Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Please can I just say how proud I am of dd2 for being "average"!

26 replies

Runoutofideas · 04/05/2012 14:57

Dd2 is an August birthday, in reception, so still 4. She really struggled to settle in at school, tears and tantrums every morning until February half term, when suddenly she decided she was fine! She refused to speak to the teacher for ages and the teacher said she had no idea of her starting point as she refused to communicate. Teacher now says she is on blue book band, which I read on here is pretty average for towards the end of reception, she is participating in class and is smiley and has lots of friends. She has come so far and I'm feeling very proud.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Pagwatch · 04/05/2012 15:11

Good for her!
My DD is nine and has no particular circumstances but is also pretty average at her school work. Average is just fine

spendthrift · 04/05/2012 16:50

Well done her! Summer born too, that's jolly good.

anthonytrollopesrevenge · 04/05/2012 18:21

Wel done to your DD OP. My DD is average in all respects too, all 32 of them as set out in her immensely detailed recent report. I am very proud of her too, she is really trying hard. I just feel sorry for the teachers producing over 30 of the silly things, when 10 minutes talking at report evening is so much more productive.

Twinny35 · 04/05/2012 18:36

Lovely to hear good news. My daughter is August born and starts reception in sept. if she's average I'll be more than happy!

EclecticShock · 04/05/2012 18:38

Good news :)

PrinceRogersNelson · 04/05/2012 18:58

My DS is August born and in Y1 and is average. It has taken him this long to get there and I am very proud of him too.
Average is absolutely fine in my book.

GoldysMum · 04/05/2012 22:01

And not that there's anything wrong with average, but if a child is average when compared with children who can be up to a year older, surely that equals above average!!!???

PurplePidjin · 04/05/2012 22:05

DN is late August born, working slightly above average in Reception, and we're immensely proud of him.

Yay for the average

complexo · 04/05/2012 22:17

finally someone on MN opens a thread to celebrate average children and someone comes and say _ ' so and so is slightly above average , yay for the average.....
a bit contraditory really...

PurplePidjin · 04/05/2012 22:25

Am I not allowed to be proud of how much my nephew has achieved?

complexo · 04/05/2012 22:30

it is just contraditory that people are here saying how much they are proud their children are average and you say yours is - slightly above average -.....
but maybe it is just me...

PurplePidjin · 04/05/2012 22:34

So that's a no then, I can't join in and be proud of what someone not related to me has managed in his short life. Thanks

complexo · 04/05/2012 22:43

Well I can't join in when people are proud of their extremely gifted children who self taught themselves to read in 3 different languages at the age of 3 before even going to a nursery....
I can finally join in an average children thread
maybe open a slightly above average one?

really sorry purple, I just have a really bad day and not very happy with myself atm

join in, whatever you want, who cares,,,

RaisinBoys · 04/05/2012 22:47

Well done OP's DD. Good for her. Glad she's enjoying school - which at 4 years old is just how it should be.

Comparisons suck!

Celebrate uniqueness

PurplePidjin · 04/05/2012 22:49

Nope, he can write the alphabet, sit still for a story, and play with other kids. Wtf use are three languages if you're 4 years old with no one to play with!

complexo · 04/05/2012 22:53

, my average child seems very happy, and that is all that matters isn't it?

redhighheels · 04/05/2012 22:59

how can any child work 'slightly above average' in reception? All they want to do is play and pick their noses !

ragged · 05/05/2012 08:56

Congrats :).
I have same thing with DS2. Ambi-handed summer born speech delayed immature boy (with history of behaviour problems). If he can hit "target" for anything, I am well pleased.

learnandsay · 05/05/2012 11:14

Super, well done.

Taffeta · 05/05/2012 11:45

I get you op and am pleased for your DD2.

My DD in Y1, Aug born, is also average. I am ashamed to admit this, but I have found this hard, as her elder brother is top of the class ( Y3), and has been since Reception.

I struggle, not because she is average in her output ( and probably her input, "do I have to do the work, Mummy?etc" ) but more because she is a forgotten child in her class. In a class full of overperforming PFBs who vie for attention ( in her teacher's words " she's not one of the ones tugging at my trousers" ) she is seemingly invisible. There is nothing of her on the school website, where in her class page on the website I see a piece of work or a photo of every single other child.

Average is great IMO in terms of her academic achievement as she has come such a long way since the beginning of Y1. But its a dangerous place to be in her school if she is forgotten.

PastSellByDate · 06/05/2012 06:37

Runoutofideas:

Absolutely thrilled for you - it must have been so hard sending a new 4 year old off to Class R this year and I'm sure you worried. Glad to hear it's been such a success - sounds like your DD had great support in school and at home to achieve so well.

complexo raises a good point: many parents' top priority is that their child is happy at school. (The level of attainment, teaching and achievement is a side issue for many)

while others (like Taffeta) worry that their 'average' child is slipping through the cracks - teacher/ TA time & resources are devoted to low attainers or high attainers to meet expectations of expected level of progress. Or possibly worry that their child should be doing better or more but isn't (for whatever reason).

I think that all these points are valid really and can see where each is coming from. From my point of view I've experienced all of these (and possibly more) and feel it depends on what is worrying you at the time and what age/ point your child is in their progress through KS1/ KS2.

PooshTun · 06/05/2012 23:55

Slightly above average? Rub it in why don't you :)

ShortbreadSam · 07/05/2012 11:51

On here you will see that people worry about ' average' ' below average' and 'above average' children being ignored/ left behind/slipping through the cracks . Maybe it is really about how we all feel about the level of input are getting generally more than their ability level.

Codandchops · 07/05/2012 12:00

I had that nice feeling too recently. DS is 9 and autistic, having got used to seeing "below average" on his assessments he is now finally achieving "average" and I am SO proud if him.

Twistlethant · 07/05/2012 13:10

Taffeta, you sound like me. DD now Y6, surrounded by high achievers, never won a thing/got a certificate/made a prefect etc etc. struggled with so many things due to some very recently identified problems. Viewed by school almost entirely in terms of what she can't do rather than what she can. And yet....really tries hard with everything, now average in most things, was absolutely thrilled to be cast as an extra in the end of year production and yes, I am very proud of her!

Flip

1 2