Ds repeatedly missing out on reading because teacher runs out of time on a friday - normal?

[Idonthaveenoughtime]

Hello,

Opinions on this please.
My child reads once a week to a teacher (usually a teaching assistant). Reading day is a friday because Ds is at the bottom of the register. For the last 5 weeks (not including xmas) Ds has either not got a new book/not read to the teacher and on not a single occasion have they done any word recognition or number practice with him because I've checked his workbook. A lot of this is down to the christmas play etc, but things are continuing in january. Other children later in the week have had their reading day moved to friday, the kids whose reading day is on friday have simply missed out all together.

This sounds like really awful organisation on the schools part and discrimination based on what letter your surname starts with.

Add to that Ds is also the youngest in his class and is struggling anyway to keep up.

I'm fuming and if the ofsted inspection due in a few days is positive (good and upwards) I actually think I might spit the dummy out about it and will never ever trust an ofsted report again as I know from talking with other parents many of the older children's passable results are due to all the private tutoring that goes on to get the kids into the local grammar school. Is this something worth writing to ofsted about or should I keep approaching the school first and hope they overhaul their system in a timescale that will actually benefit my child? (unlikely I think but maybe I'm just cynical).

A bit nervous about bringing this up again with the school as at parents evening I was told 'it doesn't really matter at this age'.
I just feel like I'm spending all my spare time making up for what 6 hours a day at school are meant to be doing, if all that literacy and numeracy education doesn't matter wouldn't Ds (who is still only 4) be better off part time and having fun in preschool? Ds has actually gone backwards as far as numeracy is concerned, he can't even remember how to count in order. Also I was told that they don't have enough staff to read with them more than once a week or to make up for lost time during the previous week.

The head of reception is not very approachable, and apparently writing to the headteacher is like throwing a hand grenade. So I am meant to talk to the class teacher again? Who to be frank, is at the very bottom of the peaking order in the school hierarchy and is completely unable to effect change.

If they can't come up with a more rational system (and I can think of many) Then I can't understand why they at the very least don't rotate so that one term the bottom of the register starts on a monday and another term the top of the register do? (Although children in the middle of the register will never miss out if this is the case so maybe I should change my last name to Jones?)

If my child stays in this school are they going to be disadvantaged for the rest of their school career??
Is this normal in your experience or is this apparently 'very good school' not so very good?

Advice on next steps please!

DS is still only four?? In Reception?? If he's in reception the teacher should have reading and phonics targets for all children to meet by the end of the year.

If he's still in preschool then the most important things are to learn how to share, listen, sit on the mat, go to the loo by self and become more independent, not reading!

But it doesn't sound like the school is very approachable, and that is a bad thing.

Ds is an august baby so he had to start reception in september.

The reception teacher should be managing her time better - she has a responsibility to all the children in her class.

I would be kicking up merry hell if it was my child. When was the last time he read with his teacher/TA?

You should know that as part of an Ofsted report, they will ask parents to fill in a questionnaire. The inspectors will also be around in school and will be available for parents to speak to if they wish.

I don't think once a week reading is anything to be honest, so nothing to miss.
make sure your child reads with you every night before bed and it doesn't matter if they don't read at school.
I have never trusted a school to educate my dc and have always supported and done quite a lot myself.
You will also find that by doing this your child will improve dramatically.

We had this with both my eldest children who were Friday readers. I ended up checking their bag at pick up time and going in if the book hadn't been changed - there was always an excuse: it was supposed to be the TA doing it but she forgot; we didn't have time; will do it on Monday; we had x, y and z assembly. I grew used to the excuses and just bugged them until it was done. I think in the end they ended up just doing it because they knew I'd be in like a shot.

My third child who was a Thursday reader didn't have this problem at all.

Change your family name to begin with A?

Go in and say something.
I volunteer by listening to children read. TA gave me the folder and said get as far as you can through this! When i looked i saw that it was alphabetical and , like your DC, those with names towards end of alphabet did not get listened to as much.
I now start from the back or go through and see who needs bringing more up to date

that is rubbish and no it isn't acceptable IMO.

My daughters have both read twice a week in reception (normally once a TA and once a helper, very occasionally the teacher) and they also get another book change (so read M, W and book change F or read T, T and book change F).

I would create a fuss myself.

Yep that's poor. Go in and speak to the teacher.

Keep reading at home (you could probably get the same reading scheme from the library, and I see your point that you feel you are doing what you are technically sending your Dc to school for) then don't put the reading book in for a couple of weeks....reading will suddenly become more important then .

A few years ago it came to my attention that my Ds wasn't being read with in Reception, he had the same book for well over 3 weeks and I just kept reminding him to change his book but he never could because his TA had the books. Me being me back then didn't think anything of it and when I did go in the TA tried to say that he never brought his book in and duty of care on my behalf was quoted unknown to me this actually had a knock on affect with his spellings.....which, 3 years on, he still struggles with.

My Dd gets read with once a week if the TA has time, but just before the holidays she brought home a list, which I presume was done by the TA, with lots of names of Dc who hadn't brought their reading books in I bet my ass that the CT had a chat with those parents.

Ofsted have just been into my Dc's school and they want more focus on reading in reception so the TA or CT is to read with the Dc EVERYDAY and show that they are, so I am guessing they have spotted the weakness.......Now that proves that reading IS very important at that age.

My sympathies. Yes those at the end of the alphabet do lose out, and I would seriously go in and point it out(in my experience annually). Rotating which end of the alphabet they start at is an easy way of solving the problem in my experience, but I have has to suggest it. Every year.