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Primary education

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

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Original poster

OTT to get tutor for yr1 DD?

43 replies

printmeanicephoto · 14/05/2013 19:42

My DD was "just within age related expectations" for reading, phonics and maths last Christmas just gone, and is now "within age related expectations" in all of these in yr1.

Am pleased that she is progressing but it is an academic, fairly MC school and she is in the bottom set or the next one up (think there are 4 or 5 sets). She is summer-born.

Am not overly concerned, but wondering if I should pay for a tutor or just pay next door neighbour (age 16) to come round and read with her for half an hour after school a couple of times a week etc.

We do read to her every night and she reads to us but I often work eves so my input is fairly short and limited. DH does help but is usually knackered by that time after work and does the minimum with her also.

Has anyone tried paying willing teenager to help? Or would a tutor be better? Is she too young for a tutor? Her bro aged 9 could help as he is a fluent reader but not sure as maybe it would be better if it was someone outside family. Any tips?

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freetrait · 14/05/2013 22:44

She is Y1, she is summer born, she has busy working parents (no crime!). I agree, a tutor is OTT. She needs engaging with (re the reading), just a little a day and listening to, just a little a day.

And some 16 year olds are very with it and excellent "tutors", and this could help tweak things the right way for you. You don't have to be an expert- it is more someone who she can engage with. I would quit (some of) the housework on the weekend though, sounds like you need some more premium family time, reading or not .

Original poster

printmeanicephoto · 14/05/2013 23:01

We DO spend about 10-15 mins a day reading to her and her reading to us before bed. But think she needs more - another 10 mins in the day here and there.

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freetrait · 14/05/2013 23:07

Do it at the weekend, or extend the bedtime time a little. I shouldn't think many of us are doing that much more reading with our kids than that. Well, we don't!

How about once a month have a special reading time on a Saturday or Sunday. Pick some "dead time" if you have that when they normally watch telly or make bedtime that bit later on a Saturday, just half an hour or something?

The phrase "where there's a will there's a way" springs to mind, but when you don't have the habit and are busy you have to artificially impose it to start with to get it going (and now I should do what I say..not on reading but other things!).

SanityClause · 14/05/2013 23:10

We had a tutor for DD2, in year 4 and 5, so a bit older.

She had retired as a teacher, and did some part time tutoring, but we knew (know) her personally.

She did half an hour of spellings and half an hour of maths. They covered the school homework, but also other interesting stuff that came up.

It really helped to improve her confidence, to the extent that she decided for herself that she no longer needed a tutor.

I couldn't have helped her anywhere near as much as the tutor did. She has teacher training, for a start, and lots of experience.

Original poster

printmeanicephoto · 14/05/2013 23:10

Iwish - not prioritising our own wants, just working bloody hard to keep everything going and ticking over! We already do the 10-15 mins a day that you all recommend.

OP posts:

SanityClause · 14/05/2013 23:13

Also, your time with her will be more enjoyable for all of you, if you are not having to worry about whether you should be doing a bit more reading.

mumteacher · 14/05/2013 23:43

The teenager next door is a great place to start. Your DD will (hopefully) look up to the teenager. The conversations alone about books for example may stimulate a spark for your DD to read particular types of books. Your DD may not see the teenager as a "teacher" and this can have fabulous results.

Haven't read all the posts but i would def' spend the money on the teenager over cleaner

FadedSapphire · 15/05/2013 06:27

If she is within expectations and young in the year she really is doing great and probably should be left alone.
I am not a fan of tutoring young children however if 16 year old a bouncy, enthusiastic type maybe half an hour of 'reading time' may be fun for both of them. However.... Maybe 16 year old reads a page then dd reads a page. Not a full half hour of your daughter reading but a sort of shared story time with a fun, non school book.

Sparklingbrook · 15/05/2013 06:31

Sorry-went to bed. We had the tutor for about a year in the end. Started with Maths, half an hour a week. Then Maths and Literacy. She helped him with handwriting and spelling too print.

He was calm, he never complained. She made it fun. If we had tried it would have been a disaster.

She was a part time teacher so was fully up to date with what was required too,

christinarossetti · 15/05/2013 06:53

I think your first step needs to be identifying exactly what you would like her to improve and go from there.

If it's just the amount of time she spends reading out loud, then next doors teen will probably be ideal. If it's that she hasn't yet got an understanding of foundation phonics or maths, you may have to look at someone more specialised.

noramum · 15/05/2013 06:53

Where does your child goes after school? Is there the possibility that she does another 10 minutes? I know that DD's childminder hears one if her mindees read.

meglet · 15/05/2013 07:04

Personally, yes I would get a tutor if I was worried about my DS. I currently struggle to fit in time with him around work and his younger sister (who won't let us have quiet time together). It's probably better to nip any concerns in the bud than worry about them for another year or two.

mrz · 15/05/2013 07:12

Personally I would never get a tutor for a child who is doing well at school and is still so young.

Sparklingbrook · 15/05/2013 07:18

Ds1's year 2 teacher basically said at Parents' Evening that we needed to 'do something about it'. Knowing he wouldn't respond to us without a huge fiasco we got the tutor. It was a confidence thing with the Maths and he was drowning. Teacher was moving on regardless. I have no idea whether it was SATS related on the teacher's part. I so wish she could see him now.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 15/05/2013 07:22

If you are already doing 10-15 minutes a day with her then that is enough in Y1. Perhaps she is just a late developer academically.

DD (July birthday) was below expected levels in Y1 and has now made huge progress in catching up (without having had a tutor). She is now in Y4 and is middle of middle sets in quite an academically able year group. Reading and spelling age very slightly ahead of her chronological age, which I never thought I'd see.

If you feel that a tutor will give your DD extra confidence and put your mind at rest, then go for it, but you might find that she makes progress either way.

Sparklingbrook · 15/05/2013 07:26

It may be worth getting a tutor for say 2 sessions to give an assessment?

FadedSapphire · 15/05/2013 07:50

Sounds like the school was not doing their job properly Sparklingbrook.
Surely it is a cop out for a school to suggest tutoring. School failing pupils...

Sparklingbrook · 15/05/2013 08:33

It was all very strange looking back Faded. The teacher said she didn't have time to help DS1. It was a class of fifteen. If only I was on MN then.......

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