a. Well below the results of any of his friends. I have a PhD- and I am proud of him. Because these results show that he has been working and making progress. Other children's results are not relevant to that. My own academic results are not relevant either. His work and his learning are. As long as I can see that he is working and making progress that is what matters.

He will probably not go on to Oxbridge (unless he changes a lot over the next few years), he will probably end up with a life very different from mine. But then it's his life, not mine, and I am sure I will be proud of him. If I want academic success I will have to get off my bum Mumsnet to work and do that for myself.

MathAnxiety - but that report card for a 5-6 year old measures:

Blends sounds to read one-syllable decodable words (plus other reading and writing targets)

So in what way are they not being taught to read in Kindergarten?

DS got a similar report to yours in Reception (actually worse - he had 3s and 4s in CLL) after a Reception year spent very happily getting to grips with school, making friends, playing with the construction toys and carefully avoiding everything that sounded like "work". He then really took off in Y1 and Y2.

DD who is a girly swot and follows the teacher round the room demanding to do more writing very enthusiastic and eager to embrace more formal learning has got the 8s and 9s at the end of Reception.

I genuinely (as their mum) do not see a great deal of difference between them at this age - DD has scored "more highly" because she was good at demonstrating the things that the teacher was looking for. DS had different interests and skills.

isnt 6 average? i wouldnt be worried he is 5, he has plenty of time to reach his full potential.

I'm with Blueberry Pancake - don't get a tutor under any circumstances BUT make certain that your conversations and play with him are rich, imaginative and full of "letters and numbers" for want of a better word.

Even the most boring amble round the most boring town in the land, or a morning spent on the carpet with the cars, has endless opportunities. Talk about number plates, house numbers (what's the next one? Is that the next number? Is it really? What's the difference? Where is the next number in the sequence - oh, across the road - I wonder how many cars will come past while we're waiting to cross. That was a fancy car, wasn't it, what did you notice about it? I liked the silvery wing mirrors. Oh look, I can see the first letter of your name on that sign, can you see it too?)

Read books to him. Point things out that he might not otherwise notice. Join in his play rather than letting him 'just play', use it as a springboard for conversation. Get him involved in everything - can you get all the glasses out for dinner? How many will we need tonight? No, we won't need that many tonight, we'll need one more because Granny is coming, how many does that make? Can you help me to weigh out the pasta..

Etc, etc, etc. The most 'pushy' parents in my class have hired a tutor for their son. But equally, they never talk to him - they buy him expensive computer games and a fancy bike, ferry him to lots of sports clubs and never, ever talk to him. Talk would be a lot cheaper than the tutor....

Dumb question - how on earth do you know they never, ever talk to him?

It's a bit misleading to say 6 is average as it depends on which 6 are achieved.

My son has just finished reception his report states that any grades of 4 to 7 are considered within the normal range with 6 being considered good. I think your son sounds like he is on target and has a good foundation for year 1. I think it is much better to maintain a postive attitude towards school generally at this age talking about all the fun stuff etc aswell. Just reading stories is enough to illustrate the value of books and enagage him. Do the odd sheet if you feel it will help him but I would only consolidate not intriduce new stuff.

If I were you I would go out and by him a little congratulations card for finishing his first year in school with a good report and give him a 'special day' (I let my DS choose new paper to make stuff and did him a special snack tray with card on for him comming home) - Just an idea!

A mum I know even bought little trophys off amazon to reward her son for sports day and for something else (?) Go celebrate

Indigo,

Because, for my sins, I have extremely regular meetings with this child's parents (started out weekly, has reduced to fortnightly over the course of the year).

Over the year, we have talked about this child a lot. I have suggested having conversations with him and their response has been complete incredulity. 'Well, when he gets home he just plays on the Wii if he hasn't got a club. If he's going to a club he listens to music on his mp3 player while we're driving, surely that's what everyone does. At weekends he plays a lot of sport and we leave him at the rugby club or he goes out on his bike or he plays on the Wii or goes to his tutor. We don't really talk to him except to give him instructions, really, and to tell him he has to read his school reading book to us before he goes to bed'.

I don't mean they never address a word to him - I just mean that they have limited, very directive, verbal interaction with him..

Bizarre.