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Original poster

Are there any KS1 teachers out there who can give me some advice?

156 replies

WantAnOrange · 11/04/2012 15:56

DS will be 6 at the end of June, he is in year 1. His attainment levels are 'below expected' in reading, writing and maths.

I am giving him extra support at home to practise his reading and writing. We read every day (once or twice) and practice writing every day. He is also doing the 'Book Quest' at our local library because he loves it, and gives him yet more practice.

I have always found that he finds maths very easy Confused.

Can you tell me what the "expected levels" are at the end of Year 1? I have not found his teacher very forthcoming and I'm finding it hard to know what to do without knowing the (ideal) end goal.

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FamiliesShareGerms · 12/04/2012 07:57

MNHQ - any chance of funding for a cloning programme to ensure every primary school in the UK has a mrz in it please?! I think this might well resolve the literacy problems in our schools..!

seeker · 12/04/2012 08:14

I've got nothing to add except that I think you should talk to the teacher again. The head sounds bizarre.

Ask what NC level he is currently working at.

Oh, and you said something about telling the time. That's something that a lot of children find incredibly difficult. Don't get bogged down in that one- it'll drive you mad!

mrsshears · 12/04/2012 08:28

Op not much help i'm afraid and i won't say too much as the schools and head sound incredibly similair.
My dd has a huge gulf between achievement at school compared to home which i was told was down to my 5 year old child being manipulative and playing home off against school,my friend who has a child at the same school who is behind was told that was down to effort on the child and parents part!!!
I just wanted to post to let you know you are not on your own and i sympathise as i know how upsetting it is.

mrsshears · 12/04/2012 08:30

I was told the above by the head btw.

CuffingChunt · 12/04/2012 08:49

I have found this thread really interesting.
Thank you Mrz
DS1 is in y1 and I was told that he isn't achieving what his teacher thought he would be for his level of intelligence in reading and writing he has met expected level 1b (he is November born though) and he should be higher.
I just wonder if he isn't getting phonics and i think he remembers words by sight. I will have a look at the links on the PC later.
He is ahead in Maths (1C) but he knows he isn't in the top group for reading or writing. Which is affecting his self esteem.

Sorry for the hijack!

mrz · 12/04/2012 09:01

Can I just say 1C is the lowest sub level do you mean 1A

CuffingChunt · 12/04/2012 09:04

Sorry I meant 2C

seeker · 12/04/2012 09:06

I would have thought 1b in year 1 is pretty good, isn't it? Particularly at reading, which tends to accelerate once the basics are really firmly in place. 2c for Maths is very good.

mrz · 12/04/2012 09:12

Yes 1B is pretty good and it doesn't match up with a child still working at phase 3 letters and sounds. I think the OP needs to talk to the class teacher.

Original poster
WantAnOrange · 13/04/2012 10:52

I will be making an appointment to speak to his teacher again. I don't understand the "1b/2c" levels. Is that the national curriculum levels? We have never been told what level or phase he is working at, I only know what phase because he is sent home with sounds to practice and I downloaded the Letters and Sound myself and looked it up!

The books are colour coded and he is on red books.

seeker he really wants to know how to tell the time. He asks every 5 bloody seconds! I believe firmly that children will let you know when they are ready to learn something new so I'm going with it.

mrsshears maybe they are at the same school?!

I have discussed his glue ear with the teacher several times. I always let her know in the morning if he is having a bad day. The school has a deaf unit and specifically provides for children with hearing impairments so I trusted that they would deal with his glue ear effectively. I will ask exactly what they do when he has a bad day. It seems obvious to me that he would find it harder to hear the different sounds.

Part of me is resigned to just riding out this term and hoping he gets a better teacher in year 2. Failing that, what school do you work at mrz and when can he start? Wink

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IndigoBell · 13/04/2012 10:59

Red books! As in level 1 or 2?

At Easter in Y1?

That's not good. Not good at all.

(Although due to the fact that they're sending home 'look and say' books, it might not reflect how he can read. Maybe on a phonics scheme he'd be reading books at a different level)

IndigoBell · 13/04/2012 11:02

Here's a guide to book bands.

Red is for halfway through reception.

(Although, of course, it's not nearly that simple. All schools have different policies wrt moving kids up book bands and everything else)

Original poster
WantAnOrange · 13/04/2012 11:02

He's been on red books all year IndigoBell. I have no idea about levels.

