Support given for children above average

[lou231179]

My DS is 5 and has been moved into Year 2 instead of year 1. He is doing really well at school and is achieving levels way above his age but it seems he is not being pushed at all.

My issue comes because of a school drop in session this morning where I was told he was lazy and his work was disappointing (even though he should be literacy level 1a-c and is achieving 2b-c). They said he does the minimum required to reach each level but nothing more.

I said I don't really know what to do and the teacher shrugged and said its probably just a boy thing! I was too shocked to really respond but now have come away and thought about it - obviously I can talked to my DS but should they not be pushing him to reach his full potential even though he is above average - surely they would do it the other way round if he wasn't achieving.

He is on the waiting list for a private school and unfortunately the boys section is full, I am sure it would help if he moved but unfortunately that isn't possible right now!

My DSs were in split year classes from Y1 - Y6 ... if they are bright they will thrive when they are young for the group and tread water when they are old. But a decent school will give all of them the right level of work. My younger DS had a reading age of 17 when he was 8 ... and now, at 15, he is completely average.

DD2 is benefitting from being one of only a very small handful of year 3's in a year 4 class for one particular area and she is thriving; come next year when she will be a year 4 I have faith in her school that they will continue to push her. We will see.

Moominmammacat ... if he is completely average now, that means his reading age has gone backwards by 2 years in the last 9 years.

Or is it "average" for all children to have a reading age far in excess of their years? Certainly seems to be on Mumsnet.

Just realised you probably meant average overall, not specifically on reading age. Sorry.