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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

I don't want DS to be withdrawn for intervention.

29 replies

Elisheva · 09/06/2015 17:41

DS (8) is being withdrawn from lessons for interventions. I queried with CT who says he is receiving help with handwriting and mental maths. I don't have a problem with this per se, but I don't like that he has to miss another lesson to do this. Today he missed ICT, last week it was PE - both lessons he loves. Is this usual? I thought interventions were for 15 minutes or so and done during registration or assembly etc. not another whole hour of maths or literacy.
In his last report he was average for writing and above average for reading and maths.
Do I have the right to ask them not to withdraw him?

OP posts:

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momtothree · 09/06/2015 17:45

You can ask. But if a lot of kids need interventions they cant do them all in registration.

juneau · 09/06/2015 17:49

It sounds fair enough to me - if he's fallen behind in key subjects then he may have to miss less important ones in order to catch up. He's never going to be tested on ICT or PE, however much he may enjoy them, so they are expendable in order to get him up to standard in the ones that count.

DogsAreNicerThanPeople · 09/06/2015 17:50

Surely targeted help is a good thing, why on earth would you object? The teacher has identified areas where your DS could do with a little extra support and has made arrangements to deliver it.

KohINoorPencil · 09/06/2015 17:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Starlightbright1 · 09/06/2015 17:58

My Ds (8) seems to be in every intervention group..He mostly enjoys them. I have learnt unless there is a problem then let the school deal with his education that is there specialty.

NotBeingUnreasonable · 09/06/2015 18:08

My DD is above average for writing but still needed handwriting intervention in Y3. It's the content that's above average but she was slow to get it on paper and it was difficult to read so that was eventually going to hold her back.

She is also above average for maths, but struggles with mental maths because of poor auditory processing speed.

Could you see it as a positive, that school have noticed his weaker areas and are providing support to help him improve?

Leeds2 · 09/06/2015 18:15

To be honest, I would be pleased if my DD was offered this, as I think it shows her teacher is on the ball and looking to help in areas where it is needed.

As others have said, he is probably being withdrawn from ICT and PE so that he doesn't mis literacy and maths lessons. If it were my DD, I have to say I would prefer her to miss ICT and PE than miss out on the lessons where the teacher thought extra help was needed.

Could you ask the teacher if she can suggest anything you could do at home to help your DS, so that he might not need the interventions for as long?

mrz · 09/06/2015 19:09

As a SENCO withdrawal is my number one pet hate. It's often the kids who most need a teacher who are sent out

TeenAndTween · 09/06/2015 19:15

My DD has 3 (or 4?) interventions per week.

She misses 'afternoon' subjects, so bits of French, Science, history or whatever. She never misses Maths or Literacy.

Mrz I've seen you say this before regarding interventions. How does your school manage these? e.g. a 10yo with a spelling age of 6?

ouryve · 09/06/2015 19:18

Not much "intervention" is going to happen in 10 minutes of registration.

Original poster

Elisheva · 09/06/2015 19:52

Thank you for your replies. I am pleased that the school is taking action but I feel sorry for poor DS missing the bits of school that he really enjoys. A whole extra hour of maths/literacy seems a bit excessive. I would have thought that 15 minutes two or three times a week would be more effective. Leeds2 I would be happy to do bits at home but had no idea that he was having extra input until now!

OP posts:

Juniper44 · 09/06/2015 20:35

I'm an interventions teacher. My entire timetable is taken up with interventions; there aren't enough registration periods to cover everyone.

I tend to do my interventions in addition to the child's core lessons, not instead of. Consequently, the children are going to miss other lessons. Believe me, I'm the one who has to put up with all of the moaning and pouting when they miss something they enjoy!

It's not ideal, but there's no alternative solution that I can see (apart from us all working flexi-time...)

Clutterbugsmum · 09/06/2015 20:40

TeenAndTween From my experience with my DD1 school.

I have had to fight to get her intervention with spelling because she is a high level reader.

We have a family history of dyslexia, both my DH and myself are dyslexic and both our brothers are very dyslexic IYKWIM. But the school kept saying she not dyslexic because she is a level 5a reader but her literacy was a 3a/4c. It is only now she in year 6 has she had lots of intervention with spelling/literacy.

PeterParkerSays · 09/06/2015 20:49

We're looking at this as well. DS keeps being pulled out of PE to do reading and writing. We're torn between it being a positive thing, because DS is struggling, and him missing out on PE and getting a reputation with the children who carry on doing PE, as a remedial kid. A group of children in his class have already been sent to the headteacher for picking on him about his writing.

Our children also have to enjoy being at school, and if teachers are pulling them out of classes they enjoy to do work they find laborious, there's even less motivation for them to enjoy school. I'll be interested to see what you decide.

mrz · 09/06/2015 21:48

Before and after school and lunchtime sessions with teachers giving their own time to support pupils. It relies heavily on goodwill but means that support is in addition to not a substitute for other lessons.

I had 3 Y4 children stay back with me tonight for 45mins and tomorrow I'll be working with 2 other teachers and 8 Y6 pupils for an extra hour after school.

Feenie · 09/06/2015 21:55

We also run interventions before and after school, during lunchtime and in assembly times also.

2 hours of PE per week is a statutory entitlement, and ICT is also a core subject.

Luna9 · 09/06/2015 21:58

The he only solution I see is for the parents to do the extra tutoring themselves or get a tutor so they catch up and don't have to miss classes they like. It is great that the school is helping but I also understand the child getting upset because they miss things they like as the other activities are also part of the school like.

Feenie · 09/06/2015 22:09

Depriving children of a broad and balanced curriculum or hiring a private tutor are not the only solutions!

AtomicDog · 09/06/2015 22:36

My DS has writing intervention during assembly- is that possible?

TeacupTravels · 09/06/2015 22:45

Is allthe the intervention groups a new(ish) thing? Are they good/making a difference? Is it just pushing up pressure/stress .....

(ex secondary teacher with infant children!)

MrsEvadneCake · 09/06/2015 22:50

My reading intervention that I deliver is 15 mins x 2 a week per child. I take them out of other subjects (not literacy or numeracy). It does make a difference in this case with a reading age increasing by 6-12 months on average in three months. I know it's not ideal taking them out of lesson time but there isn't often another option.

TeacupTravels · 09/06/2015 22:54

Oh wow - that sounds good. I've seen lots of that kind of job advertised and wondered if it would be very high pressure to produce "results" and very target driven.... but on the other hand if its really helping thats ace!

Original poster

Elisheva · 09/06/2015 23:33

Is an intervention that takes an entire lesson a common thing? I work in schools and the ones I've seen are much quicker (Dancing Bears and such). I don't know what they do or if they're following a set programme, I only know what DS tells me and he's a bit vague.

OP posts:

Juniper44 · 10/06/2015 00:05

My interventions are an hour, but then I'm a qualified teacher so I plan the lessons, rather than working through a scheme such as Rapid Maths etc.

I think the children I teach would rather miss lessons than lunchtime.

mrz · 10/06/2015 05:47

Our pupils pester for lunchtime sessions

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