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mrz · 13/04/2012 11:03

Glue ear is a big problem for young children learning to read (in fact any learning ) and to be honest there isn't a huge amount that can be done other than sitting the child near the teacher and making sure they look at you when you are talking. Has the doctor talked about grommets?

yes 1b is a National Curriculum level but red books are p8ish (below NC levels) and would match with a child who hasn't been taught/completed phase 3 so I would stress you really do need to talk to his teacher.

seeker · 13/04/2012 11:04

"seeker he really wants to know how to tell the time. He asks every 5 bloody seconds! I believe firmly that children will let you know when they are ready to learn something new so I'm going with it."

That's what I thought too. 3 years later, I remember practically throwing dd out of the car on holiday because she still didn't get it!

I got a digital clock for ds.

Original poster
WantAnOrange · 13/04/2012 11:05

Looking at that guide he could read the Yellow book, but would find the Blue book more challenging (not un-doable though).

OP posts:
Feenie · 13/04/2012 11:19

I have the same problem with my ds in reading - he wasn't progressing at all in January, was on red level, was only sent look and say books and had lost interest completely. Sad

Having left it to the school up until then (am a Literacy coordinator in a different school), I took over. We subscribed to Reading Chest (could have brought books from my school, but these come in a huge envelope addressed to him, which piqued his interest) and read lots of phonic books which were red level, and ignored the school books. I also assessed his phonic knowledge and found gaps at Phase 3 which we filled easily by practising them daily. He's coming along in leaps and bounds now, the school have moved him to blue (but continue to send crap books home).

When I raised all this at parents evening, including the fact that my ds thinks they only 'do' phonics 3 times a week, the teacher said that was true. The two classes in Y1 are ability grouped, ds is in the middle and they are all at Phase 3 (Reception). She couldn't really justify why they teach it this way apart from shrugging and saying 'timetabling constraints'. I got a load of flannel about teaching phonics through other subjects the other two days Hmm. It clearly isn't working then - Christ knows what phase the bottom group are on!

She also says my ds is a 1b, like yours, but says his 'decoding lags behind his comprehension' - yes, that happens if you fail to teach them how to decode properly Hmm.

I thought I was filling in gaps - am very shocked that I am actually pre-teaching the phonics, since we are ahead at home. Am seeing the head next week to discuss why his group are so far behind. I guess the difference between my ds and yours is that my ds's school don't think he or the other children are behind. Hmm

If subscribing to Reading Chest is an option, I would do that and ignore the school books - and tick all the phonic schemes. It's made a world of difference to ds's reading already.

IndigoBell · 13/04/2012 11:32

Feenie - are you a parent governor for your DSs school? Wink

(I am, and by god it's hard work - trying to maintain a great parent relationship with school - while simultaneously asking them very hard questions about their literacy teaching....)

Original poster
WantAnOrange · 13/04/2012 11:39

I've had a look Reading Chest and it's lovely but £££. I will talk to DH. What do you think mrz, worth it? (I seem towant your approval now Blush)

I will be going to the Library either this afternoon or tomorrow depending on a delivery I'm stuck in for, I will talk to them and see if they have the coloured book bands as well, as this would make it easier to pick the right books for DS.

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Feenie · 13/04/2012 11:40

I would LOVE to be - stood when ds had just started Reception, was in an election race with another lady and lost Blush - no other vacancies have come up but I don't know whether I would dare stand again anyway, it's very embarrassing losing an election!

Would also relish the opportunity to pass on the baton of teacher governor at our place, tbh.

Feenie · 13/04/2012 11:42

We spend £10 a month and get two swaps - and we swap 3 books a time. So that's 6 new books a month, added to the initial four. Ds likes the gold stars and chart too - a star each time a book is finished.

IndigoBell · 13/04/2012 11:47

I think Reading Chest is very expensive.

I think you're better off with Bear Necesseties or Dancing Bears if you can afford it.

It's £16, but that gives you a complete 'learn to read' scheme, which you do with your child 10 minutes a night. It'll take you months and months to complete it - so is very good value.

Feenie · 13/04/2012 11:58

Are books included though? I really wanted ds to see himself as a reader - which he just couldn't with ORT books. It wouldn't have been so bad if they'd at least seen ORT through from the beginning but chucking him on at Stage 3 at the beginning of Y1 was just nonsensical.

Original poster
WantAnOrange · 13/04/2012 12:08

I've looked at Bear Necesseties. I'm not sure about it tbh, it says children will learn to read three letter words in 2 - 3 weeks. DS has been able to do this for a year so that would be going backwards right?

Also it doesn't include lots of books for practise with, which would mean I still need to join Reading Chest and/or make regular trips to the library anyway.

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