Yr2 Numeracy Club

[jmspbro]

DS1 is 6, and in year2. Last day prior to half term, and we find a letter in DS1's book bag. It reads:

"Your child has been invited to join an after school numeracy club. This club has been developed for Year 2 mathematicians who are reasonably capable but who might benefit from additional opportunities to tackle a variety of problem solving activities thereby giving them a chance to apply their mathematical skills."

The letter goes on to say it will be for an hour each week over a 10 week period running to early February.

We are confused, and of course, cannot ask the school what this is about for over a week now because of half term. I wish we had received the letter a few days ago to allow us the chance to ask questions, and get some context to this. However, the timing of the letter is a separate issue.

As I have said, we are confused. We thought his maths is OK. Part of me reads this letter that he needs additional help. He has an issue with concentration, and has been held back at break times to finish class work that he is capable of finishing in class time - we know what he is like, and we welcome the school doing this. It appears to be working, because he reports that he hasn't been held back the last few weeks.

We do have the Bond Assessment Papers at home, and for the 6-7 age group, and has scored so far 18, 22 and 22 out of 25 in Maths. OK in my opinion and it gives us an indication of the areas he is not sure of.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what this Numeracy Club is likely to be about?

Thank you.

Could it be a booster class for children who will probably get a high level 2 in y2 SATs but could get a level 3 with extra help from the teacher? (Ie. the school is trying to boost its league table stats by trying to increase the number of children at level 3?)

I know that this happens in some schools with regards to year 6 SATs.

My son had something similar in Year 2, the school had obtained funding for 10 lessons after school. Again there was nothing "wrong" with his maths but it was great for him anyway. They used different teaching methods and he benefited from the one on one and small group learning. He started as the kind of quiet boy who preferred to look at the ceiling, working at a slightly lower than expected level. A term later and the teachers were raving about his dramatic improvements and natural ability! Children can still be underachieving despite meeting expected standards :)

I can't remember the name of the scheme he went on, it could well be the same one. The school are often doing similar things in other areas, not always for the top and bottom but also for those who need something else to fulfil their potential.

We have one as well. It's being done for the most able ones this term at our school. It's just fun activities to allow them to look at maths in a more practical way and develop their skills a bit.

My school blatantly does this in Y2 & Y6 - in Y2 for those that are working below level 2, to pull them up to a level 2, and for those that are at a high level 2 that the school wants to get a level 3. The ones in between get nothing.

Then in Y5, they identify those that are not on course to get a level 4 in Y6 SATS, and they get the extra tuition, and those that are a level 5 and could make a level 6 get it. Again the ones in the middle get nothing.

The more cynical of the playground mums think it is all about the league tables and nothing to do with the actual children...

Oh - the ones struggling for lvl 4, and the ones expected to get level 6 get way more than just 10 sessions. They get them all the way through Y5 and Y6 right up until SATS week. When it conveniently stops. And the ones in the middle don't get a sniff of even one session...

couthy they target them because the government allocates funding to target those children for 10 weeks. It's a government policy nothing to do with your school however cynical the parents are.

Couthy/mrz - Dd 1 had them during year 5 as she was in danger of not getting a L4 in numeracy. Funded by Govt.