Do you where in class your child sits?

[HuwEdwards]

and no, I don't mean 'by Billy' or 'next to the window', but I've tried to word the subject for 5 mins and failed.

What I mean is do you have an notion of whether they are 'near the bottom', 'average' or in the top set? (Obviously as I can't even put a thread title together, I am class dunce )

Was just reading a couple of other posts, and some parents appear to have a view of their child's progress in comparison with the rest of the class.

My DD is Yr 1 and have absolutely no idea - the parent evening in reception gave me no clues - other than she doesn't appear to have any particular problems.

If you do know - how did you find out?

TBH I am the same. DS is in year one and I think he is possibly slightly above average except in PE/art where is below average. I get most information from my friend who used to help out in reception.

Huw, we had parent's evening last night for dd1 and 2 in Yr 1 and reception. I have no idea. I would say dd1 is near the top in reading, but only from what I've heard from other mums. No idea about other subjects. Dd2 only just finished one complete week, so don't think the teachers would have much of an idea either!

Children are usually tactfully put into groups with non-giveaway names like "Circles" "Triangles" and "Squares" (or may be done by tables - eg Blue Table, Green Table). Your daughter will know what groups she's in - though maybe not yet, as term's only just started (so I'd give it a few weeks). When you know which group(s) she's in, you just ask "which group gets the trickiest work?", which children also seem to know. That will give you a ballpark - which, so long as there are no problems, ought to be enough to know?

I would have thought it was a bit early for parents evening. As you say DD2 has only been there a week!

Ooooh Inspector Bink - what a great idea - she's in a group (they're colours)......

My thoughts entirely Bozza.

Ab but Bink we have been checking out who is on what table (DS is "dark green") and from what my friend says they are mixed ability.

oh buggerooney bozza!

you obviously don't have many pushy/nosey mothers/fathers in your class Huw!

Last week, all the children got spelling and on the top of their sheet was a tiny little symbol. Tbh, I thought it was just the teacher doodling but I walked into the playground and found little gaggles of mothers discussing whether their child was a 'sun' 'moon' or a 'star'!!

The children probably have more of a clue - dd often says she wishes she was a triangle because their sums are easier!

right, will get the mastermind chair out and the spotlight and grill dd tonight....

The only way I have managed to find out is to check what reading books other children have in their book bags when the come for tea and look through their record books. Very sneeky!

Do your teachers write comments back to you? (sorry, hijack)

My friend went into school to read with the children and she was given the chart where she could see what foundation stage levels the children are at. That's how I know!

no, only if she has read to a teacher and then they write a comment in her reading diary

tbh, if the teachers say they are fine then it doesn't matter where they 'sit' iyswim. I'm sure it's very fluid especially in yr 1 when a lot of the boys (and some of the girls) won't even be writing properly yet!

I had a boy to tea on Monday and was planning on having a quick look through his book bag. It was empty. Quite disappointing. DS tells me nothing about school. I get more out of my friend's DS.

EllieDragon what an admission!!

Emkana - I need a friend like that I think.

In Reception, the teachers did write comment - all very non-committal with smiley faces etc., but in Yr1, the Reading Diary appears to be for parent comments only.

Have a parents evening next week, so it will be a bit clearer then hopefully.

Has anyone ever asked their teacher outright about their child's ability?

Its groups with names in our school i.e. stingrays, star fish, seahorses etc for literarcy and owls, hedgehogs, badgers etc for numeracy. Only by asking her have I found out that DD (Yr 2) is a stringray (top) and hedgehog (2nd) although she also says she wishes she were in a different group as her work is harder! One of her friends aspires to move up but she aspires to move down! She told me she was a stingray the day after Steve Irwin died!

I don't think a teacher would really tell you if your child was the best or worst in the class.

You probably find that most children are good at certain things and not so good at others so it would be hard to judge.

I know which group DS3 is in because DS2 was in the same group last year with the same teacher and I had no doubts whatsoever over which group DS2 would be in.

I can see why there might be some attempt not to make position in class too obvious to the children (though they usually work it out quite fast) but I don't see why it should be a state secret as far as the parents are concerned. I can't see anything wrong with just asking the teacher if you want to know - it's a perfectly reasonable question. (After all, you're not going to stand around in the playground boasting to the other mums, are you? )

oh that makes me feel better skytvadict. I thought I had the only child who actually aspired to be in a lower group so that she got easier and less work . Can't think where she gets her laziness from!

what clues batters?

aaaaahhh ok, need to practise asking DD some questions tonight - in the style obviously, of someone who really doesn't give a damn.....