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?

Yes, I would have appreciated the school telling me exactly where he is compared to national expectations, and explained how children learn, and so on, instead of 'fine' and no detail or explanation - I was concerned.

However, the school is meant to be 'good' and better in maths than literacy. Children make good progress according to Ofsted. However, my DS isn't, he is thinking of Starwars Lego and not listening, there are 26 others and some are not much better. His teacher can't stand next to him all lesson, but I can sit down with him 1-1 for 15 min each day - until he hopefully snaps out of it some day soon.

DS can do great work when he is engaged, no-one seems to be able to engage him in maths though, however, maths isn't negotiable in my opinion. Its OK to be not so interested in art or sport, but not maths.

gabsid what years your son in?end year 2? starting year 3 so keystage 2.

just i dident realise they had maths sets in year 2?
my dd just finished year 1 going into year 2.
maths is her biggest weakness.

my concern with dds school is not sure they moving them up reading levels fast enough.

hope next years better. im definatly getting more involved next year.

Mam - they have tables ( not sure how many, 4 or 5 for each lesson ie literacy, numeracy and handwriting etc.

So top table (usually given a name like penguins etc, but most of the kids know which is top middle and bottom etc). Usually 2 middle tables if that makes sense.

Am not a teacher btw just a parent of a child going into yr3.

Oh forgot to say they do split the whole year group for phonics in yr2 in DS's school into higher and lower ability sets across the year iyswim.

There are 2 classes per year ( apart from DD starting reception in a class of 90 but that is a whole different story!!) so one year group teacher takes higher group and the other teacher takes the other group.

I don't have ability tables with names like 'penguins'!

Some schools find setting works in Y2, some don't. You'll just have to find out what happens at your school mam.
In fact, they'll probably let you know at the beginning of the term anyway.

mam - yes, Y2 going into Y2. I call it sets (used to teach secondary), maybe its tables, not much difference I suppose. I know DS was in bottom set because parents were invited to a maths afternoon in October and DS was one of 6 or 7 Y2 children working within a Y1 class. The Y2s were dotted all around the class though which confused me a bit. The lesson and what I saw in DS's book was far to easy for him at that point. I was continuously told he was differentiated for but I wasn't convinced - it took until Jan until he was re-assessed and moved up to a middle group in the Y2 class.

However, I don't think the main problem has gove away - DS isn't interested in maths, doesn't listen and isn't very good at applying it.

Y2 going into Y3