I feel I know so little about what and how DS (7) does at school - I want to see more of his work!

[gabsid]

I supported my DS all last year in maths and he progressed well. However, at the end of Y2 his teacher send home some worksheets and old tests. This was sooo helpful! I could see where he is going wrong much better than just practicing randomn Y2 topics.

We never saw any work, e.g. exercise books with targets and work in it. When speaking to his teacher over the year I could see that they are doing several worksheets per week but I never saw any of that work - it would have been helpful to see what he does in school and to support him.

It would have been great if these worksheets would have been stuck in an exercise book or folder and send home with the homework tasks - they had an extra homework book for only homework.

I find it quite irritating not to see any of DC work at school? Can I expect any change next year in junior school?

Same for us. It is almost as if they don't want parents to have this information, why? Are they worried parents will artificially boost a child's performance?

Most Preps seem to happily send books home? Key difference between state & private?

We do get targets but only on reports. Books home would show parents where a child was struggling & they could add value by helping child practise at home on weaker areas.

Here in France we get books home, but only the "official" ones with the daily tests in them. It is actually pretty hard work to work out from them where a DC is struggling or could do with some repetition. I find that going through some of the better commercially available workbooks gives me a lot more insight into what my DD does and doesn't grasp, and then I can practice her weaker areas with her at odd moments when I think she is feeling cooperative!

Problem with sending books home on a regular basis is they don't come back, or they come back torn, crushed and covered in scribbles from younger siblings and random food stains.
And you can't discriminate and say 'You can take your book, because gabsid is a proper mum who will ensure that it returns in good nick, but Jocasta can't take her book home'
So, we have parents' evenings 3 times a year at which books are available to view, children take home the majority of their work at the end of each academic year and if a parent wants to see books at any other time, all it takes is a phonecall or email for an appointment at a mutually convenient time.

I don't use many worksheets but when I do these are sent home with the children ...most don't make it out of the playground I'm afraid as mum's tend to bin them without so much as a glance.

If you want to see what he is doing, ask his teacher if you can go in and look at his books.

At the DC's primary we had the same system as FallenCaryatid's.

I'm a Y2 teacher and parents can look at their children's books at each of the parent consultations during the year (one each term) and I would be more than happy for them to come in at any pre-arranged time to look at them.

I wouldn't send books home as, in my experience, they don't all come back.

Wouldn't it be more useful for parents to be told each week (via a note or a poster in the classroom window etc) what their class would be learning the next week?

Plus, don't you get to see what he is doing for homework? IME it is practising what they were doing in class, so if they struggle, you know there is a problem.

Hamishbear, are you beginning to recognise that there may be other key differences between the students and families of some prep and state schools?
Or will you stay happily inside your bubble?

I think the idea is that the teacher teaches the child maths during class.....

Just ask to have a look. No-one can deny you that.

You need to change the culture of the school to work in partnership with parents.
Talk to the governors, parent focus group, PTA or whatever other methods and means the parents have of communicating with the SLT.
You shouldn't put up with this if you aren't happy about it.

You ask for specific changes and information and access until you get it. In many schools, including all the ones I've worked in over the years, it is the norm for this sort of collaboration to happen.
If you want that in your school, start a campaign to change what is not happening, not just for your child but for all of the children and parents.

Them as don't ask don't get.

dd and ds get a parents night twice a year - as part of that the teacher prepares a folder with the work they have been covering and you get to have a look through it before speaking to the teacher. Its always lovely to have see what they have done.

Twice a year at parents evening we can look at some work he has done and work displayed in the classroom. However, I feel this doesn't tell me if he is doing fine or struggeling in some areas.

All I was ever told by the school was that DS is 'fine' - oh how that word infurriates me! I felt he wasn't fine, especially when I found out that he was in the bottom set for maths. His teacher said DS often doesn't pay attention in class, he dreams. I spend a lot of time googling what he should know, on-line games, activities, worksheets ... and we practiced at home. He is average now.

He doesn't concentrate in class and a bit of one-to-one at home pulled him up to average.

It could have been so much easier if I had just seen what he does at school on a regular basis.

I don't know whether things have changed that much since I went to school but we had a textbook and an exercise book for every subject - and we were responsible.

I understand what you are going through Cleek & gabsid. I am moving my DS to an indie school this sept. When I was asked why on another thread I cited homework and lack of knowledge into what DS does at school as some of my reasons, I also said I would like to see workbook home everyday. I got called controlling. Was also told it will be a nightmare to get books back to school.

Like you I was responsible for my books and I brought them back to school everyday. I will encourage you to ask the teacher when school starts to allow your Dcs to come home with the workbooks for areas you are concerned about on a weekly basis and see if that helps.

I know, there is definitely a gap in state ed and private tuition providers (including online services like mathsfactor) have recognised this gap and are filling it.

mrZ 'mums' not 'mum's'

My DS is in a state school, and the parent-teacher communication is exemplary.

We can go and help in the class if we want, books are regularly sent home and his reading diary is also used as a communication method. (I write a question, they always write a full answer within two days).

I don't believe DS would be receiving a better education in a prep school.

They have an outstanding OFSTED report, and it's very clear why.

I too would find this very frustrating but as a (secondary) teacher, I am only too aware that not all parents are as interested, organised and supportive as you are. Since schools have to have systems that work for classes of 30, not just the most engaged parents (sadly) they can't always send home books because if a pupil or parent loses it then the only record of their work is gone forever. Hence the separate homework books.

You are quite right though that children are likely to do better if their parents are informed and support their work at home (without doing it for them, which just covers up problems which will surface at secondary). I'm sure if you communicate with governors or the head, particularly if you can stir up some support among a wider group of parents, they will put into place better communication arrangements.

Be aware too that when your DC go to secondary they will have separate books and teachers for 10+ subjects and the communication will be even harder to coordinate - you will have to contact individual teachers for detailed info on each subject, and parents' evenings will be only once per year.