Ds reception - is this ok? Told he was struggling.

[Moonfacesmother]

I have a thread in AIBU too.
At ds's parent's evening we were told he was struggling basically with everything. He is a summer born so still 4.
Not long after parent's evening we discovered he needed glasses and was incredibly far sighted (+7). He had his glasses on Tuesday and today was his first day of wearing them to school (he didn't go yesterday as was unwell). This evening he decided on his own to write the attached image. I gave him no input and I think it is the first time I can't remember him ever doing any writing of his own valition.
He was taking about being under the sea and wrote:
I can see a star fish.
I can see a shark.
I can see a jelly fish.

I don't think it's bad phonetically, would reception teachers say it isn't too bad for his age and at this point in reception? I'm so hoping the glasses make his life much much easier.

Looks absolutely fine for reception, especially for a summer born child.

I remember your thread and have a long-sighted 4 yr old. I just wanted to shout: he can't see!

I think his writing is lovely - clear and understandable.

My summer born eldest wouldn't have been able to produce that at this stage of reception. I thought he wasn't very academic. He's in year 5 and top sets now.

Your DS couldn't see!

I know, poor little boy.
I feel bad for not noticing, school didn't notice either though!

My ds is a summer born reception, with no sight problems, (as far as I know), and they look at a similar level.

The biggest bonus is that he wanted to do it, until now he has shown no interest.
And I think writing and reading are a lot about practice so if he's more willing to try that will make a big difference.

That looks like good writing to me, and it's something he did independently, which is great.

As a reception TA I can say that that's pretty good, especially for one of the younger ones.

it looks similar to the work my fairly average at writing, winter-born, reception DD does, so I'd say it's pretty good for a summer born child, especially as he's only just got his glasses so been able to see less than most children while practicing.

I'm also quite jealous of a dc that will practice writing without being pushed/begged/bribed!

Well it might just be novelty value so I'm not counting on him always being so enthusiastic!

He just got himself a pencil and asked me to rule some lines for him and off he went. Previously he's written a word and then looked away, looked back and then started the second word somewhere else entirely on the paper! Presumably because he couldn't see very well. He was also able to read back what he'd written which was an absolute first.

You didn't need to explain it. It's perfectly legible. It's great.

I think he'll be absolutely fine now he's got his glasses. Relax and enjoy!

I have commented on your other thread too, but seeing this writing. My DD would not have written anything so legible or interesting at his age.

Her reading took off, a few weeks shy of her 6th birthday, her writing took off about 4 months after.

I would have been thrilled with this.

Maybe you should speak to someone else at the school...its seems out of proportion..

I might do as there is another child in the other class who has had a similar experience, except she can't hear particularly well either!
She has had glasses this week like ds and the school have told her mother she has finally sat down and done some work. Up until now they've been really negative with her too. She seems to have struggled more than my ds probably because of the hearing being a problem too. She has been crying every morning before school until this week.

If it was a teacher who had her knickers in a twist, though, bornfree, she could have told the OP that her child was a basket case. Not because it was true but just because she was having a bad day. We're all human.

That is lovely writing. Did your child not get seen by the school nurse to get sight problems picked up?

That is a lovely piece of writing. Prehaps the teacher is worried that he will struggle to get his ideas down on paper in year 1. I think the expectations of four year olds are totally unrealistic with the new national curriculum.

This is what my four year old produced and her teacher doesn't think much of her independent writing. DD is more interested in drawing than writing.

brilliant that the glasses have made so much difference.

It is so hard for schools or parents to pick up problems at that age. the child doesn't know what is normal. My eldest didn't realise it wasn't normal to see half the words in bold and half so pale she can't see them or the letters moving around. she also didn't realise it wasn't normal to not be able to say the word she is thinking of. It has taken us a year to work out what her 2 problems are, the school had no idea there even was a problem because she was so good at hiding it.

Hopefully now you have picked it up and he has his glasses the rest of his reception year will be very positive and he will be able to do really well.

just shows how much he had picked up already though even with his sight problem for him to instantly be able to write so well. he must be over the moon, it will have been very frustrating for him.

ds could not form letters at the end of reception and got level 5s across the board in year 6. It is too early to worry.

Reallytired - I think that's great!
I'm starting to think teachers (well maybe more the curriculum) expects too much. It will get worse too I think as it seems year on year expectations are becoming higher.
What used to be expected in year 1 is now expected in reception and they now have to move three sub levels a year in ks1. It puts both children and teachers under a lot of pressure.